The campaign for Assembly District 72 has been pretty tame. In the race to replace termed-out Lynn Daucher are Yorba Linda Councilman Mike Duvall–the front runner and Brea Councilman Marty Siminoff. Both are Republicans, Democrats don’t need to bother in this heavily GOP seat.

Duvall is a likable fellow with big voice and constant smile. Siminoff is somewhat more reserved but a smart policy maker and well respected. In terms of philosophy, Duvall is clearly more conservative.

The latest news is good for Duvall. Today he announced that Republican Senate Minority Leader Dick Ackerman has endorsed him.

For Siminoff the news is not so good. His fund raising consultant Jennifer Cowan of CL7 Communications (Jennifer was formerly district director for Rep. Ed Royce and a leader in promoting GOP women) is rumored to have dropped the councilman as a client.

San Francisco‘s top officials thumbed their noses at the federal drug enforcement officials yesterday as they endorsed a marijuana giveaway at a Civic Center rally. Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi helped hand out bags of marijuana cigarettes and candy laced with the drug yesterday, while representatives of Mayor Gavin Newsom, Assemblyman Mark Leno, state Sen. Carole Migden, and District Attorney Kamala Harris read statements reaffirming the officials’ support for medical marijuana. Supervisor Chris Daley was also on hand to endorse the efforts of Cathy and Steve Smith, the couple who runs HopeNet, a medical marijuana "club." In December, the feds raided HopeNet, seizing plants, equipment and records. The full Chronicle story is… Read More

"ICEBERG, DEAD AHEAD!" Editing and publishing this website, I read a lot of news stories and columns. So I find it fascinating that so many of our Republican legislators, who have year after year voted against putting massive bond measures on the ballot, are now flocking to support a collection of bond measures that would represent the most borrowing – ever – for the Golden State. As a matter of fact, a number of the bond packages are being authored by Republican legislators, and we’ll be talking about that in the coming days. There is a saying that goes like this, "No one has the ability to grow government more than a Republican Chief Executive." Is that what this is all about? Massive borrowing, when proposed by Democrats, is wasteful and irresponsible. But when it is proposed by a Republican, then it is okay? What should be resolute and total opposition to ANY borrowing unless it… Read More

"ICEBERG, DEAD AHEAD!" Editing and publishing this website, I read a lot of news stories and columns. So I find it fascinating that so many of our Republican legislators, who have year after year voted against putting massive bond measures on the ballot, are now flocking to support a collection of bond measures that would represent the most borrowing – ever – for the Golden State. As a matter of fact, a number of the bond packages are being authored by Republican legislators, and we’ll be talking about that in the coming days. There is a saying that goes like this, "No one has the ability to grow government more than a Republican Chief Executive." Is that what this is all about? Massive borrowing, when proposed by Democrats, is wasteful and irresponsible. But when it is proposed by a Republican, then it is okay. What should be resolute and total opposition to ANY borrowed unless it… Read More

With the revelation that Governor Schwarzenegger’s Chief of Staff would be splitting her time between her official state duties, and working on the Governor’s campaign, this really blurs the lines. Since Susan Kennedy’s appointment, there has been growing unrest and unhappiness statewide among GOP leaders and activists, because of her ‘unique’ background. You see, Kennedy served as Deputy Chief of Staff to none other than disgraced and recalled Governor Gray Davis, a Democrat. She was a senior staff member and Communications Director for U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, a Democrat. She served stints as Executive Director of both the California Democrat Party, and the California Abortion Rights Action League. She cut her teeth as an activist working with Tom Hayden, and idolized Jane Fonda so much as a child she had a scrapbook of… Read More

TIME TO BUY STOCK IN JUSTIN COMPANY! Congratulations go out to FlashReport Sacramento Correspondent Joe Justin. For those who didn’t realize that in addition to writing for this site, Joe actually does other work…Joe is recognized as one of California’s most accomplished political campaign professionals. His resume is long, and his successes around the country are many. It was announced yesterday in a caucus of Assembly Republicans that Joe has been tapped by Assembly Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy to be the lead political consultant overseeing efforts to pick up GOP seats in the lower house in this year’s elections! This is a great pick! Now whether even ‘Mighty Joe’ can impact the iron-clad districts of the infamous "Incumbent Protection" reapportionment plan we have in place in this state…?? … Read More

TIME TO BUY STOCK IN JUSTIN COMPANY! Congratulations go out to FlashReport Sacramento Correspondent Joe Justin. For those who didn’t realize that in addition to writing for this site, Joe actually does other work…Joe is recognized as one of California’s most accomplished political campaign professionals. His resume is long, and his successes around the country are many. It was announced yesterday in a caucus of Assembly Republicans that Joe has been tapped by Assembly Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy to be the lead political consultant overseeing efforts to pick up GOP seats in the lower house in this year’s elections! This is a great pick! Now whether even ‘Mighty Joe’ can impact the iron-clad districts of the infamous "Incumbent Protection" reapportionment plan we have in place in this state…?? … Read More

Today I received a PowerPoint presentation from my friend Roman Buhler. Roman and I have known each other for decades, usually on separate sides of primaries or party battles where the conservative movement is backing a candidate for public or party office, and Roman is working with the Bill Thomas machine to elect people to office who meet one of two criteria: have undying loyalty to Bill Thomas, or are devoid of the passion of conservative beliefs that gets in the way of Thomas’ Jedi Mind Tricks. Anyways, I often say that like a broken clock shows the right time twice a day, even Bill and Roman can get something right (if by accident). They are 100% right on the need to take redistricting away from the legislators. I guess the idea is that the voters should choose their elected officials, and not the other way around. Roman and I have developed a mutual respect for one another through our mutual passion for politics. Back to the PowerPoint.… Read More