My blogging yesterday was light as I was down in San Diego County hanging out with U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio (R-Florida) and another buddy of mine, David Rivera, who is a leading candidate for an open U.S. House seat in South Florida.

Today’s blogging will also be light as I am off to Sacramento today. Former Senate (and Assembly) Republican Leader Jim Brulte, along with the current Senate and Assembly Republican Leaders, are hosting a two-day event for all of the GOP nominees for State Senate and State Assembly. Brulte asked me to participate as part of the program for that event this afternoon. (Hey, my flight lands in Sacramento at noon — I offer credit in the FR for any FR friend who wants to give me a lift to the Hyatt!).

By way of brief commentary, it will be funbto watch the final numbers gel in the Republican primary for Insurance Commissioner. Former Assembly Republican Leader (and Kennedy Library Honoree) Mike Villines is literally neck-and-neck with DOI Enforcement Attorney Brian FitzGerald, the latter having spend only a few thousand dollars on his campaign. Clearly the big factors… Read More

In a joint conference call for the press, Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele and California Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring unveiled the RNC’s Victory 2010 operation for California. Chairman Nehring made a point of emphasizing the unprecedented partnership between the CRP and the RNC and the enthusiasm Republicans are already showing as the general campaign season begins in earnest.

Since February of 2009 the RNC has played a role in more than 30 successful races across the country, including statewide victories in Virginia, New Jersey and Massachusetts. The Republican National Committee is laying the groundwork to compete aggressively not only in California, but in all fifty states for victory in November.

The RNC announced that it will be supporting the CRP’s statewide efforts with the necessary funding and resources to help effectively communicate the stark contrasts between the Republican and Democrat candidates seeking office. This means the RNC will provide them with… Read More

It’s been one week since Meg Whitman soundly defeated Steve Poizner in the Republican gubernatorial race. Tonight Poizner sent an email message to his supporters thanking them for their work on behalf of his campaign (posted below). But most notable in the email was the lack of conciliation. Still harping on the fact he was outspent “four-to-one”, Poizner goes on to intimate that Republicans sold out their principles by voting for Whitman—a “hollow victory.” John Myers, the Sacramento Bureau Chief and Political Reporter for KQED Public Radio, even tweeted about the “defiant” missive from Poizner. It’s understandable that Poizner would still hold some resentment considering the bruising nature of the governor race, which was particularly tense in the closing month. But at some point Republicans need to unify behind their candidate to beat the … Read More

It’s quickly becoming clear that Jerry Brown is seriously not ready for prime-time. Just since the primary, we have two examples — one last week with his spontaneous comment to a reporter (while jogging) comparing Meg Whitman to Joseph Goebels, Adolph Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda (to this Jewish blogger, that reads: massive Holocaust spin-master — I have noticed that Brown has not elaborated on what exactly it is that Whitman is spinning that is on par with what Goebbels was doing).

But today we have not ready for prime-time comment number two, again in a question from a reporter about government spending… At an event in the Silcon Valley, Brown responded to a question, and I quote: “That goes to the whole issue. How do you do things without the money? It’s very difficult but I have a plan. I’ll tell you after the election.”

I have a plan and I’ll tell you after you elect me? Check out th video (courtesy of Team Whitman)… … Read More

Longtime FR friend Scott Carpenter, who was just elected to the Orange County Republican Party Central Committee last week, attended the OC GOP’s annual Flag Day Fundraising Dinner. This year’s special guest was Marco Rubio, the GOP candidate for United States Senate in Florida. We asked Carpenter if he would pen something on the event for FR readers. Please take a few minutes and read this great account of what was a wonderful evening…

Marco Rubio Shines At Annual OC GOP Flag Day Dinner by Scott Carpenter

Last night marked another successful Flag Day Dinner hosted by the Republican Party of Orange County. The annual event has become one of the marquee political events in California, if not the entire nation, and last night’s occasion lived up to its billing.

**There is more – click the link**… Read More

Longtime FR friend Scott Carpenter, who was just elected to the Orange County Republican Party Central Committee last week, attended the OC GOP’s annual Flag Day Fundraising Dinner. This year’s special guest was Marco Rubio, the GOP candidate for United States Senate in Florida. We asked Carpenter if he would pen something on the event for FR readers. Please take a few minutes and read this great account of what was a wonderful evening… Marco Rubio Shines At Annual OC GOP Flag Day Dinner by Scott Carpenter Last night marked another successful Flag Day Dinner hosted by the Republican Party of Orange County. The annual event has become one of the marquee political events in California, if not the entire nation, and last night’s occasion lived up to its billing. … Read More

Just took a lengthy poll from the Yes on Proposition 33 campaign (yeah they asked if I worked in politics and I said no… but in exchange I offer that I hadn’t ever heard of the proposition, and I answered honestly). The gist of it was whether or not I would support a series of backwards tax increases on businesses. The pro-side argument was that they were “out of state” businesses that were basically screwing me by getting tax breaks when my taxes were increased, the anti side that it might hurt small business and the recovery (recovery? what recovery?). I’m an attorney and I found the poll as a whole very confusing in terms of technical jargon… long winded technical jargon. There has to be a easier series of questions to determine whether a person is prejudiced for or against big business and what would get them to move one way or the other. Also, they tested a series of organizations that sounded like sham organizations — ie organizations set up as shills by a pr firm. On the positive side I loved the last question “regardless of how you are going to vote which of these arguments makes you want to vote yes” (paraphrased).… Read More

California’s Republican Party looks good. Of course, it never really matters how it looks, just what it does, but it does look good. Three women, one African American, one Hispanic, and a couple of white guys. We couldn’t have done better if we had set quotas. In addition, at a time when Democrats appear to be in a full melt down nationally, a new and interesting Republican Party is necessary.

One of the biggest problems of the 1994 election was that Republicans didn’t win that election, Democrats lost. Republicans didn’t have a mandate, and they took no action to convince voters that what they wanted for California was what was best for people. In defense of the Republicans at that time, they spend a year fighting to get a governing majority, but still in many ways the Republicans started acting like a bunch of kids in a candy store. They didn’t think about building a long term majority in California, they just thought about indulging all of their pent up desires for legislation. It was a heady time, for sure, but Republicans did not exercise much self control.

2010 could be another 1994. Based on the primary… Read More