I’m sure that we could put together a top-ten list of reasons why Elton Gallegly is running for re-election. Instead..we’ll just say that one of the top reasons would be the telephone call from WH uber-strategist (and Deputy CoS) Karl Rove.

Makes you wonder if Michael Tenenbaum was a Gore supporter in ’00… Just kiddin’. I think his candle just blew out.

(I dedicate the Elton song title to Joe Justin.)… Read More

Just in….. The Assembly has been called into immediate session to vote on what appears to be a mini-version of the Infrastructure plan. Driven by Assembly Reps, the new plan will only focus on the issues of school and levee repairs, leaving other issues presumably to be picked up in a follow up measure for November. We got to this point because legislative Republicans, committed to fiscal common sense, drew a line in the sand. Who says the minority party can’t make a difference?… Read More

The Governor has made some new appointments. The release is here.

REPUBLICANS

Angela Chi, 51, of Fresno, has been appointed to the Board of Accountancy. Bill Maile, 38, of Sacramento, has been appointed deputy press secretary for the Office of the Governor. Cynthia Mitchell, 48, of Folsom, has been appointed to the Contractors State License Board. Robert Petersen, 66, of Saratoga, has been appointed to the Board of Accountancy. Anne Searcy, M.D., 52, of Oakland, has been appointed executive medical director for the Medical Unit of the Division of … Read More

I just got off of the telephone with Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman. Ackerman told me that the State Senate tonight unanimously passed a one billion dollar general fund appropriation (that would likely be drawn over several years) for levee repairs, and then ADJOURNED FOR THE NIGHT. This is significant because tonight is the last night for a bond measure to pass the legislature to make the June Ballot. Apparently there were some negative dynamics taking place between the two Democrat Leaders — Senate President Don Perata and Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez.

In the meantime, on the Assembly side, while the Senate was passing their appropriation, the Assembly did pass two sizable bond measures, one on levee repairs and the other on education facilities. Even though they were still in session when the Senate passed the billion dollars for levee repairs, Speaker Nunez chose not to take it up.

Given the critical need for levee repairs, there will now be a lot of pressure on Nunez to call the Assembly into session and pass that appropriation.

UPDATE: I just… Read More

Confusion Over Gallegly Persists Local Support May Crumble By David M. Drucker Roll Call Staff March 15, 2006 With Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Calif.) expected to announce that he will run for re-election, it was unclear… Read More

For those who are curious, on the Assembly side, I got some intel on how GOPers voted:

On the $19.5 Billion Education Bond: Passed 62 – 14 (54 needed to pass). The 14 "no" votes were all Republicans. They were: Bogh, Cogdill, DeVore, Harmon, Haynes, La Malfa, LaSuer, Maze, Mountjoy, Nakanishi, Spitzer, Strickland, Tran, Walters. There was one Republican who was present and did not vote: Mike Villines, who I am told simply felt he did not have enough information on how the bill would impact his district to cast a vote. Any GOPers not mentioned above voted "aye" on this bond.

For the $4.15 Levee Bond: Passed 67-4 (54 needed to pass). The 4 "no" votes were all Republicans. They were: Harman, Haynes, Mountjoy, Strickland. There were two Republicans who were present and did not vote: LaSuer and Maze. Any GOPers not mentioned above voted "aye" on this bond. I spoke with Assemblyman Chuck DeVore (my legislator) who told me that for him, a key point in gaining his support for the levee bond was that it provided for the ability, via a… Read More

GOP Source: Gallegly to Switch Course, Seek Re-election By David M. Drucker Roll Call Staff Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Calif.) has reconsidered a last-minute decision to retire and will announce Tuesday that he intends to seek re-election this year after all, a move that comes at the urging of House leaders and members of California’s GOP delegation, a knowledgeable source said late Monday. … Read More

Polling off the wire in Congressional District 50 (802 likely special election voters/Competative Edge Research). For those of you outside Southern California, Competative Edge is legit.

First Ballot:

Busby 33.5% Bilbray 14.8% Roach 7.9% Kaloogian 7.1% Morrow 4.7% Uke 3.6%

Leaning:

Busby 5.3% Bilbray 4.3% Roach 4.3% Kaloogian 2.7% Morrow 2.1% Uke 1.1%

What should concern observers the most is the surprising run-off numbers:

Bilbray 40.9% Busby 38.2%

Roach 35.8% Busby 35.2%

And here’s where it gets interesting…

Busby 43.8% Kaloogian 32%

Busby 40.7% Morrow 35.5%… Read More