Get free daily email updates

Syndicate this site - RSS

Recent Posts

Blogger Menu

Click here to blog

FlashReport Weblog on California Politics

- Or -
Search blog archive

Matthew J. Cunningham

Orange County Update

I’m waaay overdue for some posting here on FR.

Now that the 35th SD special election is over, focus is drifting back to the pocketful of contested elections on the June ballot.

The 67th AD primary is most directly impact by Assemblyman Tom Harman’s victory over Diane Harkey. Now he’s the presumed incumbent Senator for the next eight years, instead of a termed-out lame duck. As such, he’s in a much stronger position to help his wife Dianne succeed him in the Assembly.

Thus far, Mrs. Harman’s campaign has been overshadowed by the slugfest going on between Cypress Councilman Mike McGill and OC Supervisor Jim Silva.

Until a few months ago, the expectation (which I shared) was that Jim Silva would roll into this seat. Neither Harman nor McGill were considered serious candidates. In the last few monhts, however, McGill has revamped his campaign with $120,000 in his own funds and aggressive tactics from new campagin manager Joe Ghiardiello and Cal-YAFers. Their strategy is to positon McGill as… Read More

Barry Jantz

Anderson Goes After Sex Offenders in AD 77…

No, I’m not just talking about a candidate who says what a terrible thing it is … the liberals letting these sexual predators back onto the streets and into our neighborhoods … and how he’s opposed to those in the legislature and on the bench that allow such things … and how if elected he’s gonna go to Sacramento and fight to change all that … because he’s gonna protect our children and our families. No, I’m not just talking about the candidate who says those things.

Heck, let’s face it, that about sums up the stump speech on the subject for nearly every Republican running for office … and a good number of the Democrats. No, I’m talking about the guy running for office, going door-to-door AND handing out maps of the sexual registrants in our neighborhoods.

Call Joel Anderson’s effort a campaign hook, call it theatrics, call it a media grabber, call it what you want. I don’t care … you have got to love it! Most candidates — in any… Read More

Jennifer Nelson

Do U Hve An STD?

San Francisco is such a cutting-edge city. Not cutting-edge when it comes to reducing crime or successfully dealing with homelessness, but cutting edge when it comes to “cool” ideas like a free wireless network and, now, text messaging teens on their cell phones about safe sex.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the city is spending $2,500 a month to run the program which is targeted at youth ages 12-24. Kids can text message the city’s public health department and get a quick response about how to have safer sex or deal with the ramifications of unsafe sex. City officials are concerned about the rising rates of sexually-contracted diseases. For example, last year there was a 100 percent increase in gonorrhea in African American youth.

At the same time, a… Read More

Mike Spence

Gay longer than You? The New California Campaign

Long Beach 2nd district councilman Dan Baker resigned beause of some ethics problems. As a result a special election is scheduled. All 11 candidates in the race endorsed legalizing homosexual marriage at a forum heldat A CHURCH. One candidate led with the "I’ve be gay longer than any of you." It’s a gay old time in Long Beach that at one time was oncerepresenetd by Dan Lungren& George Deukmejian. See article here.Read More

Jon Fleischman

Grover Norquist “Secret Squirrel” Meeting

Today has been a productive day thus far for Eric Roach – and most FR readers in California are up!

I’m having a great time, and am glad I was asked to come along…

We’re over at the offices of Americans for Tax Reform now in the heart of Washington, D.C., where conservative political guru Grover Norquist presides over what I would call a “conservative coordinating meeting” – that is very well attended.

Unfortunately, I can’t go into any details having been admonished that the meeting content and its attendees are “off the record” – though I assume that I can share that Eric Roach will address the group.… Read More

Jon Fleischman

Latest DC Update

The Americans for Taxpayers Reform meeting (aka…the “Secret Squirrel” meeting) went very well. Because of the rules of the meeting, I can’t go into details. But I will risk excommunication by saying two things – Eric Roach was well received, and also a TY to Grover Norquist for letting me say a few words about the FlashReport!

The ATR meeting is a group of primarily fiscally oriented folks. We are now off to another conservative meeting coordinated by movement leader Paul Weyrich, and this meeting is much more oriented towards social conservatives. I’m sure Eric will be well received at this meeting, too.

We’re being accompanied to these meetings by Steve Baldwin, who heads up the Council for National Policy, a premiere coordinating group of conservative leaders from around the nation. Baldwin for years was an Assemblyman in San Diego County. He is enthusiastic about Eric, but I am sure he is also motivated by the memory of Brian Bilbray endorsing his Democratic opponent in his first, unsuccessful run for the Assembly.

It is amazing how many people Roach has spoken with who are anxious to have a strong… Read More

Jon Fleischman

Headed for The Hill

The meeting with the Weyrich group was outstanding. It underscored two important points – social conservatives are disheartened with the idea of a long-term stint for Brian Bilbray in Congress (again, we all think that he is better than Busby, but altogether unremarkable). There was tremendous excitement for Eric from many leaders of important conservative groups.

As an aside, I had a great talk with former Congressman Pat Toomey, who heads up the Club for Growth. He is very concerned about Congress assaulting the first amendment rights of 527 advocacy groups.

Now we are headed to Capitol Hill to meet with various conservative leaders in Congress!

Yes, this is a rush! Let me add, by the way, that the more time I spend ith Eric, the more I really come to realize what a great person he is – truly dedicated to our Republican principles!… Read More

Jon Fleischman

Funny Story

Eric Roach and I were walking by the Judiciary Committee meeting room in the Rayburn House Office Buidlng, and noticed a lot of people going in. Eric asked the young lady at the door what was going on…and she told us a, “hearing on the National Security Agency syping on Americans.”

Eric and I walked up the hallway, looked at each other, and speaking about the young lady, we simultaneously said, “Democrat.”… Read More