Today is election day! Have you remembered to vote? I’m going to go vote right after I finish up this commentary.

There is a practice within the main stream media to pretty much stop election coverage in the final couple of days before the election, with some notable exceptions. I think that the idea behind this is that at a certain point, it becomes too late for anyone to contest or disagree with the analysis of a newspaper or a TV station, and that it may just seem a bit unfair to weigh into races in the final days/hours. That said, there are a few stories on the main page worth a read, on individual races. Today we have featured a column from Sacramento Bee ace columnist Dan Weintraub, who pens a piece on what the various ‘hot spots’ are around the state, providing a ‘guide’ to follow election day results. Definitely worth a read. In the "Golden Pen" today is a must-read column from the Wall Street Journal’s Brendan Miniter on the lessons of the Congressional District 50 special election. An excerpt:… Read More

The 2006 Republican Primary in the 65th Assembly District could go down as one of the dirtiest and most expensive primaries ever. In fact, I see it as a virtual case study on what’s wrong with gerrymandering: the major parties beat themselves senseless and broke during primaries and don’t ever face the opposing party to debate what’s best for the state. In this five-way contest, it’s about who’s the most against illegal immigration, and who’s the most against taxes. Then there are the lies, distortions, exaggerations, insults, accusations, character assassination and cheating that help define what a great species human beings really are.

How special this race has been. Anyway, now it’s time to speculate about what the results are going to look like tonight, based on limited information and partial analysis. First, the fundraising totals. San Jacinto Councilman Jim Ayres leads the field, having raised $472,804. Hemet Mayor Robin Lowe took in $395,159. Banning Councilwoman… Read More

In speeches across the region this year I’ve been talking about the misery index in politics this year – but building a head of steam since the 2004 Presidential election. At the heart of the misery is this: Conservatives are miserable over record federal spending, the immigration debacle and the failure of the Congress and President to lead on domestic issues. GOP moderates are miserable because they hated the appointment of two pro life Supreme Court Justices, Democrat moderates are miserable because they have to look at the three stooges – Pelosi, Reid and Dean as the standard bearers of their Party. Democrat liberals are miserable because they HATE, I mean HATE, the President. Peggy Noonan writes more about this phenomenon here. As you see the dismal turnout across the State tomorrow ask yourself this question: who INSPIRES YOU?… Read More

….Lately it occurs to me what a long, strange trip its been.

Like the comments Duaneheard going door to door and reported in his post…I’m pretty fed up with the so called revolutionaries who have moved up to first class. If it wasn’t alreadybad enough, now comes this. Part of me says we need to lose the majority to find ourselves again. But don’t take my word for it, check out what Brenden Miniter said in… Read More

The Orange County Registrar of Voter‘s office used to be a statewide embarrassment. Every Election Night, eager politicos waited for the excruciatingly slow county election bureaucracy to tabulate the results. It wasn‘t unusual to wait until lat at night just to get the first round of absentee voters. It was like the tabulating was being done in "bullet time" — which is cool in The Matrix but not cool when waiting on the outcome of elections.

All that began changing rapidly with the accession of Neal Kelley as first Acting OC Registrar, and now as the permanent OC Registrar of Voters. Kelley is busily bringing his office into the 21st Century.

You can watch ballot boxes bring brought into the OC Registrar‘s on the… Read More

Predictions are always fun the day before the election. Here are mine for a few races that I am following. Theses are NOT my endorsements, just my predictions.

Tony Strickland by 2 points for Controller

Keith Richman by 3 points for Treasurer

Ray Haynes by 3 points Board of Equalization

Steve will beat Phil by 2 points for Democratic nomination. (Never pave over the wetlands and try to be the Democratic Nominee)

Martin Garrick 74th Assembly

Kevin Jeffries 66th Assembly

Brenda Salas 65th Assembly

Brian Bilbray by 4 points. Thank you Mrs. Busby for speaking the Democrat line about illegal voting in public. Bilbray will also win the Primary for the seat in November– Sorry Mr. Editor.

Elton Gallegly by 35 points

Bruce Thompson beats Bill Horn by less then 500 votes for San Diego County Supervisor

Prop. 81 No

Prop. 82 No

… Read More

“What would you do for a Klondike Bar?” You know the jingle. Sing along. “What would you do for a Klondike Bar?”

Perhaps the mere thought of the rich, creamy vanilla ice cream covered in a thin layer of chocolate makes you admit, “Anything! I’ll do whatever it takes for a Klondike Bar.” Mmmmm….. Klondike Bar.

How about this for a jingle, “What would you do to win re-election?” It’s not quite as catchy, but sing along with me regardless. “What would you do to win re-election?” This must be the jingle that Gov. Schwarzenegger had going through his head when he told the Wall Street Journal, “Whatever it takes [to win], I will do.” (WSJ, 6/3/06)

Here’s the quote in context: “Sitting in an overstuffed wicker chair in his ‘smoking tent,’ set in the courtyard of the state capitol, Mr.… Read More

Jim Ledford won’t reveal his donors. No agency has a single copy of his campaign finance report. He claims He has nothing to hide. (Exceptpossibly union money. See here.)

Assemblywoman Runner has asked him to show us the money! See article here.He won’t do it.

Memo to Ledford: Any candidate that truly had filed and reported everything caught up in this mess would have posted his reports on the web.… Read More