Mike Villines came up the ranks with Pete Wilson and Chuck Poochigian, stepped into a very succesful business career, and made the decision in 2003 to take out Steve Samuelian in the 29th Assembly District race in 2004. He’s a family man, an experience businessmen, and respected leader on both sides of the aisle. There isn’t a more principled conservative in California than Villines, and he is deeply disappointed that Republicans in Sacramento keep voting out deficit budgets and putting bond measures on the ballot with the State’s fiscal mess still not under control.
I don’t know whether he will be able to hold his caucus together, but that is essential to any success Villines might have as leader. There is only one vote that counts, and that is on the State budget. If he has his way, California will have seen its last deficit. In my discussions with him, he agrees that California Republicans need to have a set of issues to be identified with before any electoral success is possilble. I think he will be the strongest negotiator on financial matters we’ve seen in several years in Sacramento. He understands the numbers, and has the expertise to articulate his positions – and is unafraid.
Could it be that we will have a leader that can hold the line on deficits, taxes and borrowing? Might he actually get some public policy concessions from the Demcrats before one Republican goes up on a budget vote? We shall see. I’m betting he can pull it off.
We in the Central Valley wish him well. He’ll be getting a of advice over the next couple of years. Here’s my advice – trust your gut and your message and let the votes fall where they may.