Amanda Renteria, Hillary Clinton’s national political director for her 2016 presidential campaign, entered the Democrat-heavy gubernatorial race in California on Wednesday.
The longtime Democratic political operative’s sudden entrance into the packed race has raised some eyebrows and many questions.
“It’s very strange for multiple reasons,” Gil Duran, Democratic campaign consultant, told Bay Area public radio station KQED. “For one thing, it’s extremely disrespectful to abandon your boss in the middle of an election to run for the office above his. I’ve never heard of anyone doing that.”
Renteria, who is originally from California’s Central Valley, left her position as chief of operations for Attorney General Xavier Becerra.
“She’s gotten in so late it’s almost impossible to put together a credible campaign,” Democratic consultant Katie Merrill told the Fresno Bee.
According to KQED, “With the June primary election less than four months away, Renteria has raised no money, has little to no name recognition with voters, no endorsements and no clear path to victory.”
The fact that she chose not to hold a press conference or address the media the day of her announcement also has people perplexed.
It might be possible possible for Renteria, who is Latina, to take a portion of Hispanic votes away from former Los Angeles mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who is neck-and-neck in polls with Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom. She is the daughter of Mexican immigrants.
In a previous video interview with the Fresno Bee, she said she felt a personal responsibility to counter Presidnet Donald Trump’s “demonization” of immigrants.
Renteria is the second female to gain notable media recognition in the race. Former public schools chief Delaine Eastin is the other.
Adelle Nazarian is a politics and national security reporter for Breitbart News. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter.