Report: Sandra Fluke Mulls Run for Henry Waxman's Seat

Sandra Fluke, the birth-control activist who helped Democrats launch their “Republican war on women” theme in the 2012 elections, is reported to be considering a run for the seat being vacated by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA). Waxman announced his retirement after 20 terms in the U.S. House on Thursday morning.

Fluke, who reports her profession as “Social Justice Attorney,” is from Los Angeles. The field of potential Democratic candidates is already filling quickly with state and local politicians who have bided their time for four decades, waiting for Waxman to leave an opening. But Fluke’s national profile could draw big donors.

Alice Walson, political reporter for local public radio station KPCC, tweeted Thursday that Fluke was “strongly considering” a run. Under California’s new “jungle primary” system, she would be competing with a long list of Democrats, plus any Republicans or independent candidates who decided to join the political fray.

In 2012, Waxman defeated self-funding independent businessman Bill Bloomfield by an 8-point margin. It is possible, in a crowded field, for a candidate like Fluke to win on name recognition alone against candidates with more experience. Fluke was a finalist for Time magazine’s “Person of the Year” in 2012.