The leaders and delegates of the state’s most influential conservative Republican volunteer organization, the California Republican Assembly, met in Bakersfield over the weekend. Bakersfield, of course, is in the center of Bill Thomas’ Congressional District.

In light of the news late last week that the Congressman was going to hold a press conference this morning to announce plans for his future (which have turned out to be welcome news of his retirement), the delegates to the CRA’s annual convention passed a resolution concerning Bill Thomas which is attached for your perusal.

** An an important note – disdain and dislike for Bill Thomas is widespread. It is notable that this particular resolution was authored by Brandon Powers, who in… Read More

Democrat Santa Ana City Councilwoman and OC Deputy District Attorney Claudia Alvarez is running for the 69th Assembly District. Her campaign just released the results of a new poll conducted Feb. 22-26 among 402 likely Democratic Primary voters. The survey conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research shows Alvarez leading opponent (council colleague) Jose Solorio by a margin of 50% to 25%. The other potential rival de la Libertad fails to break the 10% mark according to the poll.

The poll memo says: Alvarez’s support in the district is broad-based. Her support transcends geographic and ethnic lines as she leads among every ethnic group, and she attracts solid support throughout the district. In fact she is even in a statistical tie with Solorio in his own city council district (Santa Ana’s 1st City Council District).

BALLOT TEST

We’ve been following attempts by federal lobbyist, and former Member of Congress Brian Bilbray (pictured) to characterize himself as something other than a lobbyist in his ballot title. Bilbray, who has taken in hundreds of thousands of dollars in feels over the last six plus years lobbying for many interest filed a ballot title of Immigration Reform Advocate because one of his client (about 1/3 of his business) is a federal immigration reform group. The Secretary of State balked at this, and settled on Immigration Reform Consultant.

The matter has been taken to court by a voter in the district who believes that this settled-upon language still hides Bilbray’s profession as a lobbyist… Read More

This just in courtesy of FR friend Chris Reed who is on the editorial team down at the San Diego Union-Tribune — Reed spoke today with the esteemed Nathan Barankin (another friend), Attorney General Bill Lockyer’s spokesman, who confirmed that the Attorney General has punted the investigation into Rob Reiner (you know, where he used his official state commission post to launch a multi-million dollar spending spree on pro-preschool ads at the same time that he was collecting signatures for a universal preschool ballot measure).

Where did he punt it to? That’s the GOOD NEWS. He has referred the case over to his colleague,… Read More

At San Francisco’s big gala Oscar Party/AIDS fundraiser last night, the crowd was horrified when “Crash” beat out “Brokeback Mountain” for Best Picture last night (here’s the full story in the San Francisco Chronicle). I’m sorry, but I am so glad that the Oscars are over, just so we can be done with the whole “Brokeback” hoopla.

If you listen to the folks at the SF party last night, “Brokeback Mountain” all at once “brought Americans together over issues of homophobia” and yet when it didn’t win, it was “an… Read More

Oakland had its 24th homicide yesterday–triple the number of murders at this time last year. The big question is: what is Mayor Jerry Brown going to do about it? These are not the headlines or stats you want when you’re running for attorney general. It’s time for Jerry to stop campaigning for AG and to start getting a handle on the city’s violent crime problem.… Read More

This weekend, a couple hundred delegates are gathered at the Doubletree Hotel in Bakersfield for the biennial endorsing convention of the California Republican Assembly. The CRA is California’s oldest and most conservative Republican volunteer organization, with traditions that go back to its founding in the 1930’s. The CRA has been a pivotal force in California politics, a key player because of its direct influence on politics as well as the training grounds it provides for many who go on to seek elective office or otherwise get involved in the process. Speaking in the first-person, I spent a decade of ‘intense’ involvement with the CRA starting from being a club member and rising through the ranks to an eventual two-year term as State President from 1995-1997. Being elected CRA President was one of the greatest honors of my life. The things I learned, the perspective gained, the challenges met and overcome continue to provide me with guidance in the things I do today. I am… Read More

ENDORSED… Lt. Gov: McClintock SoS: McPherson Treas: Parrish AG: Poochigian Ins. Comm: Poizner Controller: Strickland SPI: Diane Lenning BOE 2: Leonard BOE 4: Forsch

NOT ENDORSED… The CRA did not endorse the Governor, nor did they endorse between Ray Haynes or Michelle Steel in BOE 3.

Word is that there was a move to co-endorse Arnold/Tom/Dick that fell just short of the 2/3.… Read More