*Note: Updated to include endorsement of Damon Dunn.*
Delegates to the California Republican Assembly’s convention endorsed Steve Poizner for Governor and Chuck DeVore for United States Senate.
The CRA’s endorsement is significant, and so congratulations go to Poizner and DeVore. Poizner was endorsed on a second ballot — DeVore won straight out. It takes a 2/3 vote of delegates to receive an endorsement.
Notable was that the candidates that were not endorsed – Meg Whitman in the Governor’s race, and Carly Fiorina and Tom Campbell in the U.S. Senate race – all were at the convention. The campaigns of Whitman and Fiorina were running drills, complete with staffers on the ground, to try and prevent the CRA from taking positions in these races.
Also endorsed in his contested primary for Attorney General was conservative favorite John Eastman and for the contested Board of Equalization race in District 2, Senator George Runner. This latter endorsement is a big win given that one of Runner’s challengers, former Assemblywoman Barbara Alby, is a former long-time CRA State Vice President and served on the Republican National Committee.
Diane Lenning got the CRA nod in the race for Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Of course the CRA endorsed Senator Sam Aanestad for Lt. Governor over RINO (Republican In Name Only) Abel Maldonado.
Endorsed in uncontested GOP races were Mimi Walters for Treasurer, Damon Dunn for Secretary of State, and Tony Strickland for Controller.
Though he is running uncontested for Insurance Commissioner, Assemblyman Mike Villines was not endorsed by the CRA. No doubt his role in last year’s massive tax increases weighed on the mind of the conservative delegates.
March 8th, 2010 at 12:00 am
CRA also endorsed the California Human Rights Amendment signature petition drive efforts.
To get involved with this nationwide effort to recognize the personhood of all human beings go to the website:
californiahumanrightsamendment.com
March 8th, 2010 at 12:00 am
On the propositions, CRA unanimously endorsed the following positions:
YES on Proposition 13
NO on Proposition 14
NO on Proposition 15
YES on Proposition 16 *
YES on Proposition 17
* Technically, the vote on Prop 16 was not unanimous. It was taken by voice voice, with two-thirds required for approval, and it sounded as if a couple of people out of 309 delegates in the room voted against the endorsement.
March 8th, 2010 at 12:00 am
CRA Idealogy Says DeVore but Victory is Spelled Carly Fiorina
I was saddened to see my CRA endorse Assemblyman Chuck DeVore for U.S. Senate on ideological grounds. In this three person race Devore is running 3rd with 8% support, has almost no cash on hand, and no real hope of winning either the primary or the general election against the crazy-leftish Senator Barbara Boxer.
While my distinguished former Congressional opponent, Republican Tom Campbell, is leading the primary race, the U.S. Senate does not need a second Arlen Specter as it already has one too many.
So the clear Conservative choice in this primary election is the solid conservative former HP CEO and evangelist for Free Enterprise, Carly Fiorina. Carly is within 4 points of Barbara Boxer and has double the DeVore support in the primary. She has the strong support of leading Republican Senators, invested millions of her funds in the campaign and is raising the needed money to get her message out. Victory in the U.S. Senate race in California is spelled Carly Fiorina.
March 8th, 2010 at 12:00 am
In response to my friend Ernie Konnyu, I should mention that the CRA support for Chuck DeVore was not a rejection of Carly Fiorina. Assemblyman DeVore has been a CRA leader and he has many friends in CRA. He has been a model legislator and he would be an ideal U.S. Senator. He stands for everything that CRA members believe in. He provides the contrast that we need to defeat Barbara Boxer.
But in fairness to Ms. Fiorina, she is running a conservative campaign and she gave an excellent speech at the CRA Convention. She made many new friends there. If she were to win the Republican primary, conservative Republicans will have no difficulty in supporting her in the general election.
March 8th, 2010 at 12:00 am
“I was saddened to see my CRA endorse Assemblyman Chuck DeVore for U.S. Senate on ideological grounds.”
The day the CRA endorses on anything less then ideological grounds it becomes like all the other Republican groups. IMO it is one of the few endorsements that actually means something.
Of course having known Chuck for over 20 years, his consistent and unrelenting commitment to the cause is unquestioned and thus deserving of the Conservative vote.
March 8th, 2010 at 12:00 am
Any and all of the Sacramento Six who voted with Democrats to raise our taxes should be shut out, persecuted and sent to the California Rino Hunting grounds.
$16 Billion Dollars lifted at of our wallets only to be used as backfill for the bloated budget deficit. What a waste and rip off of our money.Someone should get off the couch and oppose Villines, he or she would find much support.