The biggest smile in the room tonight at the Riverside County GOP’s Annual Liberty Dinner is that of Party Chairman Jeff Miller. Hundreds of party faithful, including many VIPS, are gathered here at the Morongo Casino Resort. I am here as the Vice, Chairman, South for the State GOP. Also here representing the CRP is Chairman Ron Nehring.
Trying to mention all of the notables here is challenging, since I will undoubtedly miss someone. U.S. Representative Ken Calvert, a former County GOP Chairman, is the outstanding Master of Ceremonies. Also on hand are State Senators Bob Dutton and Dennis Hollingsworth, as well as Assemblymembers John Benoit, Kevin Jeffries (another former County GOP Chairman), Assemblywoman Mimi Walters (who isn’t from out here, but has a lot of support in the desert for her own Senate run), and retired State Legislators Ray Haynes and Russ Bogh (the latter hoping to return). FR correspondent Senator Jim Battin is ably represented by his long-time aide Kim Glassman.
Topping a list of many local officeholders present are Supervisors Jeff Stone and Marion Ashley.
There are a ton of candidates for the legislature here –. There are a lot of ersatz legislators here — to many to mention, though I promised a shout out to longtime FR friend Brian Nestande who hopes to replace John Benoit, and also to Gary Jeandron who is looking to replace Bonnie Garcia.
The keynote address was delivered by KFI talk show personality John Zeigler. Zeigler’s comments were largely centered around his major disappointment in the performance of Arnold Schwarzenegger. One choice quote, “Schwarzenegger is doing far more to help the cause of socialism than Gray Davis dreamt of doing on his worst day.”
Zieglar pointed out the irony that Arnold routinely shys away from dealing with the issue of illegal immigration, calling it a federal issue. Yet he spends most of his time on the issue of Global warming, which is certainly more of a federal issue more than a state one. Actually, Zieglar went on to thump all global warming alarmists. He also talked about the imperitive of defeating Hillary Clinton.
Three Liberty Awards were given out tonight to deserving GOP activists — Doug Jacobs (Riv. County Lincoln Club), Bob Kowell (Murietta-Temecula RA), and Bob Olson (Desert Republican Coordinating Council).
Finally, I would like to commend Riverside County GOP Executive Director Sandy Butler and her team of committed volunteers without whom this dinner would not have happenned…
(A FR “shout out” to FR friends Phil and Julie Paule, and to Jeff Gibson, who was proudly introduced tonight as the author of Jessica’s Law.)