Today the FlashReport is VERY pleased to be able to share with our readers that we have a new State Capitol Correspondent joining our team on the FR Blog — none other than retiring Assemblyman Ray Haynes! This is great news as Ray has been a strong conservative leader in the State Legislature since 1992, and has a true grasp and understanding of how to approach the challenging issues facing state government from the perspective of a strong constitutional conservative. Ray’s first post appears on the blog today, and we can all look forward to more insights from him as we go forward. Please join me in welcoming a true national conservative leader, Ray Haynes, to the FlashReport!
Whatever else you read today, do not miss the "MUST READ" column, True Lies, by FR Bay Area Correspondent Bill Whalen, that is at the top of the main page today. This piece that Bill penned for the Weekly Standard online truly demonstrates his ability to pierce through all of the noise and get to the heart of the matter. In this piece, Bill focuses on why the Arnold phenomenon is unique to California, and to Arnold. Don’t miss reading it. Also, FR friend Shawn Steel has claimed today’s Golden Pen Award for a piece he wrote on Arnold Schwarzenegger…
The incumbent protection redistricting plan adopted by the State Legislature and signed by the Governor after the last census has withstood the test of the political pendulum, protecting Republicans and Democrats alike from the winds of political favor, however they blow. The only casualty of war this cycle didn’t come from the 100 state legislature races — those all came down, in the end, without any seats changing partisan hands. But ONE out of 52 House seats did flip from "R" to "D" with the defeat of conservative Congressman Richard Pombo in the Central Valley’s 11th District. That said, look for it to be a very tough seat for Democrats to hold in 2008… In the nail-biter race for the 34th State Senate seat, former Assemblyman-turned-Supervisor Lou Correa, a Democrat, will be returning back to partisan office, eking out a 1000-or-so vote victory over Republican Assemblywoman Lynn Daucher. While credit goes to the Orange County Republican Party (with much financial support from the New Majority GOP finance group) for beefing up registration and making that district competitive — it will be another four years before that seat is back in play.
Of course now there will be a special election in Orange County to fill Correa’s spot. But that isn’t the only Orange County race already heating up. The ink isn’t dry on the 2006 elections and Assemblywoman Mimi Walters has already started making calls and today will be announcing, via e-mail, he candidacy to replace Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman in the State Senate come 2008, when term-limits forced the popular Ackerman to retire from the legislature. Walters becomes the prohibitive front runner — as she is touting endorsements from the other two Assemblymembers that overlap Ackerman’s district — Chuck DeVore and Todd Spitzer. More on this later…
For now, enjoy your day, and check back throughout the day to the FR Blog for the latest…
Sincerely,
Jon Fleischman
Publisher
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