Portantino makes Speaker candidacy official

It was an open secret that Assemblyman Anthony Portantino, D-Pasadena, has set his sights on the speaker seat being vacated by Fabian Nunez in December. But the former La Canada Flintridge mayor has made his candidacy for the position official in a press release issued today. He appears to be the first among several serious contenders for the speakership to publicly declare his intentions.

"I intend to meet with my Assembly Democratic colleagues to make my case on how to move California forward. I believe my performance to date and my positive, consensus-building approach to tackling California's challenges shows I have something to offer," said Portantino in the statement.

Portantino is recognized by political experts as a prolific fund-raiser with connections to Nunez and a chairman's seat on the Assembly Committee on Higher Education, a position which also proves he has built good relationships with the powerful teachers' unions. But he faces some stiff competition in Kevin De Leon, a childhood friend of Nunez with a $530,000 warchest who has emerged as an early favorite in the speaker race. Karen Bass of Los Angeles is also considered a strong contender, as is Assemblyman Chuck Calderon, the Industry veteran with strong business connections who can also raise funds with the best of them.

The Sacramento Bee earlier had declared Portantino a "dark horse" candidate, but it has also admitted that his $535,000 raised in 2007 gives him some serious credibility in his quest for the speakership (it is generally accepted that fund-raising acumen is a prerequisite for the position). And now that he has officially thrown his hat in the ring, he may start getting some serious traction.

Assembly Dems also announced today that Nunez would remain in power until December and that his replacement will be selected by March 11. The winner will spearhead fund-raising for this year's Assembly elections, according to the SacBee's Capitol Alert.