Aside from having a Republican Governor the Republican Party in CA has had to appreciate the little victories the last several election cycles.

It seems however that is about to change. Several of our statewide candidates are poised for victory.

But there is another reason for the GOP to have hope. In Orange County the 34th State Senate Distinct is the only legislative district that is really in play this year. And while Central Orange County has been a stronghold for the Democrats that should change on Tuesday.

It is an open secret that polling shows Republican State Assemblywoman Lynn Daucher leading over Democrat County Supervisor Lou Correa. If Daucher pulls out a win here, it will be a victory for Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman more than anyone else. He is the one who has put all the pieces together, raised the necessary dollars and masterminded this outcome.

Local GOP Chairman Scott Baugh will deserve some credit too for overseeing the successful volunteer-led registration drive that has brought registration in the district to near even.

The Democrats are so scared of what Ackerman has put together in this race that… Read More

I am really not sure of exactly how the California Republican Party’s voter guide came out with omissions of party positions, and inclusion of positive statements about measures on which the party has no position.

The whole thing is troubling and it leaves one to conclude that somebody or somebodies made some subjective calls about which party positions were really important versus which ones were not. Now what criteria were used to determine what was left off, or what should have been left off that was actually included eludes me. Was it based on what interests had money and which ones did not? Because often times political parties will take principled positions for or against ballot measures, knowing that the position of the party may not have a financially well-off ally to help promote that position.

Anyways, in the California Republican Party voter guide, there is an entire page devoted to why Proposition 1D, the so-called Education Bonds, are a good idea. When it actually came to someone’s attention that the CRP membership did not vote to endorse 1D, instead of scrapping the mailing (which would have been a very expensive proposition),… Read More

Wow – there’s spinning spinmeisters that shamelessly spin, and then there’s Steve Maviglio. He’s the master of trying to make really bad and embarrassing things that any Democrat does sound benign. He works really hard at it – facts be damned. Look at all he did for Gray Davis…..er, nevermind……the people of California saw through Steve’s hapless spin then and recalled his boss (How embarrassing for a spinner – wonder if that’s on his resume? He is pictured above to the left on the deck of the HMS Titanic.) Well, enough about how over the top Steve is, we all know he doesn’t have a real strong grasp of how things actually are because he’s blinded by partisanship. It’s his charm. It’s why we read his stuff. ‘Cause its funny.

Let’s look at one of his latest attempts at making lemonade out of lemons. Let’s call this the “Walt Ingalls was delightful company” spin.

As has been reported on the FlashReport,… Read More

I just received this email from Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, Vice-Chairman of the Assembly Veterans Affairs Committee and a Lieutenant Colonel in the Cal Guard:

Stuck in Iraq or foot stuck in mouth? Speaking yesterday at a rally for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides at Pasadena City College, Sen. John Kerry said, "You know, education, if you make the most of it, you study hard, you do your homework and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well. If you don’t, you get stuck in Iraq." "Stuck in Iraq." Senator Kerry owes the men and women of the military an immediate apology and Phil Angelides should immediately distance himself from Kerry wrong-headed remarks, but, given Angelides’s call to pull the Guard out of Iraq AND off… Read More

If you are in politics you need to have a HIGH RESOLUTION digital picture of yourself available on the Internet for easy access.

This is just one of those things I’ve have come to realize after dealing with independant expenditures every election cycle.

EXAMPLE: You are a city council member running for re-election. You are waging a decent campaign but could always use some extra help. Some key business leaders do a poll and find that while you are leading in the polls, you could use some support. Since I did the poll, they ask me to spend $50,000 on your behalf (a few mail pieces, buy some slates, perhaps some paid precinct walkers).

If your photo is not readily available I have a problem.

For that same reason, you should always have a current web page with your most recent CV and even some news clips and quotes on key issues… Read More

So John Kerry’s defense of his reprehensible comment today is that he was really talking about the President’s education. Riiiiight. Let’s see, the President has a degree from…….oh yeah…..Yale! SoKerry means that a degree from Yale constitutes an inadequate education? Or did he really mean what he said?… Read More

I don’t know if there are any more seats available for what will certainly be a ‘must see’ event in Sacramento tomorrow — but FR Publisher Jon Fleischman will be one of three participants on a panel about the Big Bang Bonds package entitled, "California’s Future: What’s At Stake This November" — the other two panelists – Assembly Speak Fabian Nunez and Maria Alegria, the President if the League of California Cities. Nunez, of course, supported all of the bonds and voted for them — Alegria’s League of Cities has endorsed the entire infrastructure package as well. Moderating the ‘discussion’ will be Mark Baldassare of the Public Policy Institute of California, which is co-sponsoring this event along with the New America Foundation (longtime FR friend Dave Lesher is their California guy). The event is at the downtown Sacramento Sheraton from Noon – 1:30pm, and here is a link to the info. MEET THE… Read More

I am profoundly disappointed at the announcement made today by Arnold Schwarzenegger that he is opposed to Proposition 90, the Save Our Homes Initiative. All of those I know who have been supporting and working hard on the Governor’s reelection are strongly supporting 90. I’m sure they will all be equally dismayed. Some things just make you go, “Huh?”

That’s all I will say for now… As someone said (my mom?), if you don’t have something nice to say…… Read More