After escaping Obama-ville (Denver) on Wednesday, I’m now in Minneapolis for pre-RNC meetings. This morning I was with some national conservative leaders when news broke of Governor Palin’s selection as John McCain’s running mate. The feeling in the room was electric. A few of the pro-life leaders in the room began jumping up and down they were so excited.

There was a lot of trepidation about other potential VP candidates as anticipation grew this week, but with Governor Palin, conservatives are finally on board and fired-up about their presidential ticket. The mood in the room was a mix of surprise, relief, excitement and confidence that we can really win this election. As a conservative woman, I’ve always believed that it would be sad for someone like Hillary Clinton to be the first female to reach the White House. So as a conservative woman, it’s thrilling that our party—and especially conservatism—will make history with Vice President Sarah Palin. Thank you, Senator McCain, for making a bold choice with your running mate; I believe it’s a winning decision.

For the grassroots, the energy of this campaign started to shift during the Saddleback… Read More

SB 840, the government run health care plan just passed 44-31 on the 2nd ballot.… Read More

A motion to hear a bill for a ‘continuing resolution’ to keep paying bills due to Californians was just defeated on our floor. It was another party line vote.Therefore, vendors, clinics, employess of the state that could’ve been temporarily paid in full, asthey are owed, are denied that opportunity of even hearingthe bill to pay them until the budget itself [60 days late] is resolved.… Read More

Just try to wipe the smile off my face tonight! What a day it was in Minneapolis! This morning in the midst of the Rules Committee meeting, the esteemed Chairman of Georgia announced Senator McCain’s VP choice, and the room erupted in a spontaneous standing ovation and cheers. When it was time for the press conference, we recessed and watched the news together…one man and one woman from every state and U.S. territory…the chemistry in the room was reflected in our new GOP Presidential ticket, and the excitement was absolutely delicious! We clapped until our hands were numb, smiled until it hurt, and cheered with reckless abandon. We all felt that we were witnessing something truly great and historic. The McCain Mojo is alive and well in Minneapolis!!!

I must also report that my fellow California delegate to the Rules Committee, Bob Laurie, co-authored a very important amendment today that will enfranchise active duty military members in the primary and delegate selection process in our Party. It was… Read More

SB 60 justed passed with a bare 41 votes, allowing drviers license/ID’s for illegal immigrants as part of the federal "Real ID Act".… Read More

Here’s some comments from a few Riverside political leaders on this great choice:

"The selection of Governor Sarah Palin as running mate once again demonstrates that Sen. John McCain is the one person who will bring real change to Washington. Gov. Palin is an independent woman who has proven that she has what it takes to stand up to special interests and work for the interests of the people she represents. As Governor of Alaska, she has brought energy, compassion, and toughness to the job, qualities that will serve our nation well. Sarah Palin is a strong choice by Sen. McCain, and together, they will be a great team for the American people." Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack

“Gov. Palin is a courageous and experienced reformer who will be a great leader in the McCain administration on the economy, spending, government reform and energy independence.” Congressman Ken Calvert

"Govenor Palin is an inspired choice. She’s a wildly popular govenor that took on a corrupt system and cleaned their clock. A woman who is a successful chief executive, pro-life mother… Read More

UPDATE 5:03pm – Based on some e-mail traffic, it would appear that I need to be more specific on what I was told on this. Besides what I said below, Morgan conveyed that this idea is not one that has been floated by Assembly Republicans, and that, to be clear, Republicans would not put up votes on a budget (that requires a two-thirds vote) if the Democrats separately pass this scheme (which they can do by a majority vote if they wanted).

Sometimes there are complex policy issues that come up that are difficult to distill in a blog-length post. But I am going to try to explain. But let me place the conclusion first, and the details afterward. Basically, there is some talk in the Capitol that there is a way to raise local sales taxes by .25 percent by just a majority vote (I’ll explain below), and that doing so would bring in $1.4 billion in new tax revenue. Some of the “chatter” was that this proposal might get “sign off” from Republicans in a budget deal.

Not true. I spoke with Morgan Crinklaw, Communications Director for Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines, who checked with his boss, and… Read More

Today, Senator John McCain has chosen a Governor, a fellow maverick, a mother, and the first woman to ever be a part of the Republican presidential ticket. After watching Senator Barack Obama last week make what I thought was a weak, defensive and underwhelming choice of Senator Biden as his running mate, I am thrilled that McCain used this opportunity to seek out someone who can turn the election on its head.

Governor Sarah Palin has chief executive experience – something frankly no one else on the ticket on either side can boast, but is greatly needed in the White House. And I know there will be lots of talk about experience during this election cycle, especially with Obama’s lack of it. But with Sarah Palin, she brings another kind of experience that is found nowhere else on the ticket. She is a mother of five. As a new mother of one, I am blown away by her resiliency and her efforts at doing it all.

Also intriguing is the perspective she might bring as a union member, the mother of a serviceman who is headed to Iraq, a former member of the PTA, and the mother a special needs child.

In addition, her appeal in the west… Read More