Longtime FR friend Ward Connerly penned the following commentary to explain to FR readers why he endorsed Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner for Governor…

Why I Support Steve Poizner
By Ward Connerly

I love California, but if I were not already a resident of this state, I would not be tempted to relocate here.

Taxes are too high.  We have been unable to control unbridled immigration – legal and illegal, the result of which is a profound change in the character and culture of our state.  Our educational system stinks.  Regulatory controls make it almost impossible for any business to survive. Middle class taxpayers are fleeing California in droves, leaving behind a burgeoning lower income population of tax consumers.  On top of all of this, too many special interests have taken over a large chunk of our state government and they exercise their control by demanding more regulations and services.  The result is a dysfunctional system of governance at the state level and the continuation of many of the problems mentioned above.

In short, our Golden State has become the national example of all that is wrong with government.
We have heard it before, but it is painfully true that this next election for governor will be the most important in most of our lifetimes.

For months, I have agonized over the question of whom I will support for governor in 2010.

Personally, I have been searching for someone with many of the qualities of Pete Wilson.  Whether you agreed with Pete or not, you always knew where he stood on issues and you knew that he would fight for what he believed was in the best interest of California. He didn’t cave in to anyone and he was willing to tackle the tough issues, like illegal immigration.

After a lot of research and examination, I have come to the conclusion that Steve Poizner would be the best candidate for governor.

There is no question that Steve has an acute understanding of the problems, but so do most candidates who run for governor.  This is going to be critical as the next governor goes head-to-head with those liberals in the Legislature.  I am confident that when the voters of California take a good hard look at Steve Poizner’s experience and track record, they will agree with me. 

As stated, this is one of the most critical times in our state’s history. We face an economic crisis in which we will need innovation, experience, and sheer will to get us through.  Thankfully, Steve can point to success in both public service and the private sector, which no other candidate can do. 
Many Republican voters in this state know Steve as an effective and solutions-oriented Insurance Commissioner and rightly so. 

Steve has displayed true fiscal discipline at the Department of Insurance by cutting their budget by almost 15%. Steve is the only candidate running for Governor in either party who has actually cut waste out of the state budget. As the most pressing issue confronting our state, it will be vital to choose a Republican candidate who has hands-on experience with cutting the size of state government.

One thing that some people might not know is that Steve also spent time working in George W. Bush’s White House as a member of the National Security Council. Steve started his job as Director of Critical Infrastructure Protection one week before the September 11th attacks and proved his dedication to public service and an ability to deliver results under pressure. During his tenure on the National Security Council, he was responsible for emergency communications planning for the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and protecting our banking systems and power grids from cyber attacks.

Steve has shown this type of dedication to public service again and again throughout his career, including taking on the difficult task of teaching in an inner-city public schools and working to expand charter schools in California. He saw firsthand the challenges confronting our teachers and was named Rookie Teacher of the Year at Mount Pleasant High School. As co-founder of the California Charter Schools Association, Steve has worked tirelessly to expand charter schools and since his participation in the movement began the number of charter schools in California has doubled.

Steve has shown a commitment and a passion for public service, but more important, he has demonstrated a unique talent for solving problems. 

If anyone questions the importance of electing a governor from a party other than that which controls the Legislature, take a look at what is happening at the federal level with respect to the growing intrusiveness and size of government.  The question then becomes who is best fit to serve.  There is no doubt in my mind that Steve Poizner is the man for the job.

I urge Republicans across the state to vote for him for Governor in the Republican primary.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 14th, 2009 at 12:00 am and is filed under Blog Posts.