The sushi is fresh, the muscat perfectly chilled and the denunciations of Iran's theocracy unyieldingly firm. It is a safe bet that few candidates running for office this year will find themselves pitching for the wealthy Iranian-Jewish-American vote. But most of the leading candidates for California's 33rd congressional district found time to attend a recent Beverly Hills "mixer" for 30 Years After, an organisation that aims to get local Iranian Jews interested in politics-if only for the chance to network with a notably well-heeled crowd. The 33rd is a pistol-shaped coastal constituency that runs from the private beaches of Malibu to the bluffs of Palos Verdes, taking in several millionaires' playgrounds on the west side of Los Angeles and some slightly grittier towns further south. Whiter, richer and more Jewish than most other congressional districts, it is a fertile source of mirth for those who cannot quite believe that California is a real place. The New York Times has called it the "Botox Belt", and the race is shaping up to be one of the most expensive in the country.
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