*While only a small fraction of FR readers are here at the State GOP Convention — this is a special request to each of you! For five years now, I’ve been publishing our famous (or infamous) "WINNERS & LOSERS OF THE GOP CONVENTION" column – and we’ll be doing that again later this week. Often times, many of the ‘awardees’ are determined with help from you all — so if you were at some or all of the convention, and would like to suggest a winner or a loser, feel free! All input is taken anonymously, so your friend won’t know you think he is a loser! Join in the fun!* Look for some comprehensive post-GOP convention analysis in the next day or so, but I will pen just a little here. One of the challenges of being a… Read More

A sold out crowd of about 750 people are here for lunch with Senator Tom McClintock, who is running unopposed for the Republican nomination for Lieutenant Governor. Central to his speech was a passionate articulation of those policy accomplishments of Arnold Schwarzenegger that are important to Republicans and taxpayers.

After a humorous introduction from Congressman Darrell Issa, who said that he (Issa) was funnier, but that McClintock was smarter… McClintock came to the podium with a standing ovation and lengthy cheers as “California, Here We Come” blared on the soundsystem, remeniscint of Reagan’s glory days!

McClintock started with a reminder that just two years ago, in the high-turnout special election, two out of every three votes were cast for Republican candidates.

His thoughts on the Democrats:“Steve Westly is the emptiest suit I has ever met. “

“Phil Angelides is a self-announted elitest who is so good at runnuing his own life he deserves to run everyone else’s.”

On principles:“When we have stood by our principles we have won. In the end, if we don’t stand by our principles, what have… Read More

I’m here at the California Republican Party convention in San Jose where I just met Kevan Otto, the most recent candidate to enter the 59th Assembly District primary. The scoop on Otto’s entry into the hotly contested race belonged to FR’s Mike Spence a week ago. But ha, I’m first to get a photo of the guy (see right).

By the way, if you’re at the convention today you can hear more of Mike Spence’s wisdom, along with that of other FlashReport.org contributors, at a panel discussion at 4 p.m. (hey, that’s right now…) or at the "Congratulations FlashReport" party hosted by Congressman Darrell Issa later tonight.

Otto is president of the L.A. School Police Association. He’s also served as president of L.A. North PORAC and the state POST advisory committee. A resident of Sierra Madre in the San Gabriel Valley, Otto already has several law enforcement endorsements, even though filing’s still open for the… Read More

Datamar, the SD-based firm that made a big name for itself during last year’s special mayoral election, has released a survey of the approval ratings for the governor and legislature. The results include some other tidbits, including the public’s view of the Susan Kennedy selection, voluntary pre-school initiative, infrastructure proposal, and minimum wage:

San Diego – In the poll released today by Datamar Inc., a random sample of 2,068 California high-propensity registered voters—voters who voted in the 2002 recall gubernatorial election and the 2004 Presidential primary and general elections—gives Governor Schwarzenegger an approval rating of 42%, about twice that of the legislature (22%).

As to disapproval, the governor also fares much better than the legislature. Poll respondents give the governor a disapproval/approval rating of 50% to 42%. The legislature receives a whopping 66% to 22% disapproval/approval rating, with three times more respondents disapproving than approving the job performance of the legislature. See the entire survey results… Read More

GOP CONVENTION PRIMER Hello from the Fairmont Hotel in downtown San Jose, California where over a thousand GOP leaders have gathered from all of our state’s 58 counties to participate in the California Republican Party’s Winter Convention. It is always fun and interesting to come to a GOP convention – I’ve been at virtually all of them since 1988, and except for the two years that I was Executive Director of the State GOP, I have been a voting member. Yesterday, Friday, is the ‘arrival day’ – so throughout the afternoon and into the evening, old friends are reacquainting, and new friends are meeting for the first time. There is something about coming to a place where everyone is more-or-less on the same play sheet that is reassuring. Perhaps the idea that this is the one place in California (for at least two days) where you can where a "Carlson for Treasurer" sticker and everyone knows that is Keith Carlson of Orange County, and that he is running for Treasurer of the State GOP. Conventioneers more… Read More

THE DINNER – AND THE GOVERNOR’S SPEECH Republicans, including myself, were really looking forward to last night’s dinner with our Republican Governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Sometimes, because there is a tendency for differences of opinion to be highlighted more than areas of agreement, there becomes a perception that divisions are bigger than they are. As readers here know, I have my share of differences of opinion with this Governor on a few key public-policy initiatives this year, and a certain personnel decision. That said, I am still a supporter of Arnold Schwarzenegger, feel he has been a good Governor, and am anxious to see him re-elected. It is my desire to see him re-elected that often times ‘animates’ me to be so vocal. The checkers-players out there say, "You aren’t helping the Governor to get re-elected by criticizing him in a public forum" (referring to this website). These folks are only thinking one move ahead. I like to think of myself as… Read More

Since Rep. Bob Dornan lost to Loretta Sanchez in 1996, Orange County Republicans have searched for a credible candidate to beat Sanchez.

Local Republicans have over the years fronted a list of misfits, retreads and drop-outs who have amounted to nothing. But under the leadership of Republican Party Chairman Scott Baugh, the 47th Congressional District which includs Santa Ana has become competative again fot the GOP (Democrats now outnumber GOP voters by only about 3%).

So 2006 could be a year where the GOP wins or at least make a credible showing. That is if they find a candidate. Enter Rosie Availa, Santa Ana School Board Member. Rosie is a nice lady and principled conservative. But she has little ability to raise money. Tan Nguyen is the other guy in the race. He is best known for running as a DEMOCRAT against Congressman Dana Rohrabacher in 2004. He lost in the Democrat Primary.

Nguyen has all the right answers now. He says the… Read More

The speech that I want to hear from Governor Schwarzenegger tonight at the GOP convention would have as its central theme a return to fiscal conservatism. It would include an emphasis on infrastructure, with a public adoption of the proposal introduced by EVERY Assembly Republican to finance infrastructure by paying-as-we-go instead of through massive borrowing. The speech would go on to talk about the need to have pension reform, and the importance of finishing what the Governor started, by putting and end to deficit spending in Sacramento. Other highlights of the speech would include his decision to replace Rob Reiner as Chairman of California’s ‘Tobacco Tax Spending Committee’ with attorney Hugh Hewitt, the unveiling of a new Republican Chief of Staff (I’m okay with anyone at this point who is registered as a Republican), a commitment to find and appoint qualified Republican judges to the bench, and an embrace of a statewide measure to fight eminent domain… Read More