Democrats endorse Indian American in CA fray

Indian-American Congressional candidate Dr Ami Bera on Tuesday became the sole Democrat to represent California's 3rd Congressional distict, following Bill Slaton's withdrawal from the fray.

"Bill Slaton has been a champion for renewable energy development and a strong leader in the community. I am honoured to have his support as we work toward our shared goal, pushing aside partisanship and working to create jobs and opportunity for Californians. Bill's support will be critical as we continue to build momentum for the change we need in the Congress," Bera said in a statement.

Slaton's withdrawal from the race means that Ami Bera is now the only candidate to challenge the incumbent, Republican Dan Lungren, in the 2010 general election. Bera is a physician who has an extensive background in healthcare policy, both in the public and private sector.

He is a former chief medical officer for the county of Sacramento, and recently served as associate dean for admissions at the UC Davis School of Medicine. Bera lives in Elk Grove, CA, with his wife and daughter.

The 3rd Congressional district includes several communities in Sacramento and Solano county, as well as all of Alpine, Amador, and Calaveras. The primary will be held on June 8, 2010, and the general election on November 2, 2010.