Many of you have been following the race here in the Central Valley to succeed retiring member of Congress George Radanovich, in California’s 19th Congressional District There are four candidates in this primary, and until now, I have been undecided about who to support. I like and respect each of the men running, and at different times have supported each of them for public office.
In sizing up the race, I would say we have the "annointed" candidate, the "farmer" candidate, the "unlikely" candidate, and the "grassroots" candidate. Let me explain as follows:
State Senator Jeff Denham was asked by George Radanovich to run to succeed him. The Central Valley’s Westside farmers and Congressman Devin Nunes jumped early on former Congressman Richard Pombo’s bandwagon, City Council Member Larry Westerlund shocked 
everyone by getting into this race as an unknown outsider, and former Fresno Mayor Jim Patterson (pictured) is a product of the grassroots movement sweeping the country right now, the Tea Party.
Each candidate draws from a pretty distinct base of support. In the final analysis, after weeks of deliberation, I have concluded that former Mayor Jim Patterson is the best man for the job.
As I said earlier, I have the utmost respect for all of the candidates. I have talked to them all personally and extensively, and informed them of my endorsement. I think the candidacy of Mr. Patterson is one of the people, the small contributor, the budding Tea Party activist. The reason for this is simple: of all the candidates in this race, Mr. Patterson’s conservatism, I believe, is the most authentic, deeply rooted in a solid belief system that will not be co-opted by the pressures of Washington. Jim understands what happened to the GOP in 2006 and 2008. We’ve had many, many discussions about it. He won’t be a part of making those mistakes again if Republicans take back the House this year. This is critical to me and to millions of other voters. As a matter of fact, this is the most important issue to me.
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April 27th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Mike, there is no way I can agree with you more. Jim Patterson is a man of conviction. I know this from personal, first hand experience. The operative word in your endorsement and mine is “trust.” We can trust Jim Patterson to be what his actions and words have repeatedly demonstrated. In that respect he is much like Ronald Reagan We never had to guess about where “the Gipper” would come down on an issue because we already knew. Why? Ronald Regan shared our core values and it is the same with Jim Patterson. Count on him to be a leader when he gets back to Washington D.C.
April 27th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Good choice Mike!
I remember Jim’s service to the conservative cause many years ago when I was the executive director for Gun Owners of California.
He will make a FINE congressman and we need more of those today!
John
May 21st, 2010 at 12:00 am
Michael,
Your analysis and commentary are usually spot on, but I think that you’ve completely missed the mark by backing Patterson. It’s hardly your fault. Humans, in general, seem predisposed to remember the good while blocking less pleasant memories. As a result, people tend to view history through rose-colored glasses.
Your characterization of Jim Patterson as a “man of conviction” overlooks many of the character and integrity issues that were so evident when he was mayor. As you might recall, back in the rose-tinted good ol’days, then Mayor Patterson:
– got fined by the Fair Political Practices Commission for accepting laundered campaign contributions
– had such a poor working relationship with law enforcement that the then Fresno County Sheriff was reported to have said that Patterson’s word “doesn’t mean anything”
– routinely blocked economic development efforts despite an unemployment rate in excess of 15% and as a result was almost recalled
– wasted millions of tax dollars while flip-flopping on the Exhibit Hall from Hell
– took trips to China and Mexico on the tax payer’s dime
– secretly spent tax dollars subsidizing a religious conference in Fresno
– increased City spending by 44% over 8 years. (Yes, the figure’s in Denham’s attack add are inflated, but 44% growth on Patterson’s watch hardly qualifies as “fiscally conservative.”)
Now I rarely agree with the FresnoBee, but you might want to review the Bee’s 1998 editorial where it opined that Fresno “cannot stand another three years of his divisive leadership” and that Patterson lets his “ego and a quest for power get the better of good judgment.” That’s how I remember Mayor Patterson.
Patterson is a likeable enough guy. But he’s not the proven conservative leader that you remember him to be. At best, he’s another career politician with a spotty track record and some real integrity issues.
Sorry Michael, but Jim Patterson is not the guy we need in Congress. He might is fact be the guy we get, but there’s a big difference between the man his supporters remember him to be and the man he really is.