Here are the final returns from today’s Special Election in Congressional District 48…

Brewer fizzled for sure, Gilchrist really didn’t pick up steam, and Dems stayed home…

With all 268 precincts reporting:

JOHN CAMPBELL (R) 36,640 46.0% MARILYN C. BREWER (R) 13,272 16.7% JIM GILCHRIST (AI) 11,490 14.4% STEVE YOUNG (D) 7,110 8.9% JOHN GRAHAM (D) 3,242

This is the leading story from my daily commentary today. Click here to read it all…

Is Bakersield ready?? Controversy swirled a bit in the news last week when former U.S. Secretary of Education William Bennett, a frequent columnist and ‘talking head’ on news program said:

“But I do know that it’s true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could — if that were your sole purpose — you could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down,” Bennett said. “That would be an impossible, ridiculous, and morally reprehensible thing to do, but your crime rate would go down.”

Bennett made these comments in the context of a debate that he was having on television. He defended his remarks in this… Read More

THERE’S A NEW SURVEY OUT….I am not high on surveys, but then, it turns out, neither is Schwarzenegger Chief Strategist Mike Murphy. On the Join Arnold blog, there is a great post from Murphy talking about the release of a new KABC POLL which shows ALL FOUR of the Governor’s reform measures AHEAD…

Here’s the bottom line:

The poll was taken 9/30 to 10/2. (You can also go to the actuall poll here)

Prop 74. Yes 55%, No 44%.

Prop 75. Yes 60%, No 37%

Prop 76. Yes 58%, No 36%

Prop 77. Yes 59%, No 36%

Murphy says:

"Today’s post is about a brand new poll out tonight on KABC-TV and KPIX-TV. Warning: Lots of science and propellor head data stuff here, but it is all… Read More

Is Bakersield ready?? Controversy swirled a bit in the news last week when former U.S. Secretary of Education William Bennett, a frequent columnist and ‘talking head’ on news program said:

“But I do know that it’s true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could — if that were your sole purpose — you could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down,” Bennett said. “That would be an impossible, ridiculous, and morally reprehensible thing to do, but your crime rate would go down.”

Bennett made these comments in the context of a debate that he was having on television. He defended his remarks in this Washington Post story.

The Bakersfield Californian is making a big deal out of his arriving into the sleepy town of oil derricks and Bill Thomas’… Read More

In the 1990’s, voter registration trends, the rise of public employee unions, and internal party conflicts played havoc with the traditional lock Republicans had on San Diego City Hall. By 2003 only two of the city’s eight council seats and the mayor’s office were held by by the GOP. With the resignation of Republican Mayor Dick Murphy in 2005 and the “strong mayor” system of city government enacted by initiative starting in 2006 the public employee unions and Democrats believe the time is ripe for the election of Donna Frye, a liberal Democrat. But the fortunes of the GOP in the City of San Diego are not as low as they might appear at first glance. First, four of the city’s eight council seats are actually naturally Republican – Democrats are holding two seats that will probably move into the Republican column when term limits kick in for the sitting incumbents. The losses occurred in the period after the rise of the public employee unions and before the awakening and reorganization of the local business community and the San Diego Republican Party. Second, while the GOP does not have the registration edge it once enjoyed, self… Read More

A Los Angeles Times editorial laments the the passing over of David Dreier as the Republicans replacement for Tom Delay. (http://www.latimes.com/…)

Of course it blames conservatives for opposing him because of his votes to federally fund experimentation on human embryos, his opposition to a constitutional ammendment to stop homosexual marriages and of course his views on immigration. While other accounts verify this, they fail to mention the most important point. This was good news for Dreier.

The 2004 elections saw his vote totals plumment as attacks on his record concerning illegal immigration by LA Radio Hosts John and Ken became more widely known.

The Majority Leader position would of made him a bigger target for those trying to recruit a credible candidate to run in the GOP Primary. Most of the focus is still on John March, the father of Deputy March, killed by an illegal alien.

The lower profile the better. Conservatives didDreier a big favor.… Read More

– Inland Outrage Sparks Initiative Against Sex Offenders –

SAN BERNARDINO — The Inland Empire is the most vast, spread-out metropolitan area in the nation. So for decades, the desire to elude the prying eyes of cops in densely populated cities has drawn criminals to Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. Exacerbating the criminal migration, the relatively low cost of housing and lower density of surrounding residences also has led state agencies to place sex-offender parolees – and other persons who have committed sex crimes – in halfway houses, group homes and other living arrangements in Inland areas. The result is more than four million residents at higher risk of being victimized.

But with increasing economic and educational opportunities, a rising sophistication among the Inland electorate has put some pretty smart, pretty tough lawmakers into office to change the way government deals with problems. And as California voters are wont to do, when politicians don’t deal with problems, those uppity voters do it for them.

That’s where… Read More

Senator John Campbell to debate Minuteman Founder Jim Gilchrist today LIVE on John and Ken (KFI AM 640) 3pm – 7pm.

For all you political junkies this afternoon there will be one of those moments–a time when your spouse and friends won’t understand why you would be glued to you computer or radio or actually drive to the Ayres Hotel in Laguna Woods to hear a political debate between these candidates for Congress…but you do it anyway.

Detail on the show: www.johnandkenshow.com

Live streaming audio: www.kfiam640.com/interactive/streaming.html

Gilchrist has the advantage on illegal immigration hands down, especially since Campbell has a couple bad votes in the Senate. But he does not present well and Campbell will mop the floor with Gilchrist on every other issue. Some politicos might suggest that this is a mistake, a strategic error on the part of Dave Gilliard, Campbell’s consultant. Actually, Campbell is going to be the top GOP vote getter no matter what, so he should try to reach a bit to see if… Read More