Earlier this afternoon, at a meeting of the incoming Assembly Republicans (which is to say retiring "seniors" were not there, and incoming but-not-yet-sworn-in freshman were) — a change in leadership took place. Assembly Republicans elected Connie Conway of the Central Valley as their new leader. Conway was just re-elected to her second term on Tuesday.

It is not unusual to see a change in legislative leadership when seats (or in this case a seat) are lost in an election. Garrick will have been one of the shorter-tenured leaders, having been elected to his post earlier in the year.

Conway made an attempt to displace Garrick during the state budget drill, which was not successful. Subsequently Garrick released her ("you’re fired!") from her role as Caucus Chairman. While we don’t know who the new Caucus Chairman will be, it’s a safe bet it won’t be Garrick…

Senate Republican Leader Bob Dutton is secure in his… Read More

Gone are the old days when candidates and political onlookers alike went to bed on election night with final election results. On the contrary, unless a candidate has racked up a substantial lead by evening’s day end, it will be days (or maybe even weeks) before final results are known. This played itself out in the primary for Assemblyman Mike Villines who ultimately won the GOP primary for State Insurance Commissioner but didn’t know that for literally weeks after election day had passed. Now it is Steve Cooley and Kamala Harris’ turn to wait it out as the slow process of waiting for all of the ballots to be counted continues to take place.

Locally here in Orange County where I live, Neil Kelly, our Registrar of Voters, said that some 30% of the total votes to be counted in the general election were still being processed. I live in a small town in South Orange County called Rancho Santa Margarita. In our local city council races, the differential between several candidates is so small (less than a hundred votes) that the outcome is completely up in the air — with over 4,300 ballots yet to be… Read More

The Fresno County Clerk’s Office needs to be investigated. Victor Salazar, who ran unopposed this year, has made a mess out of the entire voting and ballot counting process. The Fresno Bee has an opinion piece on the mess here, and you can read this news story here.

Like most government officials, they blame their incompetence on lack of funding. But that is not going to change anytime soon, and they knew about budget cuts 6 months ago. The real problem is a complete lack of creativity, entrepreneurial thinking, and planning for right sizing government. We have all had to do this in our business lives, but the Fresno County Clerk evidently doesn’t have the capacity to operate without unlimited funding.

Salazar had 6 months to create a volunteer brigade, engage students, lower the poll worker stipend, and communicate the polling place consolidation plan to the community, and he didn’t do it. Now, given the problems, we can’t… Read More

From today’s Wall Street Journal Political Diary E-mail… … Read More

As California Republicans sift through the ashes post-election day, we can look to the good that did result and some of the indicators of why the public may have voted how they did. Yep, we as Republicans sure lost all nine statewide elections though there is some hope for Attorney General, being only 9000 votes behind right now.

In D.C. picking up the gavel with 61 or so in the House is the single most important accomplishment for the next 2 years for the country. Republicans moving from 41 to 47 in the US Senate certainly will give strength to stopping bad Obama/Dem policies. Though the lost opportunities in Colorado and Washington among others are very disappointing, we did gain in places like Illinois’s Obama seat and the Wisconsin/Feingold seat.

Backhere inthe Golden state, we can see pickups in 2 Congressional seats if the votes to be counted in 2 valley seats swing our way.We did well in the State Senatewith Anthony Cannellaholding the 12th seat [of Jeff Denham’s], a seat with a 19% or so Democrat advantage.Cannella is a great guy who will be one of my favorites… Read More

Republicans were returned to the majority in the House yesterday with the largest change in House seats since 1948. We picked up 6 seats in the Senate, 19 state legislatures, and many governorships across the country. And, it’s all thanks to you, the voting public, who would not go quietly into submission to ever larger, more oppressive government and ever reducing hope and aspirations. You sent a message last night, and it was a resounding one.

Thank you for your trust, support and confidence. I am honored and truly humbled by it.

But, now the real work begins. This election was much more a rejection of the policies of Obama and Pelosi than it was approval of what Republicans have done. We have much to prove in the next 2 years.

As a Californian, my elation over the national results is tempered by the establishment of a state government here that is likely to be a disaster. It strikes me that Barbara Boxer and others campaigned on the threat of losing jobs to China and other foreign countries. California’s more immediate danger will be losing jobs and productive people to Texas and Tennessee.

The election is over. There will be time… Read More

I asked throughout the nite for folks to weigh in. Some samplings…

10:21 am Wednesday…from Bryan Bloom, Priority Moving…

"Californian’s are best known for riding waves except political ones. We are the only state that allows the Democrats complete control of the government, even after they have proven they cannot effectively govern. "We have earned our reputation again as kooks, as voters turned down virtually every proposition to increase taxes or government spending yet voted in leaders at every level known for increasing taxes or government spending. Thus my neighbor doesn’t want his taxes increased, just mine. Get ready for more gridlock, more exodus from the state of jobs and wealth, and brace for increased wasteful spending and higher taxes and unemployment."____

10 am Wednesday…See Steve Baldwin’s SD Rostra post on the Tea Party and Nick Popaditch…

No tidal… Read More

In the world outside of California, the GOP: Six new U.S. Senators, Sixty new U.S. House Members – and control of the House of Representatives, at least ten new Governors, and picked up 10 new state legislative chambers. Wow, what a GREAT night for the GOP – everywhere else. Here in California, the GOP: Lost the Governorship (if you feel we had it), lost every statewide election (except maybe one), may have picked up two (or maybe zero, they’re that close) House seats, appear to have stayed even in the State Senate, lost a seat in the Assembly. California voters spoke loud and clear about tax increases, rejecting Prop. 21, Prop. 24 and Measure D in San Diego. Be careful what you ask for: With the passage of Prop. 25 and Prop. 26, it appears that Democrats will be able to draw up their own spending plans for California, but will need GOP votes for any tax OR fee increases. Have fun! Especially with the state budget implications of the passage of Prop. 22… While Governor races and state legislative chamber holds and switches are being talked about by pundits this morning … Read More