Just off the transom — from State Senator Bob Dutton, the Vice Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee…

Senate Republicans Announce Website to Keep Taxpayers Updated on Latest Budget News On Friday, Senate Republicans launched a new website to track the latest news and developments on the 2008-2009 budget crisis. It should be a one-stop shop for taxpayers to stay informed about the budget debate. The multi-media site will serve as a clearing-house for budget-related news, policy … Read More

In my write up of last Friday’s big Orange County GOP fundraising dinner, I mentioned that Orange County Register columnist Frank Mickadeit would undoubtedly follow with some thoughts on the dinner. You can read them all here, though below I have excerpted the part of his column where he gives a stinging assessment of the performance of Florida Governor Charlie Crist.

Crist. Oy. Brought in as the keynote speaker because he’s on the short list of potential McCain running mates, his performance Friday night truly did help his party. By showing unequivocally he would be a complete disaster for the GOP – the worst running mate since Dan Quayle.

Mr. Crist looks great: – silver hair, ragged shirt, baggy pa— … wait, that’s Mr. Bojangles; let’s try again: silver hair, warm smile, great tan, perfectly tailored suit of clothes, decent teeth. It’s when he uses his… Read More

Here are a few choice items to read on this quiet Father’s Day, when you aren’t watching to see if Tiger Woods can hold his one-stroke lead going into the final day of the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, or wincing tonight as we see if the Lakers can at least not end their season on home turf…

Here is State GOP Vice Chairman Doug Boyd’s take-away from a recent speech by Gov. Crist of FL in Orange County and the reaction from nearly a thousand GOPers to Crist’s reference to Arnold… on Red County’s LA Blog… Straight from Congressman John Campbell’s Green Eyeshade Blog – Read it and weep, as Jerry Lewis’ (R-CA) former top staffer lays out the virtual quid-pro-quo on earmarks. Last week, Americans for Prosperity’s California Chapter hosted a rally on the State Capitol steps against tax increases – after which members of AFP carried piles of petitions in to State … Read More

Here are a few choice items to read on this quiet Father’s Day, when you aren’t watching to see if Tiger Woods can hold his one-stroke lead going into the final day of the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, or wincing tonight as we see if the Lakers can at least not end their season on home turf…

Here is State GOP Vice Chairman Doug Boyd’s take-away from a recent speech by Gov. Crist of FL in Orange County and the reaction from nearly a thousand GOPers to Crist’s reference to Arnold… on Red County’s LA Blog… Straight from Congressman John Campbell’s Green Eyeshade Blog – Read it and weep, as Jerry Lewis’ (R-CA) former top staffer lays out the virtual quid-pro-quo on earmarks. Last week, Americans for Prosperity’s California Chapter hosted a rally on the State Capitol steps against tax increases – after which members of AFP carried piles of petitions in to State … Read More

Many say the turning point in Jerry Sanders’ recent re-election victory over Steve Francis’ multi-million dollar caustic attack against himwas the moment the mayor could take it no longer, thus flinging a four-letter epithet in response to his opponent’s outstretched attempt at a handshake.

That the mayor would have very likely pulled off a victory without the "Moment" is largely irrelevant.Local political historians for years to come will claim that the Sanders campaign was moribund and without focus, only to have the emotional utterance turn things around, creating a defining instant with which the average San Diegan could identify.As if the people were saying, "Sanders may be a nice-guy politician,but he’s also a real person, and I’d probably be frustrated and lose my cool too with someone spending a fortune to attack me.Plus, that Francis guy probably deserved it."

The respective immediate responses from the two campaigns only served to fuel that feeling.Sanders openly admitted his name-calling, even clarifying that he had in fact said, "F*** you, Steve," not "F*** you,… Read More

Around 900 Republicans gathered last evening at the Hyatt Hotel in Irvine for the 9th Annual Flag Day Fundraising Gala Dinner of the Orange County Republican Party. Every year, this event is a who’s who of the OC political community, with most every prominent Republican official or activist being present. This year was no exception as popular County Party Chairman and former Assembly Republican Leader Scott Baugh presided over a packed house of GOPers who gathered to hear addresses from Florida Governor Charlie Crist, who everyone knows is on the “short list” for McCain’s VP considerations, and GOP Gubernatorial hopeful Dino Rossi, who famously won the Washington State Governor’s race in 2006 only to literally have the race stolen away from him in a third recount. Rossi is running again, and looks to be the favorite as his popularity has grown while the incumbent’s has shrunk.

The tradition of this dinner is that it is impossible to move two feet without running into yet another county leader, and last night was no exception. I will refrain… Read More

Around 900 Republicans gathered last evening at the Hyatt Hotel in Irvine for the 9th Annual Flag Day Fundraising Gala Dinner of the Orange County Republican Party. Every year, this event is a who’s who of the OC political community, with most every prominent Republican official or activist being present. This year was no exception as popular County Party Chairman and former Assembly Republican Leader Scott Baugh presided over a packed house of GOPers who gathered to hear addresses from Florida Governor Charlie Crist, who everyone knows is on the “short list” for McCain’s VP considerations, and GOP Gubernatorial hopeful Dino Rossi, who famously won the Washington State Governor’s race in 2006 only to literally have the race stolen away from him in a third recount. Rossi is running again, and looks to be the favorite as his popularity has grown while the incumbent’s has shrunk.

The tradition of this dinner is that it is impossible to move two feet without running into yet another county leader, and last night was no exception.… Read More

First and foremost, my apologies for the little lull here on the FR blog. It’s a busy season for most, but for me I have been swamped helping to prepare for the Orange County Republican Party’s big Flag Day fundraising Gala, with special guest Florida Governor Charlie Crist. The event will have nearly a thousand attendees and will raise a huge amount of the funds that this county needs to maintain its operations and fund some of our GOTV efforts.

That said, I was sad to read about the sudden passing of NBC’s Tim Russert, who had a heart attack.

As I was contemplating what I would say about it, I got this statement from John McCain in my inbox:

"I am very saddened by Tim Russert’s sudden death. Cindy and I extend our thoughts and prayers to the Russert family as they cope with this shocking loss and remember the life and legacy of a loving father, husband and the preeminent political journalist of his … Read More