I thought I’d take a little time each day and let the readers know what POLITICAL mail my household gets each day, and givingeach piecea grade (two categories: Slates and Mailers).We are Republican absentee voters and have not cast our ballots yet. The only mailwe’ve gotten before today, I believe,is a slate from the California Republican Party and a campaign mailer from Presidential candidate Ron Paul.

Today we got three pieces:

‘Vote NO on 94,95,96,97’ paid for by Californians Against Fair Deals. Good piece – very clear. I give it a firm MAILER B.

‘California Voter Guide’ slate mailer. No on the 93 through 97, Yes on 92. You have to love the front which says "Save Our Term Limits No on 93 – Its a Fraud That Actually Lengthens Politicians Terms". I think this is a Tim Carey slate, which usually means quality. I give it a SLATE B+.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Ballot Proposition Guide slate mailer paid for by the California Republican Party. OK this thing is 8 full pages will an additional card to be torn off to be taken to the polls. Over the past few… Read More

Looks as though the Inland Empire is McCain country.

Just a few of Senator McCain’s big-name supporters in the Inland area include: former Senate Minority Leader Jim Brulte, Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia, District Attorney Rod Pacheco, and Riverside County Supervisor John Tavaglione. Local party activists have also signed on with the Senator’s “No Surrender” message. Riverside County Republican Party Vice Chairman Ken Minesinger also endorsed Senator McCain’s candidacy just this week.

Riverside Lincoln Club President Doug Jacobs and longtime GOP activist Aaron Knox have signed on with the campaign. The McCain campaign in the Inland area is chaired by Rob Hightower, who is a criminal prosecutor in Riverside. Hightower commented that “all across the Inland Empire, from Riverside to Coachella and from Temecula to Rancho Cucamonga people are excited about John McCain. His plan of lowers taxes, conservative values, and the vigor to win the war on terror is resonating with Republicans here.” Hightower concluded that “this is a great time to be a member of the McCain team. We are looking forward to more people becoming… Read More

UPDATE FROM JON FLEISCHMAN: Today the Romney Campaign will make Huff’s endorsement official. Here are statements from Romney and Huff:

Upon the announcement, Chairman Huff said, "There is one candidate with the experience and determination to strengthen our economy and promote job growth in California and across the country and that is Governor Mitt Romney. Throughout his time in the private sector, at the 2002 Winter Olympics and as Governor, he led using fiscally conservative principles, and he will do the same as President. Governor Romney will bring real conservative change to Washington , and I encourage others to join me in supporting his candidacy." "Chairman Huff and I both believe that we must keep taxes low, cut wasteful government spending and reverse the current housing crisis facing families in California and throughout the… Read More

When you play poker, the expression "all in" refers to when a player takes all of the chips in front of them, and pushes them all to the center of the table. It means that everything comes down to one hand. If you win, you win big. You win it all. If you lose, then you lose everything with which you came to the table. It takes a particularly gutsy or brave poker play to go "all in" for obvious reasons. But, while you take an incredible risk, you have the chance to reaping incredible rewards. From time to time, we have situations in politics that remind me of the poker concept of being "all in" — and we have one such political situation going on in California politics right now. … Read More

Just received word that Duncan Hunter has endorsed Mike Huckabee for president. “I got to know Governor Huckabee well on the campaign trail,” said Hunter. “Of the remaining candidates I feel that he is strongly committed to strengthening national defense, constructing the border fence and meeting the challenge of ’s emergence as a military superpower that is taking large portions of ’s industrial base. "Along with these issues of national security, border enforcement and protecting the industrial base, I see another quality of … Read More

Councilman Ron Smith had thought of running for the Assembly in 2008. Instead he faces a recall and Lancaster politics is all upside down with his ally from just a year ago endorsing the recall. There are election in April that are dividing GOP forces in the Antelope Valley. More bloodshed to come.… Read More

When you play poker, the expression "all in" refers to when a player takes all of the chips in front of them, and pushes them all to the center of the table. It means that everything comes down to one hand. If you win, you win big. You win it all. If you lose, then you lose everything with which you came to the table. It takes a particularly gutsy or brave poker play to go "all in" for obvious reasons. But, while you take an incredible risk, you have the chance to reaping incredible rewards.

From time to time, we have situations in politics that remind me of the poker concept of being "all in" — and we have one such political situation going on in California politics right now.

The poker player? California’s Republican… Read More

It’s early, but not too early to chew on some fodder. The San Diego Police Officers Association has released a citywide poll (conducted by Dresner, Wickers & Associates) showing Mayor Jerry Sanders leading Steve Francis by 20 points and Jan Goldsmith ahead of City Attorney Mike Aguirre by 13 points in respective one-on-one scenarios. The 400-large sampling was taken the second week in January and mirrors the voter reg. throughout the city.

In the city attorney’s contest, the poll was done prior to Councilman Brian Maienschein’s announced candidacy, but lends significant credence to the contention that his entree would impact Goldsmith’s potential chance of winning a primary outright in a straight-up shot against Aguirre. Add to that the likelihood that Aguirre — if forced into a runoff — would much rather face an incumbent SD councilmember (and all the SEC and pension debacle baggage that goes with the title) than Goldsmith.

If Aguirre’s numbers show a runoff situation, watch him do anything to keep Goldsmith from making it into the final. On the other hand, if potential also-rans stay out, Goldsmith’s… Read More