| THE BUZZ: California has dozens of problems, but a shortage of Senate candidates ain’t one. Yet another Democrat today is announcing her entrance into what is quickly becoming a crowded field, and, as seems to be the trend of late, she’s betting her background outside of politics and bipartisan pragmatism can help her rise to the top of the heap. Christina Pascucci, a 38-year-old journalist, has spent more than a decade reporting for Los Angeles TV stations, but now, after leaving her job at FOX 11 on Tuesday, she’s entering California’s race for Senate, hoping that her years of global storytelling and activism will be enough to land her in Dianne Feinstein’s old seat. Our colleague Christopher Cadelago got the scoop, and heard all about Pascucci’s pitch for a moderate consensus-building candidacy. “I spent my life and my upbringing learning to speak the language of people who disagree with me,” she told Chris. “A lot of times people don’t even try and they just say ‘they’re extreme.’ That is the worst thing you can do. That is the intent of disinformation: to polarize us. The only way to combat that is by going in, sitting down and talking it out.” Pascucci has far less political experience (and likelihood of surviving the March primary) than the frontrunners, Reps. Barbara Lee, Katie Porter and Adam Schiff (Schiff and Porter have consistently led in polls). And Sen. Laphonza Butler, if she decides to run for a full term, could emerge as a formidable force. Pascucci wouldn’t be the first novice to take a stab at a desirable political office. She’s not even the first candidate in this race who's taking their first plunge into politics, regardless of whether Butler decides to run. First there was Lexi Reese, the Democratic Bay Area tech executive who pitched herself as a “different kind of leader.” Then there was baseball legend Steve Garvey, a Republican who launched his campaign last week after what he said was more than two decades of both Democrats and Republicans suggesting he run for office. In each case, candidates play on a familiar theme — arguing that they are the panacea to a Washington clogged with career politicians and bureaucrats. But it takes more than messaging to win a race, especially in California, where reaching the state’s 20 million voters requires a hefty war chest. A week of TV advertisements in Los Angeles can easily run a candidate $2 million. This may be the area where Pascucci and Garvey have their greatest advantage, having both spent years on TV in the state’s most expensive media market. GOOD MORNING. Happy Wednesday. PLAYBOOK TIP LINE — Who else do you expect to jump into the Senate race? Give us a ring or drop us a line. Now you can text us at 916-562-0685 — save it as “CA Playbook” in your contacts now. Or drop us a line at lkorte@politico.com and dgardiner@politico.com, or on Twitter —@DustinGardiner and @Lara_Korte WHERE’S GAVIN? Nothing official announced.
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