This morning, newly re-elected California Republican Congressman John Doolittle already sent out a press release announcing his candidacy for re-election to House Leadership, to the position of Conference Secretary.

John Doolittle’s release is long in terms of listing all kinds of administrative things he has done to make the life of Republican Members of Congress easier — but is completely silent in the area where it counts: an analysis of the GOP defeat, what the role of the House Leadership (of which is a part) was in that defeat (or conversely if he feels that the House Leadership was not to blame, then what was to blame).

In light of the drubbing that we just took in the last elections, John Doolittle (Californian or not) and every member of the House Leadership team that wants to keep their job need to articulate publicly what went wrong, and what they think needs to happen in the next Congress to regain the majority, and what they would do if they had it.

The launching of helpful… Read More

In a virtually improbable turn of events, Republican Cal Minor appears to have lost the Fresno County Sheriff’s race to Democrat Margaret Mims. Despite having the endorsements of Congressman Radanovich and Nunes, Assemblyman Villines, the Lincoln Club, the Chamber of Commerce, the Deputy Sheriffs and Fresno Police Officers Association, Mims finished the evening with a slim 155 vote lead over Minor.

North Fresno precincts were a ghost town yesterday, with brutally low turnout fueled by: disgust with the Republican led Congress, last week’s Field Poll showing Chuck Poochigian losing by 21 points, and no real contested races for the Legislative seats. This low turnout is what evidently cost Cal Minor an election he should have won handily.

There will likely be a recount, but this one shouldn’t have been close. It appears Cal Minor has become yet another Republican election night casualty.… Read More

Ward Connerly and his team have won the hotly contested campaign to end racial preferences in Michigan. With the help of our own FR alum, Joe Justin, Proposal 2 passed by a huge margin, 58%-42% Despite the pile-on opposition by politicians, labor unions, businesses and the education establishment, the voters saw clearly that the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative was a straightforward, fair measure that simply called on government to treat people equally, without regard to their race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. Ten years after California voters passed the California Civil Rights Initiative, Prop. 209, Michigan voters got it right and passed their own ban on racial and gender preferences. Congratulations, Ward,… Read More

Contesting an election that you have apparently lost by a handful of votes is one thing, but apparently former Assemblyman Steve Clute, who just lost his attempt to take out incumbent Republican Assemblywoman Bonnie Garcia by a couple of percentage points, is apparently making the motions to start contesting the results of the election.

The outcome of this pouting-session is preordained — or is it? I have no clue about what the ‘politics’ are down at the Imperial County Registrar of Voters. Hopefully Secretary of State McPherson will dispatch some of his folks out to AD 80 to make sure that everything is handled on the up and up.… Read More

For too long we have held our Members in Congress in too high of esteem. And for what? Their collective lack of leadership, self governance and accomplishments are the core reason for GOP losses yesterday. Well funded primary challengers are welcome for 2008. Richard Pombo, a fine man, fine leader, and ethically straight member went up in flames for a number of reasons, but let’s not ignore this – his strong suits of ag, water, natural resources and endangered species reform are a great fit for a Central Valley District, but they are Tier 2 issues that don’t motivateconservative turnout. Federal deficits, lack of immigration reform, new entitlement spending are all issues that must be worked on concurrently with District specific issues in order for a member in a marginal District to survive.Let’s put our pedestals away and rightfully ask – what are you doing about the big issues in our country?, before we re-elect anyone to Congress.… Read More

Tomorrow, the Assembly Republican class of ’07-’08 will be gathering for what I understand is a traditional post-election lunch. Some years, this meal ends up being a ‘last supper’ for an Assembly Leader who loses seats — other years it is has been a triumphant feast. There has been some ‘chatter’ and ‘behind the scenes’ swirling about whether or not the current Assembly Republican Leader, George Plescia, is going to be dealing with a potential challenge to his post tomorrow. Maybe he will or maybe he will not. But I am firing this post onto the FR Blog because I have gotten so many e-mails from people asking me about it, and also because of the taunting, baiting posts over at the CMR (Democrat) website, where they have a vested interest in throwing stink-bombs into the GOP tent. I made a specific decision of my own NOT to blog about any of these goings-on before the election, and have decided that I really have no desire to talk about it now. I have spoken with over a dozen Assemblymembers or Assemblymembers-elect over the past few days on a myriad of issues, including those pertaining to caucus… Read More

How does one expain the loss of McClintock And McPherson? It can’t be ideology as these two thoughtful law makers have differing views on many issues. Both have run statewide and McPherson was an appointed respected incumbent.

One thought. In blue state California you need at least two things. A lousyDemocratic opponent (Angelides or Bustamante) and lots of cash (Arnold and Poizner). That is one threshold that for this cycle at least was very clear.… Read More

Proposition 83 has already been blocked by a federal judge who said that thelaw was" punitive by design and effect." Wasn’t that the point? See update here.… Read More