Almost 300 Republican activists gathered today at the Orange County GOP headquarters for the biennial endorsing convention for the California Republican Assembly chapters in the county.
While endorsements were considered in all races, the attention was on the contested GOP primaries, where a candidate must have a 2/3 vote from the delegates from the units that cover their district.
The results in these "hot" races…
* Assemblywoman Mimi Walters was endorsed in her bid for the 33rd State Senate seat, besting Anaheim Councilman Harry Sidhu by a vote of 33 to 12 (1 person abstained).
* No one got the needed votes between Chino Hills Mayor Curt Hagman and Larry Dick in AD 60 (there was some drama, with Hagman falling just one vote short on a second ballot…).
* In the race with the most delegates, former Riverside County GOP Chairman and Corona Mayor was endorsed by the CRA on a vote of 48 to 20, despite a strong push to block by opponent Neil Blais. Mayor of Rancho Santa Margarita.
* Facing a last minute "unknown" primary challenge in her bid for the 73rd AD, Dana Point Mayor Diane Harkey was unanimously endorsed.
* In the contentious First Supervisorial race…. Incumbent Supervisor Janet Nguyen was denied a CRA endorsement, 11-8, by supporters of challenger Garden Grove Councilwoman Dina Nguyen.
As a former CRA State President myself, I know how tough it can be to run these meetings. So hats off to CRA Vice President Karl Heft, Elections Committee Chairman Craig Alexander, and their team for a job well done!
(H/T to FR’s "roving reporter" Ed Chen for the updates!)
March 15th, 2008 at 12:00 am
Congratulations to Walters, Miller, and Harkey on their endorsements!
The CRA endorsement is a huge positive for all three. It’s almost a single issue choice for me when CRA, ‘the conscience of the Republican Party,’ gets involved in a race.
I’m also glad the “roving reporter” got his chance to cast a vote.