Former Astronaut Launches Bid For Congress

[bananas]

Source: Florida Today

A former NASA astronaut who grew up in a family of migrant farmers is returning to his California roots to run for Congress.

Jose Hernandez flew as a mission specialist aboard Discovery in 2009, launching on the 30th shuttle flight to the International Space Station and the 37th flight of NASA's fleet-leading orbiter. During a two-week mission, Hernandez and his crewmates hauled more than seven tons of of supplies and equipment to the station.

Among that gear: two science research racks, new crew quarters, a new air revitalization system, a new treadmill and a laboratory freezer.

After the mission, Hernandez served a stint with the legislative affairs branch at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., formulating space policy and briefing congressional lawmakers on NASA programs. He left NASA earlier this year to take a job in private industry.

<snip>

Read more: http://space.flatoday.net/2011/10/former-astronaut-launches-bid-for.html

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He's a Democrat.

ABOUT THE IMAGE: Click to enlarge the NASA image of STS-128 mission specialist Jose Hernandez in a launch-and-entry suit prior to heading out to the launch pad for a practice coundown at Kennedy Space Center. Photo credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett.

[Bloke 32]

1. Where else does he have to go?

Seriously: Would you take a ride on a Soyuz?

[bananas]

2. Yes I would, the Soyuz are very reliable and safe. nt

[slackmaster]

3. Hell yes I'd fly on a Soyuz, especially if I could get the "shotgun" seat

http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread334416/pg1

[Onlooker]

5. Are you anti-Soyuz? n/t

[Ian David]

4. I don't trust astronauts. They can only eat food from a tube.

Astronauts
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zK-30442RII

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

6. If the good lord had intended us to walk on the moon

we'd have been born with cement feet.

[Ian David]

7. I will not have his moon-cheese baby! n/t

[kestrel91316]

8. Dare we hope he's a liberal Dem??

[latinattack78]

10. Looks like

He is a Dem. http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111006/A_NEWS/110060332/-1/A_NEWS05

Here's too hoping he wins :-)

[No Elephants]

16. The OP says he's a Dem. The poster asked if he might be a liberal.

The two are far from synonymous.

[No Elephants]

18. If he is, and he wins, D.C. will soon change him and/or disempower him.

But, it would be a refreshing change if he were.

The number of members in the the House Progressive Caucus has been dwindling.

[joshcryer]

21. Uh, elections matter. The CPC had control of *half* of the standing committees in 2008.

Half of the entire House was in control by progressives. Half.

If he doesn't get elected I'll blame a shitty GOTV by progressives. Because that's the only way we lose in 2012, if we don't get out the vote.

[xchrom]

9. Don't care til I know what his politics are. Nt

[ShockediSay]

11. Wait til the Republick'ms hassle him about his birthplace and

his voter ID card, and his period of absence from Fla while he was out in space

[xchrom]

12. Do you know his party affiliation?

If he is a progressive?

[bananas]

13. He's a Democrat running in a GOP district, don't know how progressive/liberal he is

Here's some excerpts about his politics,
sounds like a really good guy:

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20111006/A_NEWS/110060332/-1/A_NEWS05

The 49-year-old former NASA astronaut, a Democrat, filed papers this week forming a campaign committee. After weeks of hinting he would run for public office, the Hernandez for Congress Committee is official.

http://napavalleyregister.com/star/news/local/from-farmworker-to-nasa-astronaut/article_736f8c9e-efb6-11e0-a569-001cc4c002e0.html

During its trip of 5.7 million miles in 15 days, Hernandez said he saw the thin atmosphere surrounding the earth, which is “the only thing keeping us alive.” He added, “I became an instant tree hugger at that point. We’ve got to take care of our planet right now.”

As flight engineer he saw the earth from deep space. “What struck me was its beauty. You could not make out where the U.S. ended and Mexico began,” he said. “I had to leave Earth to find out that down there, we are just one.”

http://www.kmjnow.com/pages/landing_news?Ex-Astronaut-to-Challenge-Rep-Denham-in-=1&blockID=554308&feedID=806

Democratic analyst Rick Lehman sees Hernandez as a formidable contender against Republican Congressman Jeff Denham in the newly drawn up 10th congressional district.

"Jeff has the misfortune of being reapportioned out of the area he's representing, no more Fresno County, no more Madera County," said Lehman alluding to the 19th district representative's plan to move north into the newly drawn up 10th - which encompasses much of southern San Joaquin County.

Lehman says the 49-year-old former astronaut who flew one of NASA's final missions in 2009 aboard space shuttle Discovery also has that on his side in the still GOP-leaning district.

Lehman says, "He has a great story to tell and I think he'll see the Democratic Party putting a lot of effort behind him."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Hern%C3%A1ndez_%28astronaut%29

Hernández announced at Pacific Union College on September 29, 2011 that at the urging of President Barack Obama he was considering a run for the U.S. House of Representatives and would announce his decision on October 11, 2011.<11>

<snip>

In September 2009, Hernández advocated support of a legalization path for immigrants. "Having 12 million undocumented people here means there's something wrong with the system, and the system needs to be fixed."<13> Hernández called this his personal opinion, and not a representation of NASA policy.

[Muskypundit]

14. Yeah a republican astronaut would defy logic.

Even more so than every other republican who isnt rich.

[No Elephants]

17. I don't think the facts are your side on that claim.

[Muskypundit]

19. Not saying there are not any rethug astronaunts. Just saying it is not smart.

[mjbarkl]

15. Dr. Hernandez for Congress

For those of you who doubt Dr. Hernandez' qualifications, if you will examine the biography and interview of Dr. Hernandez on the NASA sites you will learn that Dr. Hernandez has a number of fine qualifications and accomplishments, including developing important improvements to x-ray technology for mammograms.

--Mike Barkley, Candidate for Congress new CA-10 District,
http://www.mjbarkl.com/run.htm

[bananas]

22. Thanks for the information, and good luck to you and Dr. Hernandez. nt

[Octafish]

23. Thank you for the heads-up!

Hope the good doctor makes it to Congress.

And a hearty welcome to DU, mjbarkl!

[Uncle Joe]

20. I believe Jose will be a good prospect.

Thanks for the thread, bananas.