Former GOP Assemblyman Steve Samuelian was back in the news today, although I think unfairly so. Those of you who follow State politics know that Samuelian was a long time GOP political operative, District Director for Congressman Radanovich, and then served one term in the Assembly before electing to not run for re-election. I will not go into the issues which led to Samuelian’s decision to not seek re-election. They are widely known and if you don’t know do a Google search and learn for yourself. Although he was one of my very good friends and political allies for several years, I have not seen or spoken to him for almost three years.

Since his decision to leave the Assembly he has started a lobbying firm and has been hired by many of the Central Valley’s top companies to represent their interests to State and local government. This isn’t surprising to me. For all of his previous difficulties, he is one of the hardest workers I have ever met, and he deserves a chance to make a living and support his family. The… Read More

I was inspired by Adam Probolsky’s post this morning and did a little comparison of our San Diego legislators. If Chuck DeVore has the time to compile the results, then I can find the time. With no reference to my public school upbringing, thanks to most of the rating organizations for already having figured the percentages.

San Diego shares Mimi Walters and Bill Morrow with The OC, in case you noted them on Adam’s list already. (Denise Ducheny, Ray Haynes and Dennis Hollingsworth have also been sighted in other counties at times.)

If these limited numbers mean anything other than fodder, Haynes scored the highest overall from a conservative standpoint, with Hollingsworth a close second. Although she was a strong contender as a freshman, Lori Saldaña did not quite dethrone Chris Kehoe for liberal dominance in San Diego. And, what’s up with Shirley Horton’s rather high 46% rating from Lambda? Must be the district.

By the way, Orange County has more legislators – and Republicans, for that matter – than does San… Read More

I just came from the morning breakfast meeting of the San Gabriel Valley Chapter of the Los Angeles Lincoln Club. I am a member.

The speakers were founders of the Minutemen Project Chris Simcox and Jim Gilchrist.

This is big news for two reasons.

1. Jim Gilchrist is a candidates for Congress in Orange County’s 48th Congressional District. The election is in a couple weeksand willdecide the successor to Chris Cox. And oh yes Gilchrist isn’t a Republican!!! Yikes, he is an American Independent Party member. The San Gabriel Valley Lincoln Club Chapter head honcho, the esteemed Dr. Barbara Stone made it clear that she supported John Campbell (She claims to have known him since he was in diapers—- but that is a different story.) and that Gilchrist was going to lose as most third party candidates do.

Gilchristsays he is a Reagan Republican and a better Republican than Campbell.

2. Traditionally, the Lincoln Club is the center of more moneyed folks in the Republican Party. To have two founders of a group that Bush called "vigilantes" at such a meeting is a recognition that illegal immigration is still… Read More

So Carly Fiorina wants to be Lieutenant Governor. Or more accurately, somebody wants the former CEO of Hewlett-Packard to be LG. Whether that person is someone who knows Fiorina, advises Fiorina, or is Fiorina is unknown. But since we like unsubstantiated gossip just as much as any group of self-respecting political bloggers, let’s think this through.

First of all, she’d be running against Senator Tom McClintock, who is almost certainly the most respected conservative officeholder in California. It’s hard to imagine the amount of money it would take Fiorina to win a closed primary. In fact, that sum probably does not exist. So she’d lose and tear the party into pieces in the process. Since nobody actually ever wants to be LG unless it’s a stepping stone to another office, this wouldn’t be the best way for Fiorina to begin her political career.

But Fiorina also represents exactly the type of candidate Republicans need to recruit and run to become a majority on California. She’s smart, she’s tough, she’s articulate, and she brings a solid set of private sector and communit service credentials to… Read More

PACIFIC LEGAL FOUNDATION VICTORY Congratulations to attorney Harold Johnson and the other friends of the FR at the Pacific Legal Foundation. Yesterday a judge ruled in their favor in a lawsuit filed to stop the State of California from, in essence, borrowing $550,000(ish) by deferring required pension payment obligations. The judge ruled this borrowing unconstitutional do to a very strict cap in the State Constutition on how much the state can borrow without approval from the electorate. It’s GREAT that we have an orgaization like PLF out there looking out for the rights and packetbooks of taxpayers! You can read three articles on this court ruling on the FR main page, and read the PLF release here.

MEATHEAD’S LATEST SOCIALISTIC PLAN… Read More

Here is how Orange County’s legislators stack up as rated by the various Sacramento interests groups. A special thanks to Chuck DeVore for compiling these results and for being a conservative superstar. Mimi, way to go!

California Chamber of Commerce Ratings – this is a basic measure of how pro-business a lawmaker is, defined here as against higher taxes and more regulations. A higher percentage should be considered an indication of votes for free-enterprise.

State Assembly R- Bob Huff: 100% R- Chuck DeVore: 100% R- Mimi Walters: 100% R- Lynn Daucher: 92% R- Todd Spitzer: 92% R- Van Tran: 92% R- Tom Harman: 91% D- Tom Umberg: 33% D- Rudy Bermudez: 17%… Read More

I attended an event for 5th District Board of Equalization candidate Michelle Steel this evening at Fats in the Little Italy district of downtown San Diego (that’s right, its down here too). The room was packed, and it looked like paying customers who were doubling down. Frankly, I thought that a BOE finance event would be a little more like a morgue, filled with staff looking for free shrimp, than what I found. It also sounded like she had a very aggressive finance schedule, which would not surprise me given the energy level and total commitment of her husband Shawn. I had never heard Michelle speak before, and I was impressed with her humor, poise, and grasp of political realities.

Perhaps more important – and this may have already been noted in the blog – I learned that Supervisor and San Bernardino County GOP Chairman Bill Postmus had endorsed Steel a couple weeks ago. Meaning: Postmus delivers, in spades, votes and campaign contributions. He’s on the short list of Southern California endorsements that actually matter.… Read More

Pat Bates (candidate for OC Supervisor v. Cassie DeYoung) is showing real leadership on the issue that matters most to 5th District voters–traffic. She doesn’t out-of-hand reject any alternative proposal. She is a real problem solver and not at all reactionary.

Click HERE to see Pat’s Perspectives on traffic.

I have still not seen any endorsements out of the DeYoung campaign…

Bates has a long list.… Read More