The following report is filed ‘from the field’ by California Republican Party Vice Chairman Ron Nehring: I’m sending this report from the parking lot outside the packed Victory headquarters in Pleasanton in Alameda County, heart of the battle for control of Congress as the campaign of Congressman Pombo takes on the forces of liberalism for control of the 11th congressional district. One of tonight’s phoners is Jill Buck, Republican nominee for State Assembly and a real superstar running an aggressive campaign in a district that’s challenging for any Republican. Earlier in the day I visited the Stockton Victory headquarters where Central Valley volunteers were working to turn out voters on the other side of the hill. From there it was to Mountain View where Santa Clara Chairman Keen Butcher was helping to make calls pushing the entire… Read More

Before the late 1990’s much of the Republican grassroots infrastructure was “outside” the party or campaign organizations. Organizations like the California Republican Assembly, Republican Federation of Women, and Young Republicans were useful suppliers of large numbers of committed trained volunteers. But over the last decade or so for various reasons the volunteer armies have tended to drift over to the Party proper, and to a much lesser extent the campaigns.

Why? A few of the coalition organizations had pretty serious demographic problems. In English, that means the base of their active membership got old, and as the organizations began to refocus towards the schedules of the retired instead of younger families, membership declined as people died. Other organizations depended on ideological tensions within the Party on being high. These groups tended to suffer during the enforced ideological peace of the Bush Machine era.

That’s why I’ve been so impressed with the College Republicans under Davidson, Puetz, and Mason. In the battle for control of San Diego’s City Council earlier this year – hardly something to make… Read More

Many people will look at the 11th Congressional district and see a 6% Republican registration edge and assume the safety of this seat for the GOP and House Resources Chairman Richard Pombo of Tracy. What lies underneath this election year however is a strange dynamic that has made this one of the most heated races in the nation.

Due to the massive infusion of 527 group contributions (on one day the Defenders of Wildlife reported spending over $100,000 just for identification calls) that have been going on the airwaves, in the mailboxes and on the ground, this race is now ground zero in the battle for the House of Representatives.

All polling released so far has put this race as essentially even and has now drawn the full force of both the DCCC and NRCC. This race will now come down to turnout and ground game. While the Pombo team is well known for its attention to ground and ability to turn out the vote, McNerney is counting on bussing in an army from Berkeley, Oakland, Palo Alto and even from as far away as… Read More

Today and tomorrow, I will be traveling with some of our GOP nominees as they barnstorm around the Golden State visiting and motivating GOP volunteers in Victory 06 Centers started from Sacramento this morning and ending in San Diego tomorrow night – with a lot of stops in between. I will be endeavoring to "live blog" as much as my fingers and my Blackberry will let me! It should be a lot of fun, and I’ll look forward to bringing you some interesting observations and insights… Today the GOP candidates traveling through the Central Valley (Sacramento, Stockton, Fresno and Bakersfield) include Liuetenant Governor nominee Tom McClintock, Controller nominee Tony Strickland, and Attorney… Read More

The Strickland campaign just went up with a message recorded by ‘America’s Mayor’ Rudy Giuliani. The message highlights Strickland’s opposition to tax increases, a stark contrast to his opponent John Chiang, who is supporting $6 billion dollars in tax increases on this years ballot and is sure to support even more taxes in the future.

It is a testament to Strickland’s breadth of support that a well known liberal Republican is so supportive of his campaign.… Read More

Today and tomorrow, I will be traveling with some of our GOP nominees as they barnstorm around the Golden State visiting and motivating GOP volunteers in Victory 06 Centers started from Sacramento this morning and ending in San Diego tomorrow night – with a lot of stops in between. I will be endeavoring to "live blog" as much as my fingers and my Blackberry will let me! It should be a lot of fun, and I’ll look forward to bringing you some interesting observations and insights… Today the GOP candidates traveling through the Central Valley (Sacramento, Stockton, Fresno and Bakersfield) include Liuetenant Governor nominee Tom McClintock, Controller nominee Tony Strickland, and Attorney… Read More

As we make the drive down into Kern County, I thought I would take the opportunity to give a little bit of personal perspective on the retirement of liberal Republican Congressman Bill Thomas.

We should all applaud the fact that after decades in Congress, this entrenched friend of the bureaucracy has called it quits. For years, Thomas has worked hard in the political realm to oppose Republicans with strong convictions for increasing the size and scope of the federal government.

FR readers know that I have often expressed my frustrations about the increasing size of the federal government under Republican watch in Washington, D.C. While Thomas’ departure from Congress won’t change that trend in and of itself, it will go a long way.

Thomas, by most accounts, is a bright and savvy politician. Too bad he used his skills to embrace government instead of reduce it. Adios Bill Thomas, you won’t be missed.

I’m sure that the William M. Thomas terminal at Bakersfield Airport will serve to remind you and your children of your decades of bringing home the pork for your district.… Read More

Larry McCarthy is the president of the California Taxpayers’ Association. Cal-Tax does not typically make endorsements of candidates, yet they felt compelled to do so in the race for Governor this year. McCarthy walks FR readers through the reasons why they endorsed Arnold Schwarzenegger for reelection in this short piece…