Elizabeth Emken in 2012 CA Senate debate

On Principles & Values: Feinstein is arrogant and dismissive for not debating

Feinstein has refused to debate her. No, not even at 3 a.m. on a Saturday on a cable access station in Turlock. As Feinstein's campaign manager told us a while back after Emken challenged DiFi to a series of debates : "This is the sort of typical cliche move from someone is 19 points down and has $25,000 in the bank and 35 percent name recognition," he said.

Editorial boards all up and down California--including our very own Ivory Tower-dwellers--have called out Feinstein for the democracy dodge.

Emken ramped it up when the San Francisco Chronicle/SFGate.com's Shaky Hand Productions video crew caught up with her. She called DiFi "arrogant" and "dismissive" for not agreeing to debate:

On Principles & Values: Wins primary slot against 14 Republicans and 5 Democrats

On Principles & Values: Wins primary slot against 14 Republicans and 5 Democrats

Emken won backing from the state GOP and from several of the state's Republican elected officials and made campaign stops throughout the state. She had raised the most money of any of the challengers, a little more than $300,000, federal records showed.

Feinstein, who is seeking her fourth full term in a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 44% to 30%, with 21% of voters unaffiliated, had raised more than $9 million.

On Budget & Economy: Robust growth produces more revenue; reduce spending now

Elizabeth Emken: The immediate answer is to reduce spending and regulatory burdens. There is no agency that cannot be reduced in some form. At the same time, economic growth is imperative. We cannot pay this debt down without robust growth that produces more revenue.

On Health Care: Government-run health care is not the solution

Elizabeth Emken: Government-run health care is not the solution. Consumers must be more directly involved in decisions about services to provide the market forces that will drive down costs presently skewed by government intervention in the health care system.

On Health Care: ObamaCare is poorly written and it needs to repealed

Elizabeth Emken: Obamacare. It's not health care reform, it's poorly written health insurance reform and it needs to repealed. We do need genuine changes to our health care system, but the role of government is to set fair rules and serve as an honest referee.

On Immigration: Comprehensive solution that starts by securing our borders

Elizabeth Emken: We must approach the illegal immigration issue with a comprehensive solution that starts by securing our borders. Until we do, we cannot adequately address the other problems with immigration. We also need to ensure a vibrant guest worker program.

On Jobs: Public unions have too much political influence

Elizabeth Emken: I'm concerned about public union influence, which constitutes three of the top five federal political campaign donors. Union dues provide deep pockets to support politicians who in turn support increasing the size of government and more union jobs.

On Tax Reform: Protect the social safety net and entitlement programs

Congress must make the distinction on priority spending in government, work within a budget, and stop spending now the future taxes our children have yet to earn and pay. I will insist on Congressional oversight of bureaucratic spending and a renewed focus on results. The immediate answer is to reduce spending and regulatory burdens. There is no agency that cannot be reduced in some form. At the same time, economic growth is imperative. We cannot pay this debt down without robust growth that produces more revenue.