INFRASTRUCTURE PACKAGE Governor Schwarzenegger continues to lead negotiations with legislative leaders towards the goal of putting a massive infrastrucuture bond proposal on the June ballot — it isn’t clear if today is actually the last day to get something worked out — the ‘last day’ keeps sliding, it was last Friday. Based on my math, I think a deal could be worked out as late as Friday, but that would create a real time-crunch. I was with Senator Tom McClintock for a few minutes yesterday, and he was recalling that with Props. 57 & 58, they had like less than 72 hours to put together and turn in the ballot arguments they submitted. The primary sticking point in negotiations is stemming from the fact that legislative Democrats insist on loading up this bond package with billions of dollars in non-infrastructure spending, and are solidly opposed to spending reforms. From my perspective, the most movement has come from legislative Republicans who, frankly, have good reason to be skeptical and opposed to a massive borrowing… Read More

Oh the twists and turns. Even as Darrell Issa is trying to get Elton Gallegly to campaign for re-election, the Chairman of the Ventura County GOP sent out the following e-mail yesterday, rallying support for Michael Tenenbaum, the only other Republican on the primary ballot with Gallegly:

Dear Central Committee Members, Alternates, and friends: This has been a trying week for Ventura County Republicans. Many of us have felt frustrated, surprised, saddened, betrayed, challenged and/or confused. The sudden news that our 10 term congressman, Elton Gallegly has had to withdraw from the race due to serious health issues has caused us sadness and concern for him and his family. This was obviously not planned by him, and I can only imagine how… Read More

Congressman Darrell Issa (yes the same one that I work for -thus the source is good) is circulating a letter amongst his colleagues for their signatures this morning, asking Rep. Elton Gallegly to fully campaign for his seat and serve out the term he is elected to in the 2006 general election, if his health issues allow. Stay Tuned………… Read More

GOP Source: Gallegly to Switch Course, Seek Re-election By David M. Drucker Roll Call Staff Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Calif.) has reconsidered a last-minute decision to retire and will announce Tuesday that he intends to seek re-election this year after all, a move that comes at the urging of House leaders and members of California’s GOP delegation, a knowledgeable source said late Monday. … Read More

Your FlashReport “cub reporter” is actually at the State Capitol today. I was going to search out someone that could give me an update on how the ‘Big 5’ negotiations are going on the BIG BOND$ Infrastructure Plan. Well, just now I stepped off of the elevator on the first floor of the Capitol, and found lead Assembly Republican negotiator on this package, Rick Keene.

To make a long story short, Keene was telling about 15 reporters that, despite good faith efforts by Governor Schwarzenegger, the Democrats continue to want to load up the package “like a Christmas tree loaded with ornaments” – Keene said that Republicans are still very interested in helping a common-sense infrastructure plan come forward, but that right now there is no agreement.

We’ll see how it goes – but I am proud of Keene and our GOP legislators for holding a firm line for fiscal sanity!… Read More

According to the Riverside CountyRegistrar of Voters Office Hemet Mayor Robin Lowe failed to qualify for the ballot in the 65th Assembly Republican Primary. Lowe had been actively campaigning and raising lots of money. It will be interesting to see what the details are of this withdrawal from the race.… Read More

The San Gabriel Valley Tribune (Pasadena Star-News and Whittier Daily News) carries an editorial about the replacement of Kern and Los Angeles County Congressman Bill Thomas as House Ways And Means Chairman. The Thomas Retirement gives House Republicans an opportunityto get away from the earmark and big spending philosophy. The editorial is here.… Read More

Last Friday in the mid-afternoon, things went a little crazy as I received a call from a close source letting me know that 10-term Republican Congressman Elton Gallegly (pictured to the left) was retiring. Of course this is big news because Members of Congress tend to serve for a long time, and since almost all are in non-competitive districts, they serve as long as they want. One of them retiring is big news, but we actually have two, with Congressman Bill Thomas of Bakersfield also leaving at the end of this year. However, it would be unfair to compare the retirement of Gallegly with that of Thomas. While I am no fan of Thomas, he is retiring the right way, and Gallegly… Well, here is the tale as best as I’ve been able to reconstruct it by talking to various sources and contacts…

… Read More