I am struggling to try and praise Governor Schwarzenegger for his apparent decision to call a special election this summer to fill the vacant Senate Seat of Abel Maldonado, as opposed to consolidating that election with the general election in November (he has the latitude to due either). But I prepared to do just that, but let me start first by "setting the table" appropriately.

First and foremost, I really can’t think of anyone worse who is a registered Republican whom Governor Schwarzenegger could have tapped to be Lt. Governor. The Governor may not see it that way since a lot of the reasons why I have issues with Maldonado also apply to the Governor — most notably there is a special place reserved in you-know-where for Republicans who campaign and get elected (or re-elected) on solid GOP principles like limited government, opposition to higher taxes, and promotion of individual freedom and liberty — and proceed to then use their offices to do the opposite — expand government, raise taxes, and make policy decisions that erode individual freedom and liberty. That is what we got with Abel Maldonado — so a special "no… Read More

This just in from FR friend and candidate for Attorney General John Eastman on the recent controversy surrounding the decision by the State of Arizona to deal with their massive criminal alien problem in that state…

Many of you have been following the race here in the Central Valley to succeed retiring member of Congress George Radanovich,in California’s 19th Congressional District There are four candidates in this primary, and until now, I have been undecided about who to support. I like and respect each of the men running, and at different times have supported each of them for public office.

In sizing up the race, I would say we have the "anointed" candidate, the "farmer" candidate, the "unlikely" candidate, and the "grassroots" candidate. Let me explain as follows:

State Senator Jeff Denham was asked by George Radanovich to run to succeed him. The Central Valley’s Westside farmers and Congressman Devin Nunes jumped early on former Congressman Richard Pombo’s bandwagon, City Council Member Larry Westerlund shocked everyone by getting into this race as an unknown outsider, and former Fresno Mayor Jim Patterson… Read More

Many of you have been following the race here in the Central Valley to succeed retiring member of Congress George Radanovich,in California’s 19th Congressional District There are four candidates in this primary, and until now, I have been undecided about who to support. I like and respect each of the men running, and at different times have supported each of them for public office.

In sizing up the race, I would say we have the "annointed" candidate, the "farmer" candidate, the "unlikely" candidate, and the "grassroots" candidate. Let me explain as follows:

State Senator Jeff Denham was asked by George Radanovich to run to succeed him. The Central Valley’s Westside farmers and Congressman Devin Nunes jumped early on former Congressman Richard Pombo’s bandwagon, City Council Member Larry Westerlund shocked everyone by getting into this race as an unknown outsider, and former Fresno Mayor Jim Patterson… Read More

Statement of Jon Fleischman on the confirmation of Abel Maldonado to be California’s next Lieutenant Governor:

"The Republican Party in America and in here in California has been suffering greatly because of politicians like Abel Maldonado who campaign for office pledging to shrink the size and scope of government, and to oppose new taxes — but who then abuse their office of public trust by doing just the opposite.

The greater the prominence of Abel Maldonado, the more difficult the task of Republicans is in regaining a majority. The path to a Republican majority is not through embracing the policies of the Democrats.

The message sent to the public by his confirmation is that if you are a Republican who is willing to put special interests over the interests of taxpayers, you can, indeed, go far in Sacramento.

I will close by saying, as an officer of the California Republican Party, that Maldonado’s confirmation is especially disappointing since Maldonado is the author of Proposition 14, the purpose of which is to drive political parties, including his own, out of business." … Read More

The California College Republicans held their yearly convention this past weekend in Los Angeles. With just over 300 in attendance, it was one of the biggest such gatherings in years. Michael Antonopoulos, the current Chairman of the CCRs, was unanimously elected to a second term.… Read More

The Poizner for Governor campaign just released this memo from former Senate Republican Leader Jim Brulte:

TO: Supporters FROM: Jim Brulte, Poizner Campaign Chair RE: Poizner Closing The Gap On Whitman DATE: April 23, 2010

*You Heard It Here First*

We are in the final stretch of the campaign and the polls are showing exactly what our campaign predicted.

We have said all along that as the voters begin to focus on the two candidates for Governor, the mile-wide and inch-deep support for Meg Whitman will begin to collapse and support for Conservative Republican Steve Poizner will begin to grow.

That is exactly what we see happening.You will recall the Whitman campaign recently touting public polls that showed Meg with a 49 point lead over Steve Poizner, but they have remained uncharacteristically silent about the recent SurveyUSA poll which shows that her lead has been slashed by more than 50%.

*The latest Survey*

USA public poll shows Meg Whitman's lead down to 22 points, while other private polls conducted throughout California show the race even closer.In reacting to the most recent Capitol Weekly poll, conducted… Read More

Steve Poizner has launched a new ad in his campaign for the GOP nomination for Governor. The ad is below and is part of a major statewide media buy. Below it is a link to the Whitman campaign’s "response" to the ad.

Whitman’s campaign responds here.… Read More