If you live in the 50th Congressional District in San Diego County, or the 35th State Senate District in Orange County – today is your day to vote. Special elections are taking place today in both of these districts! Remember that the FlashReport recommends any Republican BUT Bilbray in CD 50, and a vote for Diane Harkey in SD 35. There is also a race underway for Mayor in the city of Long Beach — look for a special FR look at how that race goes in tomorrow issue, or maybe Thursday. The Governor today in unveiling a greenhouse-gas emission reduction plan in, of course, San Francisco. The FlashReport will spend much more time focusing on this proposal, but just on the face of it, given that the cornerstone of the plan involves regulation of business that will be quite costly, you have to ask yourself how one state out of 50 can engage in such an aggressive program unilaterally, and not expect… Read More

1:30 am UPDATE: 100% in,Bilbray by 880 votes. Approximately 10,000 left to count, but Roach would need to get approximately 20% of those versus 10% on Bilbray’s part to change this…ain’t gonna happen. The FlashReport calls it for Brian. Congratulations!

Oh yeah, a run off against Busby in June. Will the conservatives coalesce behind Bilbray, since the primary for the next term is on the same ballot? There will be tremendous pressure to do so. Anyone taking a bite out of Brian on "the other part of the ballot" will also be helping Busby in her effort to win the remainder of the Cunningham term. A big risk for anyone wanting totake that chance.

Based on the number of GOP votes cast for all candidates, especially when many said low turnout and Republican disenchantment could drive a Busby outright victory, I say she’s cooked in June. Make that November too.

FRANCINE BUSBY 56147 43.92% … Read More

For those who want to follow election returns tonight, you can follow the links below: SAN DIEGO COUNTY REGISTRAR – 50TH CD LIVE RETURNS ORANGE COUNTY REGISTRAR – 35TH SD LIVE RETURNS Look for early returns on absentee ballot results, and a longer wait for the rest.… Read More

Conventional wisdom for the Special Election taking place today to replace John Campbell is that a low election-day turnout favor’s his choice to replace him — businesswoman Diane Harkey.

Well, if that’s the case, the fact that at my polling place in Irvine mid-day (it’s actually three large precincts consolidated into this one voting spot) – only two dozen or so voters have turned out today.

If this is the case district-wide, absentee ballot returns will account for an overwhelming majority of votes cast. And Harkey ran the best drill to those early voters…… Read More

It”s Election Day in OC but pretty quiet.

Here is a first hand account from a Huntington Beach voter and his wife. The names have been changed to protect the innocent.

SUBMITTED BY AN ACTUAL VOTER:

TAMY and I went into our polling place at 8:15–should be the heart of big-line times–at a polling station that included 5 consolidated precincts.

Democracy and OC were well served today, as it became pretty clear my wife and I were allowed to personally choose our next senator.

No line. Workers absolutely thrilled to see us. Only ones there, only one other signature on the voting lists was visible.

So while there’s still time to vote, early indications where I live (in the heart of Harman country–HB) it’s Harkey in a landslide 2-1 maybe even 3-0.… Read More

UPDATE: Harman leads by 439 votes now…TRENDING HARKEY.

UPDATE: Harman leads by 612 votes now…

Harman leads by less than 1% or 672 votes.

There are about 5000 absentee ballots, that were MAILED IN yesterday and today, still to be counted and probably won’t be counted until tomorrow.

More results at about 10:30pm. Click here to see them come in live.… Read More

In just about any race for office, the endorsement of the incumbent politician who is retired is usually coveted. Clearly one race where NO ONE wants the endorsement of the former incumbent is in the Special Election taking place in San Diego — after all, former Congressman Duke Cunningham is serving time in the federal pen for using his office to make millions to line his own pockets, while doling out government funds in returns.

One of the candidates in the race has managed to reach back to the conservative Congressman who represented the area BEFORE Cunningham — retired Congressman Ron Packard (pictured). Packard’s biggest claim to fame is that he actually won his first election as a write-in candidate. Now that is no longer recent history — as a matter of fact, it has been a long time since Packard served in Congress as all (though he served nearly two decades).

Anyways, Packard has endorsed businessman Eric Roach for this seat, and… Read More

See attached invitation below for Tuesday nite Election Central.

This may be the first and last time I do this. FR Publisher and Big BloggerJon Fleischman, and therefore hisBaby Bloggers like me, have a general rule that we won’t post information in advance of events on these pages…and for good reason.

As Jon puts it, "we have a pretty steadfast policy of NOT promoting events. The reason is actually very simple. As soon as I publish something about an upcoming event, or attach an invitation to an email from me as publisher, I LITERALLY get bombarded with HUNDREDS of invitations to events. Everyone from the State GOP, candidates for state office, federal office, local office, even non-CA events, debates, rallies, women’s fed meetings, etc."

Sounds like loads of fun. With that said, I am going to make an exception, PLEASE NOTE, in this ONE case only, because 1) there is only one race in town, 2) there is only one election central tomorrow, and 3) the entire wheelbarrow full of Republican candidates in the 50th have been invited and will… Read More