As FR readers know, there is now a vibrant primary gearing up for who will represent the former seat of "Duke" Cunningham in the next Congress. On June 6th, all voters will be asked to choose between Republican Brian Bilbray and Democrat Francine Busby in the run-off for the special election for the remaining months of Duke’s unexpired term. But GOPers only will also be able to choose their nominee to take on Francine Busby (again) this November with the announcement that conservative, wealthy businessman Bill Hauf will actively compete for the nomination.

The 50th Congressional District is home to a lot of conservative Republican voters. In the recent special election, roughly 70% of votes to GOP candidates went to conservative/reform minded candidates. Moderate former Congressman-turned-federal lobbyist Bilbray won the very crowded primary with about 15% of the total votes cast for Republicans. You can be sure that Bilbray beat out his nearest competitor, conservative businessman Eric Roach, because independent, Decline-to-State, and Democratic voters could ‘cross-over’ in the special and vote for Bilbray. It wouldn’t… Read More

"Two Elections, One Conservative Choice." This is the big print on the first piece of political mail that will hit the mailboxes of Republican voters in the 50th Congressional District in the campaign of conservative businessman Bill Hauf, who will today announce his official ‘entry’ into the race for the regular June primary for this heavily GOP Congressional District occupied until late last year by former Congressman/now-convict Duke Cunningham. You can check out the mail piece by clicking the link to it at the bottom of this column. In April, a host of GOP candidates duked it out in the Special Election ‘primary’ and former Congressman now Federal lobbyist Brian Bilbray, with about 15% of the GOP vote in that dust-up, earned the honors to go up against Democrat Francine Busby in June. But this special election run-off is on the same ballot as the regular primary, where all of the GOP candidates who appeared on the special election ballot last month once-again appear. Bill Hauf, who had a poor showing in that April election (less than 2%) has decided to run in the regular primary. Hauf… Read More

Well, looks like Workers Comp reform is working and we have the economy to prove it. Pump $15 billion of WC savings back into job creation and you have the surge in revenue that the May budget revise showed this past week. Problem for Arnold is this: while the unions are battling to select their candidate in June, they won’t wait long before their cannons are out for him – and then its a long, miserable summer.

Repaying the "education community" and spending a breathtaking $133 billion won’t buy any love for Arnold in the upcoming election. The outrage we had at Gray Davis’ lousy $100 billion budget is but a distant memory. Conservatives have got to be shaking their heads at just how bloomin’ big the State budget has gotten. All this spendingmight give him 20 minutes or so to rest, but in the end, he’s got to define the unions before they define him and figure out a way to get conservatives out to vote in November. Both are a tall order. It’s the only way he can win in November. Do you believe in miracles?… Read More

Today, the Protect Our Homes Coalition will announce that they are turning in over a million signatures in County Registrar offices all around the state, virtually assuring that this important measure to protect Californians from eminent domain abuse will appear on the November ballot.

Assemblywoman Mimi Walters (R-Laguna Niguel – pictured to the right)) is serving as the Honorary Chairman of the Coalition, and she will be announcing the big news formally later today.

“The Protect Our Homes Initiative will restore the rights of homeowners and small businesses that were gutted by the Supreme Court’s outrageous decision in the Kelo case. This initiative will protect the average family from having their property taken by government only to be turned over to another private entity that is more influential,” said Walters.

“It is time to end the faction between local governments and special interests that sacrifice the property rights of the average citizen in order to line the coffers of… Read More

Usuallycasting two ballotsin an election is against the law. Usually.

If you are a Permanant Absentee Voter in Long Beach you would have received two ballots. One for the primary and the other for the runnoff municipal electionto be held the same day. And if you get confused and return them in the wrong envelope your vote doesn’t count.

If you go to the polls, you will find two ballot boxes, two sign in tables, doulbe the poll workers and two different voting systems. (The county uses the ink spot method while the city uses a fill in the circle method.) See article here. Voting for high school student bodyofficers is less confusing. Government efficency at its’ best.… Read More

"Two Elections, One Conservative Choice." This is the big print on the first piece of political mail that will hit the mailboxes of Republican voters in the 50th Congressional District in the campaign of conservative businessman Bill Hauf, who will today announce his official ‘entry’ into the race for the regular June primary for this heavily GOP Congressional District occupied until late last year by former Congressman/now-convict Duke Cunningham. You can check out the mail piece by clicking the link to it at the bottom of this column. In April, a host of GOP candidates duked it out in the Special Election ‘primary’ and former Congressman now Federal lobbyist Brian Bilbray, with about 15% of the GOP vote in that dust-up, earned the honors to go up against Democrat Francine Busby in June. But this special election run-off is on the same ballot as the regular primary, where all of the GOP candidates who appeared on the special election ballot last month once-again appear. Bill Hauf, who had a poor showing in that April election (less than 2%) has decided to run in the regular primary. Hauf… Read More

“I have decided to mount an aggressive campaign for the Republican nomination to save this seat for the Republican majority in Congress. I will campaign seven days a week between now and June 6th and spend whatever it takes to prevail in next month’s Republican primary,” Bill Hauf said.

“Brian Bilbray, my opponent in the June 6th primary, has achieved what no one thought possible. He has single-handedly taken a safe Republican congressional seat in North County and placed it in jeopardy and, according to one recent poll, he now trails Democrat Francine Busby by 5%,” Hauf added. “Brian Bilbray has come up from his lifelong home in South County with a liberal agenda that has… Read More

Last week, near the East steps at the Capitol, when my Calaveras Legislative Frog Jump contestant, Bury Bonds, lurched hard left from the starting pad I was hoping it would not be indicative of the rest of the week, [nor Bury’s leftward lurch further indicative of this Capitol in November] Bury finished mid pack, without any performance enhancements. Last year was about 3rd.Hmm.

Alas, my eminent domain reform bill, ACA 22 was up in Assembly Housing and Communal, er, Community Development and after impassioned testimony by witnesses having had property bulldozed already or threatened to do so, the committee voted party line with 2 Reps supporting limiting eminent domain to true public uses and 2 Dems opposing…plus 3 Dems abstaining. Maybe if the committee members were present during testimony, they would’ve been swayed a bit. Well, OK, they wouldn’t.

This whole reform has been ignored for most of a year by this legislative body. Senator McClintockintroduced twobills on the Senate side,… Read More