Two candidates have emerged as a likely head-to-head match-up for the June ’06 Primary to replace
Claude Parrish on the nation’s largest elected Tax Board. Parrish is termed out of his Third District Board of Equalization seat. Michelle Steel is reportedly off to a good start with $450,000 cash on hand and Mike Richman of Johnson Clark Associates on board. But the big news is Steel’s recent appointment by Parrish as Deputy Board of Equalization Member. And yes, she’ll get to use that ballot title in the June ’06 Primary. So we’ll see what kind of incumbency mojo that gets her, if any.
The other major force in the race is Assemblyman Ray Haynes, who has good conservative legislative credentials, including his authorship of the California Border Police Initiative. His current war chest ($27,000 cash on hand) could be a negative factor, though, considering the expense of communicating with nine million voters in San Diego, Imperial, Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties. Although Steel has 11 of the 16 major slates locked up, Haynes does have name ID, and he earns boatloads of airtime in frequent appearances on KFI’s John and Ken Show. Could John and Ken actually end up helping a Republican get elected? Parrish the thought.
[Note: See Jon Fleischman’s in-depth analysis of this race here.]