Two of the leading candidates to replace retiring Rep. Duke Cunningham recently visited Washingtonto build support for their campaigns.

Assemblyman Mark Wyland and Senator Bill Morrow spent a few days meeting with groups possibly interested in playing in the competitive GOP primary in safely Republican North County San Diego. Both are experienced and well-liked conservative legislators. Should Wyland decide to pass on the congressional seat, he could probably moonwalk (and he’s a very talented moonwalker) into Morrow’s senate seat with Morrow’s support.

Morrow, who ran in the GOP primary against Rep. Darrell Issa when Rep. Ron Packard retired in 2000, has regularly visited Washington in the time since that race and has built good relationships with PACs that supported him in 2000. That will mean something.

However, Wyland is personally wealthy and the reality for the PAC community is that this seat will be safely Republican no matter who comes out of the primary. That means many PACs… Read More

For better or worse, political dynasties do exist, even here. And while we like to think that at least some modicum of ability is required for political offspring to sustain a tradition (the Kennedys and Bushes come to mind), that clearly isn’t always the case. You can still find incompetence in government — from big cities to burgs and backwaters — born of apathy, cronyism, ignorance, corruption, racial politics, and even simple "name-identification." Such incompetence often results in under-representation of people who desperately need representation.

Welcome to San Bernardino County, home of U.S. Rep. Joe Baca, D-43rd Dist., and Assemblyman Joe Baca Jr., D-62nd Dist. While Congressman Baca is running for a fourth term, Assemblyman Joe Baca Jr. is gearing up to challenge Assemblywoman Gloria Negrete-McLeod for the 32nd State Senate Seat currently held by Nell Soto. Meanwhile, while Soto is planning to run for one more term in the Assembly, replacing McLeod in the 61st A.D., here comes another Baca… Read More

According to a recent fund raising request Assemblywoman Lynn Daucher (R-72) is still running (and raising money for) termed-out Bob Margett’s 29th Senate District Seat.

But the rumor mill suggests otherwise, that she is considering taking on Orange County’s most principled supervisor Chis Norby in ’06.

Orange County has a fairly restrictive campaign finance law, but now-supervisor Lou Correa transferred six-figures from his state account to his bid for sup, so it can be done.

Norby is not only principled, but also a nice guy. His office dishes out none of the standard fifth floor (the sups offices are on the 5th floor of the county hall of admin.) pretense of self importance that others might trend towards.

Norby is more of a man of the people than a lobbyists’ hack. That is perhaps what Daucher, a moderate who would seemingly be more amicable to the gentle prodding of the public affairs crowd, is thinking about most when considering a run.

The 4th District seat has a recent history of turning-out its own, Norby… Read More

So you really want to know what is going on in San Diego?

Regardless of where I am these days I seem to get the same question "What the hell is going on down there in San Diego?" I’m starting to find the question irritating so….

Much of what is happening in San Diego comes down to a story of "campaign finance reform" and it goes a little something like this.

Once upon a time in the 1970’s the leaders in the city of San Diego thought they would do a good deed by giving the city of San Diego one of the strictest campaign finance ordinances in the country. With great booming voices from the sky, they said."there shall be no corporate contributions allowed to candidates running for office in the City of San Diego and all contributions shall be $250 or less. Even independent expenditures shall be made up of contributions of $250 or less."

So, let’s be honest here… It’s true that Republicans should have an easier time raising money in those… Read More

FRESNO MAYOR ALAN AUTRY DOES THE RIGHT THING.

Fresno Police Officers Association President Jacky Parks, purportedly a Republican, is taking Fresno Mayor Alan Autry to task for having the audacity to support Proposition 76, the Live Within Our Means Act, on the ballot next month as part of Governor Arnold’s reform package. As the Bee’s John Ellis reported Saturday, here, Fresno’s public safety unions are threatening to sever ties with the city in ongoing labor relationships if the Mayor continues to support the Governor’s agenda. Frankly, I say let ’em walk out. I am continually disgusted with public safety siding with the idiotic majority in Sacramento. Further, I think its time for Republican legislators to stand up the cops and fireman and push back a little. Over time, Republicans have been THE law and order and public safety Party. We appoint tough judges, stand for strict… Read More

There is a lot of interesting news today. There is always interesting on the blog. But today I am taking a day off of my commentary. Flash… Read More

I am here at the Eagles concert at Staples Center with CRP Vice Chairman (South) Keith Carlson and his better half, Amy. Somewhere around here is OC GOP Chairman Scott Baugh.

So far, the Eagles have been been great, playing all of their great tunes – thus far to include “One of these Nights”, “Witchy Woman”, “Boys of Summer”, “Take it Easy”, “Lyin’ Eyes” and more.

Besides showing off being able to blog from a rock concert – we do need a political tie in – thus we report that, according to Don Henley, Joe Walsh is running for President (again).

Great stuff – I think they are almost done with the “We’re sixty+ and we need a break” break. So we’ll sign off.

Your from Staples Center.

Flash

P.S. Hopefully that will be the LAST commentary from Don Henley.… Read More

THE MAN WHO WROTE A $4 MILLION CHECK TO STOP FAIR DISTRICTS… How did Hollywood Producer Stephen Bing make his money? Well, you might assume that he spent decades working to climb the Hollywood ladder, working as a waiter or a deliver boy as he struggled to learn the craft of producing movies. Alas, poor Stephen made his money the old fashioned way — he inherited it! When his grandfather, Leo Bing, an accomplished New York real estate mogul, passed away, all of the Bings were able to share in the divvying up of his reputed $600 million fortune. He has certainly parleyed that and now, according to Forbes, is personally worth upwards of three-quarters of a billion dollars.

Bing has a history of generosity for liberal causes – he was a key financier for former President Clinton and his schemes. Bing wrote a check for a million bucks to help finance a Democrat National Convention, and he ponied up another cool million to fight a tax repeal… Read More