As implementation of Proposition 14 looms – which will emasculate political party primary elections – the organization and activities of local Republican Central Committees will become all the more important in helping to define differences between candidates. But the same election that spawned Prop. 14 also brought some curious changes to Republican Central Committees across the state as well. In Orange County, a whopping 17 incumbents were defeated in re-election bids for their party posts. And in Placer County, high profile GOP Chairman Tom Hudson and First Vice Chairman George Park both finished dead last in their districts and were thrown out of office. Why? The phenomenon did not occur in a number of other locations. Back in Orange County, high profile leaders like Scott Baugh and Tom Fuentes finished at the top of the ticket in their districts. The losers seemed contained for some reason. And in San Diego, Tony Kravric’s team was re-elected pretty much in tact. One observation was that “tea party” activists got traction in areas of some counties. That might be true in Orange County, but Hudson and Park claimed to represent the “tea party” in Placer, and they beat badly. Most likely these were localized situations in these “low information” races. On closer analysis, most of the people who lost their re-elections to the Central Committee in The OC were also known as elected officials – past or present city council members or school board members. Voters probably were taking their anti-incumbent wrath out especially and in several cases unfortunately on these candidates, rather than on party performance. This is the only way to really understand what happened when contrasted against the victories of party leaders in the rest of the county and in neighboring San Diego County. And the situation in Placer might be explained by legal problems associated with FPPC reviews of the committee activities, and a controversy involving a business deal of the party leadership with the party involving office rental, that may appear self-serving, that got into the news and has ired local voters.
June 18th, 2010 at 12:00 am
We can fully expect the California Chamber of Commerce and other organizations that supported Prop 14 to pour millions of dollars into county central committee races, ensuring that pro-big business (as opposed to pro-taxpayer) Republicans get on the central committees and vote to give the Republican Party nomination to pro-big business candidates for public office. Under Prop 14, low-profile central committee races will be a thing of the past.
June 18th, 2010 at 12:00 am
For someone living in Placer County this is a no-brainer. Hudson and Park may claim to represent the Tea Party; however, the truth is they are anything but the Tea Party. Hudson and Park represent business as usual, establishment Republicans. They are the antithesis of the Tea Party. That coupled with questions of their “partnership” of Headquarters Partnership and Gold Country Victory Campaign made them a target and special project of the Tea Party. The incumbent label had absolutely no effect as evidenced by the fact that I was the most visible incumbent and I was the highest vote-getter for all of Placer County.
June 19th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Jim – Ken Campbell has had a following for years. Many people do not know about Mr. Campbell’s rage or the real reason why he was tossed as Cent Com Chair in 2005.
Neither Hudson or my Brother ever claimed to represent the Tea Party. While some will dance in the endzone about the results of the election – the problem is that my brother and Tom Hudson used the designation INCUMBENT on their ballot.
An Incumbent Republican lost re-election badly for county supervisor to a liberal Democrat in a 58% Rep Sup district.
I wish you’d have called some of us up here to do some research.
If you read the Bee Article – while biased against Tom Hudson – made it clear that our Cent Com issues were personal in nature and 100% inside baseball.
Lastly – if it was about Hudson and the Park brothers – Why did I finish 4th in a vote for six? Campbell can run around and beat his chest about winning – but they forgot one.
June 21st, 2010 at 12:00 am
Ken Campbell says that he was the “most visible incumbent,” but he fails to mention that he did not even use Incumbent as his ballot designation. Ken was listed first, at the top of the ballot, in a crowded field of candidates. According to the Registrar of Voters, he listed his occupation as “Small Business Owner,” so it is not too surprising that he won for Central Committee.
I am tempted to make a snotty comment at this point, but I guess it is enough to show people what Ken said and what Ken actually did — then let the facts speak for themselves.
June 23rd, 2010 at 12:00 am
Tom Hudson is businesss as usual establishment?
Whatever you’re smoking, pass it around.