Last evening, United States Senator John McCain raised over a half a million dollars at a fundraising event at the Irvine Hyatt Hotel in Orange County. I was invited by the McCain campaign to attend not only the reception, but also an exclusive round-table discussion that took place beforehand. As a Vice Chairman of the California Republican Party, I am officially neutral in the Presidential primary, but was very pleased to accept the generous invitation of the McCain Campaign. Even better, I got an ‘okay’ to bring along the new digital camcorder that I just purchased!
The event, which probably had about 200 or so people at it, was organized by some of Orange Counties heaviest hitters — former U.S. Ambassador to Spain George Argyros, Irvine Company owner Don Bren (who, according to Forbes, is the 80th richest person in the world), renowned developer General William Lyon, and former Secretary of State Bill Jones. Introducing Senator McCain was the Irvine Company’s Dan Young, who filled in for Don Bren, who attended but was sidelined with a bad case of laryngitis. After McCain’s speech, he was followed by fundraising guru Gary Hunt. Representing those in the State Legislature that have endorsed McCain was Assemblyman Van Tran, who flew down from Sacramento for the event. There were quite a number of familiar OC faces — but that said, not all of the familiar faces. Both Rudy Giuliani and especially Mitt Romney enjoy a high level of support from Orange County’s finance community.
Later I will post some testimonial vides from Jones, Tran and from Rich Wagner, the President of the Orange County Lincoln Club, who is representing the club to the major events of all three frontrunners.
For now, rather than my having to characterize or try to repeat the Senator’s remarks, you can see what he had to say in four important areas — how we lost our majority, the war in Iraq, the immigration issue, and his commitment, if nominated, to campaign hard to win California’s electoral votes!
McCain continues on with more California events today…
MITT ROMNEY BEGINS CALIFORNIA SWING
On a closing note, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is preparing for a three day California swing where he will start out on Wednesday up in Sacramento (where he will speak to a joint meeting of Senate and Assembly GOPers, and then he will head to the Bay Area, San Jose, Fresno and Harris Ranch. Finally he will end up in Orange and San Diego Counties. Friday morning, I will be conducting an interview with Romney, and that evening I will be attending his Orange County fundraiser!
GIULIANI ANNOUNCES MORE CALIFORNIA SUPPORTERS
In addition to Rep. David Dreier, Rep. Mary Bono and Rep. Devin Nunes, who have already been working to elect Rudy Giuliani President, the Mayor gained the support of Rep. Jerry Lewis, Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle, Former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, Board of Equalization Member Michelle Steel, Assemblyman Ted Gaines, former California Republican Party Chairmen Robert Naylor and Frank Visco and actor and political commentator Dennis Miller.
We give props to Giuliani for scoring the Dennis Miller endorsement — he’s hillarious and conservative. That said, it is genuinely surprising that the Mayor’s campaign would boast about the endorsement of Congressman Jerry "The King of Pork" Lewis — given that Lewis the poster-child for the out-of-control earmarking that played a role in the GOP’s loss of Congress.
PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE COLUMNS
Today is day two of four successive days where we are featuring columns penned by Californians in support of their candidate for the GOP nomination. Yesterday we featured a column from State Senator Mark Wyland making the case for supporting Mitt Romney. Today we feature a column from his colleague, Senator Jeff Denham, who is supporting John McCain. Wednesday and Thursday will feature columns on behalf of Rudy Giuliani and California Congressman Duncan Hunter, our only Golden State native in the race for the White House.
**There is more – click the link**