With the announcement yesterday that Assemblyman George Plescia is supporting the younger Hunter for Congress, I asked myself how the endorsements seem to be flowingthus far among the candidates. That is, if endorsements amount to a hill of beans when it’s all done.

Santee Councilman Brian Jones seemed to get out early, locking in a number of East County local electeds. Many of those folks, if they had been asked to stay neutral until Duncan D. returned from Afghanistan so they could meet him, may have felt at least temporarily obligated to do so. But, Congressman Hunter was tied up in a larger campaign. So, the person doing the asking was Jones, who was all over the place garnering support fromhis fellow locals.

County Board of Ed President Bob Watkinshas nailed down some non-East County but significant locals like Chula Vista Mayor Cheryl Cox and County Supervisor Ron Roberts. Given Watkins’ long service with the Lincoln Club, he no doubt is more prone to getting early support from the "downtown SD establishment."… Read More

This is hot off the presses from Team McCain:

CALIFORNIA LEADERSHIP TEAM State Chair The Honorable Bill Jones – Former California Secretary of State Honorary Vice Chairs Mayor Alan Autry, Fresno Sheriff Lee Baca, Los Angeles County The Honorable James Brulte – Former State Senate… Read More

It’s been interesting to watch therace for National Committeeman unfold, as the campaigns beingwagedhave been as different as the canddiates themselves.

Challenger Shawn Steel has stuck to what’s worked time and again in CRP races. Highlight what you’ve done – in Shawn’s case shinging a light on having narrowed the registration gap in the state, and having overseen the Party the last time we picked up any Legislative seats.Showcase endorsements.For Shawn that being an overwhelming majority of State Assemblymen, and bunches and bunches of other electeds and County Chairs. Shawn has put together a very strong race, one you’d frankly normally only expect from an incumbent. If Shawn turns his people out, or gathers their Proxies, (and there’s no reason to expect he won’t)he’s in good shape.

Incumbent Tim Morgan is running, let’s say, a more low key, more unconventional race. Instead of touting endorsements en masse, building to a crescendo with displays of support nearing the Convention, Tim has chosen to really only trumpet one endorsement (that I can recall) and instead fill delegates’… Read More

Nothing. But one of my friends got a pro-Prop 93 piece featuring the Governor with some bizarre color schemes.… Read More

The crying sound that you hear is that of Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez. Rumor has it that he locked himself in his private office restroom and won’t come out. He is apparently crying over the most immediate impact the anticipated loss of his Proposition 93, which would keep him in office for six more years.

Only one of seven Democrats voted for the healthcare plan/tax hike plan that he authored, AB 1X1, on behalf of himself and the Governor. All four Republicans voted against it.

What could be next for poor Fabian? Soon he will have to take in his own dry-cleaning!… Read More

Just in from the Romney Campaign, some new endorsements (I highlighted them below:

"These legislators join California Romney for President Co-Chair Tony Strickland and U.S. Congressmen Buck McKeon, John Campbell, Dana Rohrabacher and Wally Herger in supporting Governor Romney’s campaign." New California State Legislators Supporting Governor Romney: • Assemblyman John Benoit, 64th Assembly District • Assemblyman Bill Emmerson, 63rd Assembly District • Assemblyman Guy Houston, 15th Assembly District •… Read More

KMJ is reporting this morning that Governor’s Health Care plan has been killed in the State Senate.

Good. It was perhaps the worst public policy idea ever proposed in California history.

To Arnold’s senior staff, who are reading this: try capitalism. It works every time.

Also, you don’t raise taxes $14 billion when the housing market is tanking, in the middle of a credit crisis, and while businesses and consumers are spendingless than last year already.

So why don’t you fix the State budget mess you created first, without raising taxes and fees. And if you have any time left over, maybe you could pay the State Republican Party back the money you drained in 2006 while running up your landslide while ignoring Bruce McPherson and Tom McClintock.

You know, if Prop 93 passes with the Governor’s help, members of the legislature will have more time to……. learn math! Then, the Governor can go back, study Milton Friedman and maybe become a capitalist again.… Read More

As appeared in Sunday’s opinions column in the Riverside Press-Enterprise:

By Assemblyman John J. Benoit

What if I told you that California can raise revenue of at least $10 billion and stimulate more than $100 billion in economic activity without raising any taxes? Essentially, that is the opportunity that we have as a state if voters cast a "yes" vote on Props. 94, 95, 96 and 97.

The four ballot measures are referenda on gaming compacts negotiated between Gov. Schwarzenegger and four Indian nations, three of which — the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians and the Agua Caliente Band of Mission Indians… Read More