Environmental, women’s groups spending to defeat former Rep. Joe Baca

A prominent women’s group and a leading environmental organization have begun spending on a campaign to attack former Democratic congressman Joe Baca as he tries for a political comeback in the June 3 primary.

Women Vote!, an affiliate of EMILY’s List, reported spending $13,780 on political mail to oppose Baca, who is running for a seat in an Inland Empire congressional district.

EMILY’s List, which supports pro-choice Democratic female candidates, has endorsed Colton attorney Eloise Gomez Reyes for the seat that Baca and two other Democrats are vying for.

Women Vote! also has spent money on political mailers to support Reyes and to oppose Redlands Mayor Pete Aguilar, who was recruited for the race by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

The League of Conservation Voters and its California chapter have sent mail attacking Baca’s record on pollution and clean-water issues during his time in Congress.

The DCCC released a poll recently that showed Baca gaining on Aguilar and Reyes. Although he has raised relatively little for his campaign, Baca apparently has benefited from a secretive group that has spent an undisclosed amount on political mail, phone calls to voters and billboards.

Baca has said he knows nothing about the group, Cal Voters for Honest Government. He could not be reached immediately Tuesday for comment about the two groups’ spending to oppose him.

Three Republicans also are on the ballot to succeed retiring Rep. Gary Miller (R-Rancho Cucamonga) in the 31st Congressional District.

The district has grown increasingly Democratic in recent years and leaders of that party are hoping to win the seat in the fall.

Under the state’s top-two primary system, only the first- and second-place finishers next week can advance to the fall general election, regardless of party affiliation.

In 2012, Democrats had expected to win the seat but four candidates of that party splintered the vote, enabling the two Republicans, including Miller, to move to the fall election and take the seat.