Since Rep. Bob Dornan lost to Loretta Sanchez in 1996, Orange County Republicans have searched for a credible candidate to beat Sanchez.

Local Republicans have over the years fronted a list of misfits, retreads and drop-outs who have amounted to nothing. But under the leadership of Republican Party Chairman Scott Baugh, the 47th Congressional District which includs Santa Ana has become competative again fot the GOP (Democrats now outnumber GOP voters by only about 3%).

So 2006 could be a year where the GOP wins or at least make a credible showing. That is if they find a candidate. Enter Rosie Availa, Santa Ana School Board Member. Rosie is a nice lady and principled conservative. But she has little ability to raise money. Tan Nguyen is the other guy in the race. He is best known for running as a DEMOCRAT against Congressman Dana Rohrabacher in 2004. He lost in the Democrat Primary.

Nguyen has all the right answers now. He says the… Read More

The speech that I want to hear from Governor Schwarzenegger tonight at the GOP convention would have as its central theme a return to fiscal conservatism. It would include an emphasis on infrastructure, with a public adoption of the proposal introduced by EVERY Assembly Republican to finance infrastructure by paying-as-we-go instead of through massive borrowing. The speech would go on to talk about the need to have pension reform, and the importance of finishing what the Governor started, by putting and end to deficit spending in Sacramento. Other highlights of the speech would include his decision to replace Rob Reiner as Chairman of California’s ‘Tobacco Tax Spending Committee’ with attorney Hugh Hewitt, the unveiling of a new Republican Chief of Staff (I’m okay with anyone at this point who is registered as a Republican), a commitment to find and appoint qualified Republican judges to the bench, and an embrace of a statewide measure to fight eminent domain… Read More

The speech that I want to hear from Governor Schwarzenegger tonight at the GOP convention would have as its central theme a return to fiscal conservatism. It would include an emphasis on infrastructure, with a public adoption of the proposal introduced by EVERY Assembly Republican to finance infrastructure by paying-as-we-go instead of through massive borrowing. The speech would go on to talk about the need to have pension reform, and the importance of finishing what the Governor started, by putting and end to deficit spending in Sacramento. Other highlights of the speech would include his decision to replace Rob Reiner as Chairman of California’s ‘Tobacco Tax Spending Committee’ with attorney Hugh Hewitt, the unveiling of a new Republican Chief of Staff (I’m okay with anyone at this point who is registered as a Republican), a commitment to find and appoint qualified Republican judges to the bench, and an embrace of a statewide measure to fight eminent domain… Read More

Over at the SFChron Political Blog, writer Greg Lucas pens a short piece today on Gubernatorial Spokesperson Julie Soderland being named as Press Secretary for the Governor’s re-election campaign.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s press secretary for his re-elect campaign will be Julie Soderlund, a focused and driven mainstay in his gubernatorial press office.

You can read the rest, including why Julie’s nickname is "thumbs" here.

Since Julie used to… Read More

The Little Hoover Commission was created in 1962, and is technically called the "Commission on California State Government Organization and Economy" — it is primary looked at as a quasi-independent body that reviews the actions of state government. It has a staff that conducts audits, studies and the like. Most recently, the Little Hoover Commission played a role in reviewing the Governor’s proposed reorganization of state government last year, recommending its approval before the Democrat-controlled legislature declared the re-org dead on arrival (after the commission gave its recommendation, then it went on to the legislature).

I call the Commission "quasi-independent" because most of its membership is appointed by the Governor or the legislative leaders in the Senate and the Assembly. However, the commission does has strict rules to make sure that no single political party dominates its membership.

There is no doubt that out of the hundreds of state… Read More

I was saddened to read on my new friend Bill Bradley’s New West Notes blog that our Republican Governor’s Chief of Staff, Democrat Susan Kennedy, would not be coming with the Governor to the GOP Convention!

The Governor has been taking her along as he has gone to smaller meetings with GOP donors. I had a chance (h/t to FR friend Richard Costigan) to meet Ms. Kennedy briefly following the State of the State Address last year. I found her to be quite charming and funny.

I actually think that it would be a good idea for her to come to the convention tonight. Actually, there are a few good reasons. Enough so that I thought I would give you my list of top reasons:

#10: Delegates would be fascinated, I’m sure, to hear about what it was like to try and defend Gray Davis in the recall – she could give a speech on… Read More

I don’t usually reprint press releases (read: propaganda) verbatim – but since I am scrambling to catch a flight to San Jose, and this release from Van Tran just arrived, I thought I should share the first paragraph since I earlier in the week posted that Lynn Daucher had pulled her nomination papers, but that Tran had not. Looks like we are off to the races.

For those far from Orange County, this is in the race for the GOP nomination for State Senate in the 34th district, where the forced retirement of Democrat Joe Dunn has left a competitive seat, since the GOP has tirelessly registered a ton of new GOPers in this once-safe Dem district.

OK, the blurb:

Popular Orange County Assemblyman Van Tran officially pulled candidate papers today for the open 34th Senate District, while his campaign finance team announced that $250,000 has already been raised for the effort.… Read More

Lately, one of the subjects of water-cooler conversations has been whether or not Congressman Bill Thomas (R-Bakersfield) will seek another term in the House of Representatives. Thomas has been in the house for decades, and it is often talked about that he is ready to retire. That having been said, it is also frequently talked about that he is persuing a way to continue to have as much say in the next session of Congress, given that the House rules prohibit the moderate GOPer from California from serving beyond this, his third term as Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

Thomas is a controversial character, who has ruffled a lot of feathers and is disliked by many. That said, he has been in Congress for a long time, and often times it is seniority, not popularity, that decided your fate. Now, though, Thomas may be at a crossroads where he will need friends, and that is not his long suit. On the other hand, he recently chose wisely on the race for House Majority Leader, weighing in at the end, quite publicly, for John Boehner.

So, will he stay or will he go? I don’t know. But here is a recent… Read More