Bleary eyed this morning, I missed OC Register Political Reporter Martin Wisckol’s Buzz column this morning, and it was virtually all devoted to the strong-start of the candidacy of Dana Point Mayor Diane Harkey’s campaign to succeed Mimi Walters as the Assemblywoman in the 73rd District (mostly southern Orange County and some of northern San Diego County).
Wisckol’s column begins:
She wants to replace Assemblywoman Mimi Walters, who’ll be termed out next year (unless voters are charmed into extending term limits in the February election). Harkey, currently mayor of Dana Point, comes to the table with these assets:
• •She has her own dough and isn’t shy about throwing it around – she dropped $936,000 in her failed state Senate race last year.
•She knows how to get her way – she was key in getting two close allies elected to the Dana Point City Council last year, guaranteeing her a majority.
Here’s what she’s been able to leverage:
•Incumbent Walters is her honorary campaign chairwoman and held a fundraiser at her palatial Laguna Niguel home for Harkey.
•The fundraiser’s emcee was county GOP boss Scott Baugh– even though Baugh typically does not endorse in primaries and hasn’t endorsed in this one.
• •Four local congressmen are among her endorsees. Potential challenger Paul Glaab is now backing her. So is state Sen. Tom Harman, who fended off Harkey’s aggressive campaign against him last year.
Potential challenger Jim Gibson, a schools trustee from north San Diego County, is probably going to have to launch his boat soon to have a chance. Even so, it’s hard to imagine he could keep up in the money game.
Someone who could surpass Harkey’s deep pockets is Cassie DeYoung, who spent $3.3 million in a failed supervisorial bid last year. DeYoung alienated plenty of Republicans along the way, but it sure would be fun to watch these two ferocious campaigners go at it.
To read the rest of the column, including some thoughts from those not enamored with Diane, you can click here.