SacBee Reporter Shane Goldmacher asks, "Does a newspaper endorsement matter?"

He has a blog post up, and also lists newspaper endorsements for and against the current statewide ballot measures.

The short answer is yes, but less than it has in the past, and more than it should. I think their primary utility these days is that they are used in this voter contact programs of the various ballot measure and candidate campaigns, to advocate for their position.

That said, I will make the case for why they shouldn’t matter…

One thing that I have learned over time is that behind "newspaper endorsements" are a group of very real human beings that make up that paper’s endorial board, and these folks typically decide on the paper’s endorsements.

Well, for some people, I suppose it is possible that their political party, or ideological persuasion, or philosophy on life, politics and public policy happen to mirror those of their local paper’s editorial board. I suspect, though, that this is rare.

Although it is… Read More

They’ve called Florida for John McCain. He’s ahead of Romney by about four percentage points. Giuliani is way behind. Drudge is even reporting that Rudy may drop out as soon as tomorrow, likely endorsing McCain.

Congratulations to the Arizona Senator and his supporters. Now on to Super Tuesday…… Read More

Nothing. Nil.… Read More

Hopefully soon we’ll be featuring some television advertisements from GOP Presidential contenders that are airing in California — although time is running out.

That said, I’ve been keeping an eye on the various ads being run over in Florida, where things are totally insane right now.

I LOVED the ad below, by Rudy Giuliani, that he just unveiled today because it goes to one of my pet peeves — GOP candidates who tout endorsements from newspaper editorial boards.

EARTH TO CANDIDATES — Editorial Boards of major newspapers are almost always stacked with liberal elitists who, when they endorse in a GOP primary of any type, are dabbling into a primary in which none of them will actually be voting.

Anyways, in Giuliani’s ad below, he takes the issue head on! THAT is Moxie. Good for Rudy. … Read More

Nothing. But one of my friends got a pro-Prop 93 piece featuring the Governor with some bizarre color schemes.… Read More

Just in from the Romney Campaign, some new endorsements (I highlighted them below:

"These legislators join California Romney for President Co-Chair Tony Strickland and U.S. Congressmen Buck McKeon, John Campbell, Dana Rohrabacher and Wally Herger in supporting Governor Romney’s campaign." New California State Legislators Supporting Governor Romney: • Assemblyman John Benoit, 64th Assembly District • Assemblyman Bill Emmerson, 63rd Assembly District • Assemblyman Guy Houston, 15th Assembly District •… Read More

The crying sound that you hear is that of Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez. Rumor has it that he locked himself in his private office restroom and won’t come out. He is apparently crying over the most immediate impact the anticipated loss of his Proposition 93, which would keep him in office for six more years.

Only one of seven Democrats voted for the healthcare plan/tax hike plan that he authored, AB 1X1, on behalf of himself and the Governor. All four Republicans voted against it.

What could be next for poor Fabian? Soon he will have to take in his own dry-cleaning!… Read More

It’s been interesting to watch therace for National Committeeman unfold, as the campaigns beingwagedhave been as different as the canddiates themselves.

Challenger Shawn Steel has stuck to what’s worked time and again in CRP races. Highlight what you’ve done – in Shawn’s case shinging a light on having narrowed the registration gap in the state, and having overseen the Party the last time we picked up any Legislative seats.Showcase endorsements.For Shawn that being an overwhelming majority of State Assemblymen, and bunches and bunches of other electeds and County Chairs. Shawn has put together a very strong race, one you’d frankly normally only expect from an incumbent. If Shawn turns his people out, or gathers their Proxies, (and there’s no reason to expect he won’t)he’s in good shape.

Incumbent Tim Morgan is running, let’s say, a more low key, more unconventional race. Instead of touting endorsements en masse, building to a crescendo with displays of support nearing the Convention, Tim has chosen to really only trumpet one endorsement (that I can recall) and instead fill delegates’… Read More