From today’s Wall Street Journal Political Diary E-mail:

The Post-Arnold?

Meg Whitman, the retiring chairman of the Internet auction site eBay, is telling colleagues she has no current plans to run for governor of California as a Republican in 2010 when Arnold Schwarzenegger is termed out of office. But my California sources tell me the 53-year-old corporate powerhouse caught the political bug this year raising money for Mitt Romney, with whom she worked at the venture capital firm Bain & Co.

This month, Ms. Whitman made the rounds of key Republican groups in the state and got a warm reception. She would bring a sterling record of running eBay for a decade along with the advantage of being a fresh face on the California… Read More

With the leftover 2007 bills the main core of our file, the talk is that we are trying to grind it all out today/tonight and allow members to get back to their districts, etc. [perhaps to tryand save the failing Prop 93 campaign?] Some of these bills include stuff that couldn’t pass muster the first time, like the SUV tax bill, or others that were just held in committee previously. It should be a long but battle-inspiring day trying to stop the "triple star oppose" bills, which is the term our caucususes forthe really bad ones, like the SUV tax.… Read More

FR Friend Joel Fox has been a McCain for President man for a long time, having served as a Statewide Co-Chair for his run in 2000. He’s President of the Small Business Action Committee. *Later on I will be posting a piece from Assemblyman Bob Huff that talks about his decision to endorse Mitt Romney, and is quite critical of McCain — so for all of those looking for balance — it’s coming…*

So without further introduction, Joel’s piece on McCain:

The California budget mess should echo with Republican voters as they consider their vote in the upcoming presidential primary election. Out-of-control spending has crippled California’s fiscal standing. In Washington, pork barrel spending destroys common sense and undermines the voters’ respect for the stewards of our tax dollars. Controlling Washington’s proliferate ways is one important… Read More

Tonight Senator John McCain won big in Florida. It is obviously the big story.

The story that should stand out to political observers is the impact Florida Governor Charlie Crist is having in his state. Crist stepped up to endorse McCain a few days ago. He helped shape the outcome of the race for President.

The key thing is that Crist is not just celebrating a victory for McCain tonight. He is celebrating a huge victory at the polls tonight as his state just voted in favor of a $9 billion property tax cut.

California state government faces a deficit of at least $18 billion. Florida meanwhile just passed tax CUTS totaling half of that. Imagine. I predict that we will see a tax increase considered in Sacramento before the end of the summer.

Look for Florida Governor Charlie Crist to be a regular name mentioned when Vice-Presidential… Read More

Assembly Republican Caucus Chairman Bob Huff recently endorsed Mitt Romney for President. In sharing his thoughts about that endorsement, he shares both things he admires about Romney, and serious reservations he has about John McCain. Happy reading:

First, the disclaimer: I’m a fiscal and social conservative looking for a presidential candidate who shares my values. When I first heard Romney, I found him to be very smart, articulate, and he connected with me. I was impressed with his MBA from Harvard, his very successful business career taking over ailing businesses and turning them around, as well as his success as a Republican governing in a very Democratic state – no easy challenge. His experience turning around the struggling Salt Lake Winter Olympics exemplifies his can-do attitude and abilities. … Read More

UPDATE: Thanks to FR Friends Michelle Malkin and Doug Bandow for linking to this post.

Once we get past California’s Presidential Primary, we’ll be able to devote a lot more attention to the goings on in Washington, D.C.

That said, we did want to take a moment to pass along a hearty THANK YOU to four California Republicans and one California Democrat for voting against the so called Bush-Pelosi "Stimulus" Package in Congress.

For FR readers, you need not look past the main element of this package to scratch your head and wonder how so many Republicans could vote for it.

The center piece of this package is a huge "tax rebate" to Americans — it’s like $600 for a single individual, $1200 for a couple, and an additonal $300 per child. Without getting into the question of how a bit "bonus check" for Americans is going to substantively "stimulate" the economy, you… Read More

With the announcement yesterday that Assemblyman George Plescia is supporting the younger Hunter for Congress, I asked myself how the endorsements seem to be flowingthus far among the candidates. That is, if endorsements amount to a hill of beans when it’s all done.

Santee Councilman Brian Jones seemed to get out early, locking in a number of East County local electeds. Many of those folks, if they had been asked to stay neutral until Duncan D. returned from Afghanistan so they could meet him, may have felt at least temporarily obligated to do so. But, Congressman Hunter was tied up in a larger campaign. So, the person doing the asking was Jones, who was all over the place garnering support fromhis fellow locals.

County Board of Ed President Bob Watkinshas nailed down some non-East County but significant locals like Chula Vista Mayor Cheryl Cox and County Supervisor Ron Roberts. Given Watkins’ long service with the Lincoln Club, he no doubt is more prone to getting early support from the "downtown SD establishment."… Read More

Today’s Los Angeles Times editorial opposing completion of the 241 tollroad led me to wonder if a) they let California Coastal Commission staffer Mark Delaplaine ghosted the editorial for them or b) they have ever actually been to the San Onofre State Beach.

For example, the editorial states:

As planned, the toll road would cut through a wilderness preserve in eastern Orange County and then traverse the length of a narrow, pristine canyon that makes up most of San Onofre State Beach, one of the most popular California state parks.

Most Southern Californians have never been to San Onofre State Beach, so if they were to rely on hysterical editorials they can be forgiven for thinking completing the 241 entails paving over paradise.

For those who haven’t seen the "pristine" ""wilderness preserve" park the LA Times rhapsodizes about, I’ll post some pictures.

Here’s a pristine stand of old growth power lines along the proposed route of… Read More