The dynamics of the race for the 71st Assembly District have changed dramatically in the last few weeks. The 71st takes in a large parts of Orange County and parts of Riverside County.

Until just a few weeks ago there were four candidates (three of whom were from OC). Now there are just two, Neil Blais a Rancho Santa Margarita councilman and Fire Authority Board Member from Orange County (a Probolsky Research client) and Corona councilman and Transportation Commissioner Jeff Miller from Riverside County. Both candidates are members of their respective county Republican Central Committees.

There has been a fair amount of back and forth regarding the two campaigns finances, so I thought I would set the record straight with some factual analysis of the race.

FACT: Neil Blais raised $124,714 in individual contributions during the latest period. That is without any loans – personal or otherwise. Jeff Miller raised $90,019

FACT: Neil Blais also loaned his campaign an additional $100,000 – like most winning GOP Assembly candidates have done in the past.

FACT: Jeff… Read More

This election seasonm may be most remembered for the great ads. Check out this one, released today by the Romney campaign, comparing John McCain to Hillary Clinton… It’s funny, at least until you really think about it… … Read More

Just off the transom from conservative State Senator Dennis Hollingsworth:

"The stakes are high in California’s Republican presidential primary Tuesday. The race has come down to two individuals who represent a stark contrast for Republicans and for the future of our country and our party. One has consistently shunned conservative ideals and partnered with liberals to further their left-wing agendas and undercut the ideals we hold dear. The other has run a cam paign based on conservative principles; low taxes to stimulate a robust economy, a strong national defense to defeat the threat posed by radical Islamists, and the sanctity of our borders and national sovereignty. That candidate is Mitt Romney.

I am endorsing Governor Romney today because I believe he will recognize that it is conservatives and their support for the conservative campaign ideals he has espoused that will give him his victory in the race for president. Mitt Romney is the best candidate to take America to a prosperous, secure and brighter… Read More

Off the transom (a busy day, so bear with me – the CfG release is online here): Today, the Club for Growth PAC endorsed former State Senator Thomas “Rico” Oller in California’s Fourth Congressional District for the open seat left by retiring Republican Congressman John Doolittle. As a State Senator from 1997 to 2004, Rico Oller was an outstanding defender of taxpayers, consistently voting against state budgets because they spent too much, taxed too much, and in one case, didn’t cut taxes enough. If there was a tax increase being proposed, taxpayers could count on Rico Oller to be in the thick of the fight, making the case against it. … Read More

See Part 1 on Romney in the post below.

Part 2 from man’s man, conservative adventurer Dr. Jack Wheeler on McCain:

HOW THE CLINTONS WILL DESTROY JOHN MCCAIN The number of fellow Senators who think John McCain is psychologically unstable is large. Some will admit it publicly, like Thad Cochran who says, "The thought of his being president sends a cold chill down my spine."

Others relate times when McCain screamed four-letter obscenities right in their faces in the Senate cloak room, like Dick Shelby, Rick Santorum, or Jim Inhofe. "The man is unhinged," one Senator told me. "He is frighteningly unfit to be Commander-in-Chief."

That John McCain is clinically nuts is scary enough. What worries a small group of GOP Senators and Congressmen even more is a deep and dark skeletal secret in McCain’s glorified past to which they are privy, and which… Read More

Among conservatives, the leading GOP presidential choices have become a lesser-of-the-evils option at a more significant level than anytime I can previously remember, not the least of which is due to a competitive Super Tuesday, but also because both McCain and Romney have — to die hards — "questionable philosophical credentials."

Perhaps only fodder in the final day, but check out the missives from some stalwart conservatives to ensure indictments of their "non-choice" of a candidate. The first from former Assemblyman and current ED of the Council for National Policy Steve Baldwin…on Romney:

Well, we tried, but the news is out. We beltway conservatives, radio talk show hosts, conservative columnists, and other assorted "Movement" leaders have tried hard to keep this info from the grassroots but I guess we failed on this one count. We’ve known for years that Romney unilaterally instituted gay marriage in Massachusetts — which, yes, we do acknowledge is probably the single worse action by an elected official in 100 years in terms of undermining America’s Judeo… Read More

With shiny expensive TV production values, slick mail and award winning ads are the norm for first class political consultants. But sometimes you can move public opinion with simple ideas. JohnsonClark’s Trojan Horse is making a publicity killing. This morning"s Capitol Morning Reports lead story features the Trojan Horse ‘truth hour" press conference in front of the state building in San Jose—opposing the dying Prop 93 term limits expansion.

Who would figure that such a simple, old school idea, having Brandon Powers tow the giant Trojan Horse around the state to stage press conferences in 30 media markets would be so effective ?

… Read More

Some final words from Mitt Romney before you vote… (Sorry if it is a bit lengthy for the FR Blog page). Meeting A New Generation Of Challenges By Governor Mitt Romney We have grown up in an America that is safe, prosperous and stable. For many Americans, that is all they have known. And it is all they can imagine. Perhaps that is why so many of us fail to see the consequence of continuing along our present course. The greatest generation – our parents and grandparents – had… Read More