We just received this piece from BOE Member Michelle Steel…

Willie Horton, Maurice Clemmons and Now… By Michelle Park Steel, BOE Member

Kevin Peterson was arrested – for attempted rape, sexual assault, false imprisonment, and violating the terms of his parole – early Tuesday morning, 12 hours after his early release; part of the Governor’s effort to reduce the state’s prison population. He was one of the many released under the Governor’s new release plan. Of course, this plan was to involve only the release of prisoners who were jailed for non-violent offenses. His chosen victim? A female counselor at the Catholic charity, Loaves and Fishes, helping the poor and destitute in our state’s Capital, on a route frequently taken by the very legislators who passed the bill, and the… Read More

The most effective way to communicate with voters in a state as large as California is through television and cable advertising. It also happens to be the most expensive. That said, we can certainly be sure we will get to see a LOT of it coming from the two candidates who want to be the Republican nominee for Governor. Thus far, the campaign of Steve Poizner has not been doing any direct voter contact (obviously choosing to wait until close to the election which is still four months out), and the Whitman campaign has been running a series of statewide radio spots.

As of today, the television "phase" officially begins in this primary — with the announcement today that Meg Whitman’s campaign is launching their first statewide television and cable ad. The ad, which is below, will be running in all of California’s media markets. And our FR sources have verified that it is a substantial seven-figure buy (not one of those minimal buys geared more towards earned media coverage of it).

Clearly this throws the gauntlet down to Whitman’s opponent, Steve Poizner. He’s need to get up his own advertising campaign yesterday if… Read More

So if you are a conservative in the California legislature, and you decide you want to seek higher (or lower) office – you can expect a few questions to come your way. As important as the no taxes pledge has rightfully become in GOP primaries because government at every level has expanded well beyond a sustainable level, the next big question will be – “How did you vote on the confirmation of Abel Maldonado as Lt. Governor?”

If you are a conservative in the state legislature, public policy positions taken by an official that you would place one-heartbeat (a very strong heartbeat, Governor) away from the state’s top job matter – in fact they matter a lot.

Who occupies this position also matters a lot for the messaging of our party. We already have the Governor who dismisses routinely GOP legislators in the Capitol – and with Maldonado we will have another “media darling” who will use his bully pulpit to attack conservatives.

I literally don’t have the space to list out all of… Read More

So if you are a conservative in the California legislature, and you decide you want to seek higher (or lower) office – you can expect a few questions to come your way. As important as the no taxes pledge has rightfully become in GOP primaries because government at every level has expanded well beyond a sustainable level, the next big question will be – “How did you vote on the confirmation of Abel Maldonado as Lt. Governor?”

If you are a conservative in the state legislature, public policy positions taken by an official that you would place one-heartbeat (a very strong heartbeat, Governor) away from the state’s top job matter – in fact they matter a lot.

Who occupies this position also matters a lot for the messaging of our party. We already have the Governor who dismisses routinely GOP legislators in the Capitol – and with Maldonado we will have another “media darling” who will use his bully pulpit to attack conservatives.… Read More

This just in from longtime FR friend (and fellow Vin Scully devotee) Rob Stutzman, Main thing you should know about Rob before reading the following is that his name does appear on the list of "well compensated" consultants to Meg Whitman’s campaign for Governor.

Who ever said politics wasn’t a contact sport?

Rob Stutzman: Poizner Can’t Win The War I can just imagine last Monday morning’s staff meeting at Poizner for Governor HQ. … Read More

Check out this new video… It is a "must watch…"

As FR readers know, we do not typically regurgitate campaign press releases. That said, the one below is from the Fiorina campaign and I am reprinting it for three reasons. The first — it’s an awesome release worthy of praise. The second is that the video above is SO GREAT that it seems appropriate to "reward" good work. And finally, as always, it’s easier to post their work then have to pen my own (although with the formatting it was a close call)…

I will give a shout out to FR friend and actor Robert Davi who does the voice over on the video above. You may recognize his familiar and distinctive voice. Way to go Robert! … Read More

Seems to me that while I have plenty of reasons for why conservatives should for sure not vote for Maldonado’s confirmation, I am struggling to figure out why Democrats would want the guy?

From a Constitutional perspective, if Democrats don’t confirm Maldonado, then it is another Democrat (Steinberg) who is in line to succeed the Governor should calamity occur.

But from a point of principle, and an important one — Democrats are equally victim of Maldonado’s blackmail scheme last February to force his so-called "open primary" onto the ballot. So it seems particularly humiliating to have someone rob you at gun point, and then to vote to give them a promotion.

Never mind the idea that every Democrat who votes for Maldanado is going to create headaches in their own future primaries, taking flak for supporting a Republican (well sort of) for the job.… Read More

I was kind of surprised by the number released in the 36th Senate District GOP Primary to succeed Dennis Hollingsworth.

I know this will be another shocker. I am biased towards the three candidates.

Assemblyman Joel Anderson is sure to be in the race. From October 2007 to December 2008 I was his Chief of Staff and I’ve known him for almost 20 years. I also know school board member Ken Dickson. Good man and a conservative. I have meet Riverside County Supervisor Jeff Stone and his sister once at the most recent CRP Convention.

But what stunned me was the Cash on Hand numbers for a primary just a few short months away. Anderson had $242,687.60, while Stone had only $84,944.13 and Ken Dickson was only 900 dollars behind that at $84,013.15.

This is significant because of geography in this race. In the 2002 GOP primary about 17% of voters were from the Riverside part of the district. The rest of the district is in Eastern San Diego County. In 2006 the Riverside portion climbed to a little over 19%.

Hollingsworth overcame the geography deficit by being the conservative candidate and he was only candidate from the Riverside portion of the… Read More