Get free daily email updates

Syndicate this site - RSS

Recent Posts

Blogger Menu

Click here to blog

FlashReport Weblog on California Politics

- Or -
Search blog archive

Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt

Dreier’s Dem Opponent Turns to the Left

Congressman David Dreier’s 26th Congressional District covers significant parts of two counties. The eastern portion includes the San Bernardino County cities of Rancho Cucamonga, Upland and Montclair. Moving west, the 26th covers a large swath of Los Angeles County in the San Gabriel Valley before dipping south to include San Marino. Registration figures for CD 26 stand at 46 percent Republican and 35 percent Democrat.

Dreier (pictured above)survived a scare in 2004 when popular Los Angeles talk radio hosts John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou of KFI relentlessly blasted Dreier for allegedly being soft on illegal immigration. Despite the two-pronged attack David Drier faced — on his right from the John and Ken show, and on his left from Democrat challenger Cynthia Matthews — Dreier won with 53 percent of the vote. In 2002, Dreier had beaten his Democrat opponent with 63 percent of the vote.

In December, I wrote a… Read More

Jon Fleischman

Highlighted stories in the News

Even one of the most prolific writers has to take some time for himself. So I will not be penning a lengthy commentary for today. I would simply suggest that you should definitely read several of the articles featured on the main page today:

* The Chronicle looks at the controversy surrounding the Governor’s Chief of Staff, Susan Kennedy, being simultaneously on the government payroll and the campaign payroll. Carla Marinucci, the piece’s author, delves into this growing controversy. * In the Daily News, there is an article highlighting that Senate Democrats, lead by President Pro-Tem Don Perata, see ‘no need’ for the Governor’s proposed 6% spending cap. That it could tie the hands of future efforts at borrowing. Actually, the cap is one of the positive things in the Governor’s proposal. Perhaps their opposition to the cap will nix the whole borrowing scheme and we can focus on the Assembly Republican pay-as-you-go plan. * Debra Saunders has secured today’s "Golden Pen" award as she looks at a controversial issue – which… Read More

Jon Fleischman

Today’s Commentary: Highlighted stories in the News

Even one of the most prolific writers has to take some time for himself. So I will not be penning a lengthy commentary for today. I would simply suggest that you should definitely read several of the articles featured on the main page today:

* The Chronicle looks at the controversy surrounding the Governor’s Chief of Staff, Susan Kennedy, being simultaneously on the government payroll and the campaign payroll. Carla Marinucci, the piece’s author, delves into this growing controversy. * In the Daily News, there is an article highlighting that Senate Democrats, lead by President Pro-Tem Don Perata, see ‘no need’ for the Governor’s proposed 6% spending cap. That it could tie the hands of future efforts at borrowing. Actually, the cap is one of the positive things in the Governor’s proposal. Perhaps their opposition to the cap will nix the whole borrowing scheme and we can focus on the Assembly Republican pay-as-you-go plan. * Debra Saunders has secured today’s "Golden Pen" award as she looks at a controversial issue – which… Read More

Jon Fleischman

Cal-Races has a great spreadsheet on candidate finances

As the famed, late Assembly Speaker Jesse Unruh (pictured) was famed for saying, "Money is the mother’s milk of politics."

For years now, Matt Rexroad over at Meridian Pacific has been known for producing some of the best information to keep track of how much folks have raised and spent on their campaigns. Hopefully Matt will continue with his great tracking of late-expenditures when we get to that season. But for now, you can direct your browser over to Meridian’s Cal-Races website and download an Excel Spreadsheet for your computer, that will allow you to look up any statewide or legislative races, and see the current snapshot of latest numbers filed with the Secretary of State.

THANK YOU to Matt and the team at Meridian for providing this resource!… Read More

Barry Jantz

Analysis — SD Board of Ed Vacancy

Anyone reading my posts knows by now (yeah, ad nausem, you may say) that the San Diego County Board of Education will fill Ernie Dronenburg’s vacancy Monday night. The Union-Tribune this morning runs a detailed list of the 11 candidates, as well as another story, "Education board to fill seat," on the recent history and responsibilities of this sometimes enigma-of-a-body.

The latter-mentioned story, although not crediting the FlashReport (every other newspaper around seems to be lately), does make mention that "Conservative blogger and La Mesa Councilman Barry Jantz and online newspaper Voice of San Diego both raised questions about the county Office of Education’s failure to post news of the board vacancy until just days before the Jan. 27 deadline to apply." Factual, althoughI didn’t know that a strong belief in fully transparent government processes was something conservative. I thought it was common sense,… Read More

Mike Spence

Got a 100K, You can be Mayor of Torrance

The City of Torrance is nestled in the South Bay of Los Angeles County. The population is about 140,000. Michelle Kwan hails from there and I love eating at the nearby Alpine Village. It has a conservative reputation, even though two of the last three Assemblymen from the area were Democrats on the Torrance City Council.

i was wrong about the 100K it is actually more that you would need. The Daily Breeze has an article about the upcoming June 6 election for Mayor. The challenger has loaned his campaign 100K and expects to get outspent by current GOP registered Mayor Dan Walker. See the article here.

Remember the days when 110K meant you were a leading Assembly candidate?… Read More

Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt

Outlook on San Bernardino County Races

Here’s a quick update on San Bernardino’s county races. All six countywide offices are up for election. Of the countywide races, the one to watch will likely be Board of Supervisors Chairman Bill Postmus’ run for County Assessor. With the incumbent, Don Williamson, showing $7,455 in the bank and talking about either retiring or running for the 3rd District BOE seat, Postmus (my boss) might have anticipated skating to victory on his support base, list of accomplishments and warchest of $726,946. But there is a potential challenger in Michael Willhite, an Appraiser III from the Assessor’s Office who has yet to raise any money for his campaign.

Postmus’ Assessor Campaign website went live Friday at www.billpostmus.com.

Regarding the other countywide offices, Sheriff Gary Penrod ($180,906), District Attorney Michael Ramos ($317,299), Auditor/Controller-Recorder Larry Walker ($114,410), Treasurer-Tax Collector Dick Larsen ($141,037), and Schools Superintendent Herb Fischer ($221,457), don’t expect tough challenges this go-around. But you never… Read More

Michael Der Manouel, Jr.

Maybe The GOP Needs to Lose the House

It’s become clear that Democrat Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and new GOP House Majority Leader John Boehner already agree on one possibility for 2006 – the GOP majority is in jeopardy in November. Why would that be? The economy is good, if not great. Our Commander in Chief is fighting a tough war on terror. Two phenomenal Supreme Court Justices have been confirmed. Gerrymandering nationwide since the 2000 census has created safe seats for GOP House members. How could Republicans lose in November?

Add to the mix this fact – the Democrats are shrill, have no agenda, are consumed with rage and hatred and captive to their left flank.

The answer is this: Illegal Immigration. Spending. New Entitlement Programs. Fiscal Mismanagement and Debt. The Democrats won’t get the best of Republicans on these issues. No, not possible.

Republican voters will just stay home. They’ve had it and I am hearing it everywhere.

We have a two Party system for sure. Stupid, and Incompetent. No wonder voters are… Read More