Ninety seven years ago today, in the small town of Tampico, Illinois, a future president of the United States entered the world. Ronald Wilson Reagan, born in very humble surroundings, ascended to the heights of international leadership and power. Today we honor the man who inspired and lead the Conservative movement.

Last week the Republicans held a debate at President Reagan’s library in Simi Valley. As I watched the debate, I was struck once again at how Reagan’s legacy is still such a powerful influence on our party—twenty years after he left office. Every Republican candidate for public office, from president to city council, seeks to wrap themselves in the Reagan mantle. Romney, McCain, Huckabee—and all the previous candidates for president—have listed their conservative credentials in an effort to appear the most “Reaganesque”. But simply touting your presence at the Reagan Revolution or recounting the actions that verify your commitment to conservative ideology is not… Read More

It’s turned out to be a lot closer than anyone thought, but Proposition 93, the Fabian Nunez Term Limits Weakening Initiative, The Big Lie, has been defeated.

Currently there are 62.2% of precincts reporting, and the margin for the NO side is approaching 300,000 votes. It has been trending slowly all night away from 93, with the NO margin growing steadily.

Right now, it is 2,189,417 (46.9%) YES and 2,469,696 (53.1%) NO.

This is great news — more on this later this morning, after I get some shut-eye.… Read More

Just off the transom, State GOP Chairman Ron Nehring issued a hearty "congrats" to Senator McCain for his big win here in the Golden State:

If one was going to make a list of winners looking at the results of last night’s results in California — the BIG list is short — John McCain, Hillary Clinton, the Indian Tribes whose compacts were upheld, and last but certainly not least, STEVE POIZNER, because he led the successful effort to stop Proposition 93 from passing.

Night owl that he is, Insurance Commissioner Poizner sent over the following for FR readers:

Yesterday, the voters of California sent a resounding message to the politicians in Sacramento — stop trying to fool us, stop insulting our intelligence and stop putting your own careers ahead of the job we elected you to do.

Voters from virtually every age group, political party and geographic region saw through this… Read More

Let me start off my commentary this morning with a congratulatory message for United States Senator John McCain. Senator, your win here in California was impressive, and your overall performance around the country gives you bragging rights to be able to say that in 2008, it was Super McCain Tuesday. Congrats on your big win! A lot of folks were working hard on the McCain efforts in the final push, and so I also want to congratulate all of them.

Tomorrow I will be devoting my column to sharing more thoughts with FR readers about a John McCain nomination, but for today, I want to devote the rest of my column to a very important victory — THE DEFEAT OF PROPOSITION 93!! As FR readers well know, since I have devoted so much ‘cyber ink’ to Proposition 93, it was a terrible measure constructed out of the hubris of now-retiring Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez. The entire campaign to pass the measure, which contained a specific provision to allow dozens of termed-out California State Legislators to serve well beyond even the new terms articulated in 93, was constructed around what had been labeled, THE BIG LIE. Attorney General Jerry… Read More

Congratulations are due in Newport Beach to political consultant Scott Taylor and proponents Bill Ficker, Marion Bergeson, and Jack Crowl on their victory last night with the Charter Amendment known as the "City Hall in the Park" Initiative, which will site a new City Hall in Newport Center near the main library and save taxpayers millions. I was pleased to write the proposed law for them and successfully defend it in court. The 5.5% margin of victory must have made for a sweet night, Bill Ficker!

That said, theCity of Newport Beach hasone of the most threatening and unconstitutional campaign ordinances on its books I have ever seen, and thefree-speech loving Republicans on that council need to repeal this law before the next municipal elections to avoid getting slapped with a civil rights suit they are certain to lose, and certain to pay for. The law, which can be found on the City’s website at Municipal Code section 1.30, criminalizes all "writings," direct-mail and flyers distributed to 200 or more people in Newport Beach within 14 days of an election, unlesscopies are filed with the City Clerk within 2 hours of… Read More

Just in from Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman on a very important issue…

Completion of the Orange County Toll-Road — a Statewide Benefit that Needs to Move Forward Now

By Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman (R-Tustin)

With the State in a Fiscal Emergency, California Can Lead by Taking Advantage of this Public-Private Partnership California faces a golden opportunity. With worn down roads, congested traffic and a $14 billion budget deficit, we need alternatives to fund critical infrastructure projects. Our golden opportunity? We can take advantage of a public private partnership by supporting the completion of State Route 241 and Orange County’s system of Toll Roads. The Transportation Corridors Agencies are offering California two smart solutions to our statewide challenges of relieving traffic congestion and building costly infrastructure. They would build State Route 241 at no cost to California taxpayers, and give $100 million to improve California State Parks. This equals one-fourth of the State Parks Department annual operating budget, and given the State Parks… Read More

I’ll be attending the national Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington, D.C. Feb. 7-9 at the Omni Shoreham Hotel as a member of the Board of Directors of the sponsoring organization, American Conservative Union, and look forward to reporting developments on this blog. This year’s CPAC will kick-off just two days after Super Tuesday, and should include a great deal of debate about the status of the Presidential election. The conference organizers are preparing 5,000 registration packets for attendees and the event has been sold out for a couple weeks. This year’s conference will include for the first time during this Administration, appearances by both President Bush and Vice-President Cheney. And just about every national conservative leader.… Read More