My blogmate Barry Jantz has written a few times about the antics of the ‘Republican’ majority on the San Diego County School Board. There are three Republicans on the County Board – Sue Hartley, John Witt, and Bob Watkins. Two of the three Republican members recently voted to appoint Democrat Sharon Jones to a vacant largely Republican east county based seat. Hartley and Witt joined the sole sitting Democrat member of the board in appointing the Democrat. Hartley was particularly smug about the appointment. Whether or not that Democrat will survive election is anyone’s guess… but I wouldn’t bet the farm on it.

But the story isn’t over. Liberal Republican Boardmember Sue Hartley represents a heavily Republican North County San Diego district. Four years ago, Hartley defeated a more conservative candidate in a fairly hot race. Whatever her merits on the policy issues the conservative had a shrill style that alienated much of the Republican and donor community. Time and time again the incumbent ignored issues that would have united her base, and focused on issues which divided them. Many if not most of the partisan officials, organizations, and donors finally got tired of defending her and simply took a walk and let the conservative hang herself with her own tongue, a shoddy campaign, and plenty of help from the two local newspapers.

As it turns out, Hartley is a mirror image of the conservative she defeated – but she’s tone deaf and shrill from the left. And by left, I mean left of the moderates in the Republican Party by a sizable leap. Hartley can’t seam to help poking a stick in the eye of even moderate Republicans every time she gets the chance. Just a few months ago, for example, she publicly opposed the Governor’s reform initiatives. But the list of her politically suicidal behavior goes on and on… I mean she can’t help herself but attack Republicans if a reporter so much as crosses the street with her. I’ve spoken to Hartley any number of times over the years, and in my opinion she firmly believes that the Republican Party and its affiliated organizations are crazed religious zealots. Were she not in a Republican district, I have no doubt that she would change her party affiliation to Democrat, and that she would be a liberal Democrat.

Hartley is up for election this June. Her opponent is Gary Felien, a local businessman and member of the Republican Central Committee. I understand that the partisan officials (Issa, Morrow, and Wyland) who have bent over backwards to give Hartley a chance over the last four years have finally washed their hands of her and endorsed Felien. Hartley has publicly stated that she will be asking for the Republican Party endorsement – the most important endorsement in her race. My guess is she doesn’t even try to gather the signatures to qualify her for the endorsement, but will instead curry favor with her old friends the public employee unions.

I think Hartley feels trouble in the wind… rumor has it she recently joined the Lincoln Club and is desperately seeking support from local Republican donors, nonpartisan officials, and activists. It will be interesting to see which local organizations and officials endorse her re-election, and telling. The Lincoln Club in particular is make or break for Hartley. If she can’t count on this increasingly strong, good-government centered organization to support her she is in trouble. And knowing the new, expanded membership of the Lincoln Club my guess is it won’t even be close. The bell is tolling, Sue… is it for thee?

This entry was posted on Wednesday, April 5th, 2006 at 12:00 am and is filed under Blog Posts.