In coming to the Congress as a new Member and becoming a fellow Blue Dog, we have had an opportunity to share and really spend a great deal of time in examining the challenges that our Nation finds itself in in getting its fiscal house in order.

On paper Costa was an overwhelming favorite. Ashburn's campaign made plays on Costa's name "Costa's going to cost ya" and linked him to former Governor Gray Davis calling them "two taxing twins. California Legislature
Costa represented part of Fresno in the state legislature for 24 years serving in the California State Assembly from 1978 until 1994 and in the California State Senate from 1994 until 2002.

S. James Manuel "Jim" Costa (born April 13 1952) is the U.