Just a little while ago, Senator Roy Ashburn, held a press conference to announce that he is NOT running for Congress (wouldn’t it have been easier to send out a press release?). The decision by Asburn means that the protege of the retiring incumbent Bill Thomas should pretty much waltz into the United States House of Representatives. The Bakersfield Californian has an article up already.

The good news for everyone is that I’ve met Kevin McCarthy, and he is no Bill Thomas. McCarthy is certainly more conservative than Thomas ideologically, as he has demonstrated as the Assembly Republican Leader. McCarthy also has a decent personality. As Kevin and I have joked about over the years, you fight the good fight (for us, it was GOP youth politics) and then go get a beer. No one would ever get a beer with Thomas because he is a self-important jerk.

Anyways, it is always easy for me to digress into a Thomas-rant — let me get back to some analysis. In his announcement that he is seeking re-election to the State Senate, Ashurn endorsed McCarthy’s… Read More

I have been a subscriber to Human Events Magazine for years. Frankly, it is one of the few ‘paper’ subscriptions that I still maintain. HE gives the perspective on what is really going on inside of the Beltway, from a conservative point of view. The publication is owned by FR friend Tom Phillips, a great conservative leader. You can always check out HE Online via our Websites menu above.

One of the very best reasons to subscribe is to gain the insights of one of the most connected and most insightful people that I know — my close friend of many years, John Gizzi. "Giz" is the political editor of HE, and is renowned for being a walking storehouse of information about all things political around the country. His ability to remember even the most minor pieces of local political gossip is legendary. He and his bride, Colleen, are terrific… Read More

When you stand opposite your opponent and put a spear in the ground you are declaring that this is your territory and if they plan on taking it, they are going to have a fight on their hands. We can accomplish this by doing absolutely nothing on the infrastructure bond deadline tomorrow.

Yes, I want the Republican Assembly caucus to do nothing.

Let’s recap, shall we? Republicans are depressed. Really depressed. The President is the second biggest spender in American history behind LBJ. In a post 911 world we allow porous borders and are paralyzed on immigration even armed with the knowledge of over 155,000 border crossings last year by non latino "immigrants". Ports are being handed over to the cousins of terrorists. Despite controlling both houses of Congress, we don’t have the votes to make the tax rate cuts permanent or get rid of the death tax.

In California, our Governor is wounded. His poll numbers have rebounded in the absence of $25 million a week on TV with nurses, teachers, firefighters, cops and prison guards telling us how bad he is, so the rebound is… Read More

The single most important decision that the legislature will make this year is whether to put a massive infrastructure borrowing plan in front of California voters this year. There is a lot of pressure mounting in the Capitol right now as Secretary of State McPherson has said that the deadline for the legislature to place an item on the June ballot is tomorrow (although many have said there is a week of ‘cushion’ in there).

Everyone in the capitol, the Governor, the Democrat Leadership, the Republican Leadership, all agree on the need for infrastructure investment. However, HOW THIS IS DONE IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.

When FR contributor Barry Jantz and I met with two Deputy Chiefs of Staff to the Governor in the hours leading up to the State of the State Address in January, a few key points were stressed to us: the Governor would insist that needed reforms (such as revamping the CEQA process) would be in this package, that there would be a 6% hard borrowing cap in the package, and that the Governor was committed to making sure that this bond measure did not get ‘loaded up’ with spending that wasn’t for basic… Read More

The single most important decision that the legislature will make this year is whether to put a massive infrastructure borrowing plan in front of California voters this year. There is a lot of pressure mounting in the Capitol right now as Secretary of State McPherson has said that the deadline for the legislature to place an item on the June ballot is tomorrow (although many have said there is a week of ‘cushion’ in there).

Everyone in the capitol, the Governor, the Democrat Leadership, the Republican Leadership, all agree on the need for infrastructure investment. However, HOW THIS IS DONE IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.

When FR contributor Barry Jantz and I met with two Deputy Chiefs of Staff to the Governor in the hours leading up to the State of the State Address in January, a few key points were stressed to us: the Governor would insist that needed reforms (such as revamping the CEQA process) would be in this package, that there would be a 6% hard borrowing cap in the package, and that the Governor was committed to making sure that this bond measure did not get ‘loaded up’ with spending that wasn’t for basic… Read More

In the openLa Suer 77th seat that is expected to be (ok, will be) a donnybrook of a race,but up ’til now has been relatively quiet while fairly even in fundraising,Joel Anderson got some attention last weekend on immigration issues.

Chris Simcox, co-founder of the Minutemen project, flew in from Arizona to show his support for Anderson at a campaign kickoff in Santee attended by nearly 150. Simcox, reviled by illegal immigration apologists yet whose endorsement iscoveted bymost any conservative, especially in a border district like the 77th, generatedTV coverage for Andersononboth KUSI andFox 6 Sunday nite.

"When it comes to public safety for the state of California, securing the border should be job number one. That means we need some leadership in the state capitol, and that’s why we are looking for good people like Joel," Simcox said.

In return, Anderson called Simcox a"great American Patriot," saying "There are so few people that are willing to take on this fight to secure our border and I am privileged and proud to have him… Read More

Pierre Prosper has dropped out of the race for Attorney general. this will save Pooch needed funds. Pierre did do a good job getting around to GOP groups and made a positive impression on most. Here is my post about my lunch with him. The money wasn’t there for him to make it work.

Here is the release

(LOS ANGELES) Former Ambassador at Large Pierre-Richard Prosper, candidate for Attorney General of California in 2006, released the following statement today:

“After much deliberation, and with thoughtful counsel from friends and supporters, I have decided to withdraw from seeking the Republican nomination for California Attorney General and therefore will not file on March 10, 2006 to be on the June primary ballot. This was a very difficult decision in light of the mounting support… Read More

While I often (or at least sometimes) agree with Fleischman’s posts, I’m going to have to take issue with the last one on former Congressman Brian Bilbray. Sometimes the Orange Curtain is pretty thick. First: disclosure on the table. I work for Bilbray. He was also MY Congressman for years when I lived in the City of San Diego. These comments are from my second role, rather than my first.

Congressman Bilbray was a consistent voice – often a voice in the wilderness – against illegal immigration throughout the 1990’s. Note that Bilbray represented a Democrat seat when he was defeated in the 2000 bloodbath. His ongoing crusade was not always an easy one.

After the 2000 elections Bilbray did not stop talking about illegal immigration. On the contrary, if any thing he upped the ante. He not only became a consultant and legislative advocate for the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), he served on their Board of Advisors and helped them craft their national policy agenda. There is a reason the National Border Patrol Council (10,000 Border agents) choose to endorse Bilbray in the 50th district – his credentials… Read More