Kudos to FlashReport for bringing attention to the race for CCA. One of the interesting dynamics in race like this are slates. Candidates put together slates to help show a qualified group of leaders and to get votes.

I know Linda Boyd has a a pretty impressive slate that includes as candidates:

CCA First Vice President, San Mateo County Chairman Karen King (like Linda a 3 time County Chair}

CCA Second Vice-President, Del Norte County Chairman Scott Feller (added GOP Voter Reg in his county)

CCA Treasurer,Ventura County Chairman Mike Osborn. (Mike ran one of my favorite PACs. ABATE. I loved it when they showed up in their Biker gear to work precincts.)

CCA Assistant Treasurer, Tulare County Chair Laura Gadke for CCA Assistant Treasurer. (Another competent County Chair)

CCA Secretary, Inyo County Chairman Thaddeus Taylor. (There should be a monument erected in Inyo county for the work he has done over the last 25 years)

It will be interesting to see how this race plays out and the role of slates. (Full Disclosure CRA has endorsed Linda Boyd) I haven’t found anybody that knows who is on Keen’s slate. If anybody… Read More

It has been a busy couple of weeks here in the Capitol, what with the budget, health care reform, the bond proposals, and everything, it has been hard to keep up. I thought I would let things settle down a little, and then comment.

First its time to give credit where credit is due. October, November and December were unusually warm throughout the country, and we were starting to read about how global warming was kicking in. Then, AB 32, California’s global warming solution came into effect on January 1, and within a week, California experiences a record cold snap. Good job, California government. I am sure that the country would not have experienced that cold snap without the hard work of our legislature. What is next? To paraphrase an old musical–"I know we made a law a year ago here. July and August mustn’t be too hot. And next, a legal limit to the snow here?" You finish the song. You’ll get the idea.

But what about health care? The Governor’s proposal is basically the old SB 2 on steroids. Remember SB 2. The Governor opposed SB 2, which was referended and defeated by the voters in 2004, saying… Read More

In Roll Call Magazine (the foremost newspaper covering the ‘insider news’ of Capitol Hill), they profile a handful of GOPers (five in the Senate, five in the House) worth keeping an eye on — one of these ten is a Californian… Freshman Kevin McCarthy.

Here is was Roll Call had to say about McCarthy: Rep. Kevin McCarthy (Calif.). In his first weeks in Congress, McCarthy already has shown signs of the same political acumen of his predecessor, Rep. Bill Thomas (R-Calif.): He was tapped to serve on the transition team at the National Republican Congressional Committee, the freshman class elected him as their representative on the powerful GOP Steering Committee, and he landed a seat on the House Administration Committee – a panel once chaired by Thomas before he took over the House Ways and Means Committee. McCarthy’s… Read More

Ensuring Accountability on Infrastructure Spending Yesterday, I stood with Governor Schwarzenegger as he signed an executive order making state officials accountable for how they spend the $42.7 billion infrastructure bond package approved by the voters. While many of us had concerns with the bonds in the past, now is the time to ensure accountability and transparency. With the stroke of a pen, Governor Schwarzenegger acted decisively to ensure that these critical infrastructure dollars be spent exactly as the voters intended — easing traffic congestion on overcrowded roadways, strengthening flood control protections, building new schools and modernizing existing campuses. … Read More

Today we feature columns from the two candidates who are running to head up the organization of California’s 58 Republican County Chairmen, aptly called the Republican County Chairman’s Association. I asked the current President of the CCA, Tom Del Becarro of Contra Costa County, to give FR readers a quick description of the group. In Tom’s own style, he penned this:

Today we feature columns from the two candidates who are running to head up the organization of California’s 58 Republican County Chairmen, aptly called the Republican County Chairman’s Association. I asked the current President of the CCA, Tom Del Becarro of Contra Costa County, to give FR readers a quick description of the group. In Tom’s own style, he penned this:

The County Chairman’s Association (“CCA”) is the association of all of our County Chairs. At its best, it provides ongoing training to incoming Chairs and communicates our successes and areas for opportunities to each Chair so that they may benefit from the collective wisdom of its… Read More

Just a few minutes ago, I got off of the phone with a very excited Julie Soderlund. Those in the media, and anyone who followed the Gubernatorial Campaign of Arnold Schwarzenegger know that Julie (pictured to the right) served as the Governor’s Press Secretary for his re-election effort. In that capacity, I got to deal with Julie quite a bit. I can assure all FR readers that she is a really great communicator, and a consumate professional. Julie was sharing the news that she has decided to take the leap into the private sector, becoming the managing director of Wilson-Miller Communications. The "Wilson" is Marty Wilson, who is a chief political advisor and fundraising coordinator for Governor Schwarzenegger (he played a similar role with former Governor Pete Wilson), and the "Miller" is Beth Miller, whom I have know for many years, and who has a long history of working for GOP candidates and causus.… Read More

I am a fan of C-Span and all it’s sister television and radio off-shoots. There is just something mesmerizing about watching the author of a biography on David Rowland Francis, Secretary of the Interior under President Grove Cleveland (from his second stint in the WH) that I can’t turn off.

So when I saw this job opening I had to share it with all of you in the hopes that someone I know would get the job and give "a shout out’ to me every once in while on the air.

C-SPAN is seeking a full time Announcer/Producer to write and voice transitions between programs. (see the full listing here).

I once met Brian Lamb (president and CEO of C-Span) on tour of the C-Span studio in DC. Women are always impressed when I tell them this.… Read More