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

Down to his last piece of communications to supports, Phil Angelides is still deluding himself. In a final e-mail to supporters (h/t CA Observer), Angelides is still trying to tie Arnold Schwarzenegger to President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.

How exactly do you connect THOSE dots, Mr. "Four more years of Arnold Schwarzenegger means four more years of Bush/Cheney/Schwarzenegger policies in California" Angelides?

Literally the only thing that I can think of is that, to the end, Phil Angelides is only concerned about one thing – raising taxes. If that is the case, then I guess he is right — Bush and Schwarzenegger both share a commitment to opposing tax increases.

But that is about it. Ideologically, stylistically, or geographically, there is very little similarity between the two — except that they are both Republicans.

But then, all Democrats are not alike either. There are… Read More

There are a myriad of factors that go into why Republicans are at risk of losing both the United States Senate and the House of Representatives. I will leave it to the likes of Charlie Cook, Michael Barone, and Bob Novak to go into all of that.

I will just chime in my ten cents, because it goes to just one facet – lack of enthusiasm from conservatives because, at some point, the Republican charge of the Hill to reduce the size and scope of the federal government was replaced with something evil – growth in government at the hands of Republicans. The President and the leadership of both the Senate and House get to take the blame.

At some point, it no longer became the size of government that was "the problem" – rather, it was who was in charge. For a long time now, many conservatives (myself included) have been dismayed at watching "Rome burn" with Republican hands on the torches.

I don’t have enough finger-energy as I pen this on my Blackberry to write about the repeated disappointments, though to use just a few recent examples – we can look at the inability of a Republican Congress to pass the… 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

This weekend update was sent over from FR Friend Jeff Miller, Riverside County Republican Chairman.

Although Duncan Hunter’s late District Chief of Staff Wendell Cutting passed away in June (see FR tributes here and here), it isn’t lost on many in San Diego that — were he alive today — he would be having a very calming influenceon his own school board. TheGrossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District election fight has grown increasingly nasty in recent weeks. The filling of Wendell’s seat is being decided, and three other incumbents are being challenged by the district’s Faculty Association.

It seems Wendell didn’t miss a beat here, knowing full well he wouldn’t be around to weigh in. The following missive from his brother Larry says a lot:

October 24, 2006

It is campaign season and in some races dirty tricks have reached new lows. My late twin brother, Wendell Cutting, would be appalled at the unethical lengths the opposition to the current members… Read More

I’m ad mad as anyone about the GOP and how they have governed. Immigration, Government spending and many other issues are not being addressed properly in DC and Sacramento.

CRA has launched a radio ad thorugh one of our committees to try to get those of us ticked off to the polls. You can hear it here.

It is okay to be mad. It is okay to makeyour views known. It is not okay not to vote for McClintock, Strickland, Prop 85 and all the things on the ballot.… Read More