My blogging yesterday was light as I was down in San Diego County hanging out with U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio (R-Florida) and another buddy of mine, David Rivera, who is a leading candidate for an open U.S. House seat in South Florida.
Today’s blogging will also be light as I am off to Sacramento today. Former Senate (and Assembly) Republican Leader Jim Brulte, along with the current Senate and Assembly Republican Leaders, are hosting a two-day event for all of the GOP nominees for State Senate and State Assembly. Brulte asked me to participate as part of the program for that event this afternoon. (Hey, my flight lands in Sacramento at noon — I offer credit in the FR for any FR friend who wants to give me a lift to the Hyatt!).
By way of brief commentary, it will be funbto watch the final numbers gel in the Republican primary for Insurance Commissioner. Former Assembly Republican Leader (and Kennedy Library Honoree) Mike Villines is literally neck-and-neck with DOI Enforcement Attorney Brian FitzGerald, the latter having spend only a few thousand dollars on his campaign. Clearly the big factors that have made the race competitive would be the ballot designation issue (Villines is an "Assemblyman" and FitzGerald is a "Department Enforcement Attorney."
But the "X-factor" will be Villines rather unrepentant support of large tax increases as part of the infamous 2009 budget deal that smacked all of us with sales, income and car taxes, while at the same time providing selected big businesses in California with tax breaks…
If Villines does prevail, a big part of his campaign strategy is going to have to be how to reconnect with the Republican base. Suggestion: No more trips to Boston to receive props from the left…
Dave Jones must be defeated at all cost, as he would be a terrible Insurance Commissioner. Let’s see who the GOP standard bearer will be…