"Joe Simitian has spent nearly half his life in elective office, having served on the Palo Alto school board, the City Council, as mayor, on the County Board of Supervisors and in the State Assembly. Now he is in his second and final term in the State Senate. He is married to his political consultant."
On paper, Mr. Simitian seems like the very definition of a career politician.
But sit down with him and you come away with a different impression. Riffing comfortably on topics from education reform to highway safety, from environmental policy to infrastructure, Mr. Simitian sounds more like a wonk than a wannabe.
The truth is that he is a little bit of both. Educated as a city planner and trained as a lawyer, Mr. Simitian is serious about public policy and is something of a maverick. He is willing, on occasion, to offend powerful interest groups.
He is also as ambitious as any politician, practiced in the art of getting his name on important legislation and in the newspaper. Even now he is plotting a possible run for Congress should Representative Jackie Speier run for attorney general, though Ms. Speier’s district covers large portions of
On paper, Mr. Simitian seems like the very definition of a career politician.
But sit down with him and you come away with a different impression. Riffing comfortably on topics from education reform to highway safety, from environmental policy to infrastructure, Mr. Simitian sounds more like a wonk than a wannabe.
The truth is that he is a little bit of both. Educated as a city planner and trained as a lawyer, Mr. Simitian is serious about public policy and is something of a maverick. He is willing, on occasion, to offend powerful interest groups.
He is also as ambitious as any politician, practiced in the art of getting his name on important legislation and in the newspaper. Even now he is plotting a possible run for Congress should Representative Jackie Speier run for attorney general, though Ms. Speier’s district covers large portions of