One has to feel empathy for Democrat consultant Richie Ross. To the left is a photo of Ross before the race for Insurance Commissioner really heated up. Look what has happenned to poor Ross in just a few months…

The FlashReport was able to obtain photograph taken at the campaign headquarters of Cruz Bustamante just last week. Pictured below is Ross being manhandled by Bustamante, insisting that the serious campaign spots about the future of California that Ross created for Cruz be dumped and that Cruz’s personal campaign vision – commercials centered around his personal attempts at weight loss – be put on the air.

We feel for ya, Richie!… Read More

Bringing the race for California Insurance Commissioner full-circle, Steve Poizner just picked up the endorsement of Primary Challenger and all around classy guy, Dr. Phil Kurzner.

While the Primary race did increase in volume a few decibles, Phil nonetheless decided to bury the hatchet and lend his support to Steve’s ever-strengthening effort to beat Cruz Bustamante.

Phil sent over his thoughts to share with the FlashReport’s readers:

"Steve Poizner should be the next Insurance Commissioner of California. I have gotten to know Steve well over the past year. He has a rare combination of intelligence, integrity and commitment to helping the people of this great state. He has the ability to become an outstanding public servant. He and I share a commitment to the principles of the free market. Steve also demonstrates consistent common sense in his decisions. His qualifications for this office are extraordinary. On November… Read More

Check out this great television spot now running statewide for Tony Strickland, courtesy of a large independent expenditure from "Team 2006" (Indian Tribes and some Silicon Valley interests).

"Vault" (link below).

h/t to Shawn for sending this along… Read More

As I wait for graphics I have time to skim through the various national columnists to see what the big brains are thinking (actually, that’s not altogether true. First I looked up the 1974 Rankin-Bass stop-motion holiday cartoon The Year Without a Santa Claus and found the fan websites for both Heatmiser and Snowmiser and played both their songs loud until everyone else in the office told me to put a cork in it).

Then I went over to Peggy Noonan who had the following gem in her Wall Street Journal opinion piece entitled Is there Progress Through Loss?

… Read More

FR friend and former FR State Capitol Correspondent will once again be providing insights and wisdom as a guest on the Fox News Channel’s Hannity and Colmes program, airing from 6 – 7 p.m. (Pacific time).

Karen will actually be appearing live from the U.S.S. Midway Aircraft Carrier, which is now a museum and permanently birthed in San Diego’s Mission Bay.

We were sad when Karen left our Blog Roll here, but we are pleased that it was to start blogging for the ABC affiliate in Sacramento. You can read her stuff here.… Read More

It’s actually pretty disturbing that someone as far to the extreme left end of the ideological spectrum can continue to carry a false ‘image’ that she is some sort of moderate, thoughtful politician. Yet, that is apparently exactly what the general perceptions are of incumbent Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein. Of course, this image has been bolstered over the years as Republicans have continually, in their zeal to retire the other Democratic Senator from California, made Feinstein out to be ‘reasonable’. The reality is that the only major difference between Feinstein and Boxer is one of temperament — with DiFi being a bit more reserved and considerate in her approach to matters — with Barbara Boxer being more shrill and strident. Note that these are stylistic differences, not ideological ones. In 2004, both Senators received a 4 out of 100 (with 100 being the most conservative) from the American Conservative Union, and in 2005, they both received a 12. The National Taxpayers Union, who also scores federal legislators, in 2005 gave Boxer a 12 and Feinstein a 13. In 2004, Feinstein ‘out liberaled… Read More

The FlashReport has learned that tomorrow, in a featured oped in the Sacramento Bee, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will articulate to the public why he is coming out against Proposition 90, the Save Our Homes Initiative.

Of course this is a horrible decision by the Governor.

Proposition 90 is one of the most important issues that should be passed by the voters that appears on the November ballot. Why? Because it goes to one of the most fundamental rights that we enjoy as Americans, and as Californians — the right to private property.

Peeling away all of the rhetoric that gets thrown about during a heated campaign where the primary mode of communication is the ‘soundbite’ — those who support Proposition 90 seek to give the owners of property, in many cases, the voter themselves, significantly increased protections against an unfair action by the government to infringe on their property rights and in some cases take their property from them!

While there have been some specific, high profile, instances of abuse of the taking of a private property owner’s holdings by the government (referred to as eminent domain)… Read More

We’ve been reading about the independent efforts underway to help Tony Strickland get elected State Controller. Some Indian Tribes and Silicon Valley types are stepping up bigtime (to the tune of millions of dollars). Why would they do this? Maybe they are sick and tired of having a liberal, tax-loving majority on the State Board of Equalization? Duh.

In the meatime, Strickland’s Democrat opponent, John Chiang, has started to flake out on his media payments causing cancellations around the state. Much like his Democrat colleague Cruz Bustamante, Chiang’s campaign seems to be imploding.

There is union money out there… But with Angelides losing by a margin so vast, do the unions want to drop good money after bad?… Read More