Ten years after California passed Prop. 209, the California Civil Rights Initaitive, it appears that Michigan is following in California’s footsteps (10 years later) and passing the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative (MCRI) tonight. Only 17 of Michigan’s 83 counties are reporting so far, so the numbers could change, but the early returns certainly make it seem that Ward Connerly, Jennifer Gratz and the proponents of MCRI are going to be victorious tonight.… Read More

Real low turnout in San Diego County… Read More

California politics makes the election-day issue of the Wall Street Journal’s Political Diary (it’s tied into a piece on both California and New York):

A Tale of Two Megastates

As two of the nation’s largest states, California and New York share reputations as bastions of liberalism and a congenial home to moderate Republicans such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and George Pataki.

But the two mega-states are likely to diverge dramatically when it comes to tonight’s election results. In California, private polls show Governor Schwarzenegger with a 15-point lead over his hapless Democratic challenger Phil Angelides. More importantly, Republicans are mounting strong… Read More

The Pacific Research Institute doesn’t advocate for particular candidates, but the FlashReport does — and after reading this column below penned by Vince Vasquez, you’ll probably want to make sure that Debra Bowen does NOT become your next Secretary of State:

By Vince Vasquez. Pacific Research Institute Today, Californians from all walks of life will be able to vote with a phenomenal technology. Californians can also be confident with “e-voting,” despite the cries of fear-mongers and conspiracy theorists.

E-voting systems, also known as direct recording electronic (DRE) machines, employ easy-to-use touch screens and other high-tech devices to make voting simpler, safer, and more accessible for… Read More

You should be hearing the sounds of the poll workers throwing open the doorways andcalling thatthe polls are open about now.Today, as all our candidates and our dedicated volunteers sprint to the finish for this years round of elections, I’d like to tellour Republican V6 volunteersthank youfor making it happen, for all the hours, the walking, the thousands of phone calls…the nuts and bolts of a campaign that are going to make the difference and bring our side our success today. Think about it, in 2006, we havein our grasp5 statewide offices. When I got down to Sacramento in ’02, we had just lost ’em all. We have a shot at picking up legislative seats in these goofy-apportionmentdistricts…and we’ll keep the ones we have.

This in the face of a media blitz that is trying very hard to paint the picture for Republicans as bleak. Thiswhile evensome Republicans try to "eat their own" in theheat of the election. These things happen and we still pound ahead…to a positive result.

As a candidate, it’s appreciated. As Americans that believe in something, it matters.… Read More

FR friend Chad Morgan e-mailed, inquiring as to whom we would select as MVP for the Claude Parrish campaign? Well, first of all, there will not be MVP’s named for every race. But if there were, we would have a really tough time coming up with one for "Team Parrish" — especially since I couldn’t tell you the name of one person ON the team.

Seriously, though — I really could not say if there is a consultant or staff person for Parrish, who has run the least visible campaign I have ever seen by a statewide candidate from a major political party.

I will say this for Parrish, though, by way of expressing appreciation — his primary opponent, Assemblyman Keith Richman, declared war on his own political party with his rabid support of allowing Democrats to vote on who Republicans nominate in general elections.

We here at the FlashReport choose to view Parrish’s primary victory as a repudiation of Richman’s anti-Party stand.… Read More

I know. I know. The Governor is going to win Tuesday. His campaign’s triangulation of California’s voters has been unbelievable. The Phil Angelides campaign wipes from memory the doomed Lungren debacle as worst campaign. So how can the Governor lose? Three ways. First: God Forbid McClintock, McPherson or Strickland loses by a little bit. People will ask how can the Governor be responsible for their campaigns? He isn’t, but at the top of the ticket for any party there is a responsibility to help those underneath. Sure, stomping Angelides and Victory 06 are good things. But when you up 15 points sharing a little love to those below is expected. Imagine the power of an Arnold bus tour with these down ticket folks during the last week. You’ll have to imagine it, because it didn’t happen. Contrast that with Bush whose … Read More

Over the next two days, the FR will be highlighting four more statewide campaign MVP’s, already having awarded "Arnold’s MVP" to Californians for Schwarzenegger Communications Director Katie Levinson. Not every campaign will be called out for this honor, but a few more will. Two today, and two tomorrow. Congratulations to Katie and to the other recipients. TOM’S MVP: STAN DEVEREUX, COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR!

Tomorrow, Tom McClintock may become the next Liuetenant Governor of California. There is no doubt that some of the credit for McClintock being poised on the edge of victory goes to his campaign Comminucations Director, Stan DeVeraux, who gets the FlashReport "Tom’s MVP" Award… Read More