Tonight, Republican activists and donors from all around San Diego County will cozy up at the Kona Kai resort at Shelter Island for the County GOP’s annual Lincoln-Reagan Dinner (if you know local party boss Ron Nehring, it’s not hard to understand how his hero, Ronald Reagan, got equal billing on the marquis on this annual event). There will be a "who’s who" of the Republican scene on hand with Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman, incoming Assembly Republican leader George Plescia, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders and a host of statewide Republican candidates all coming to support their party, and hear from keynote speaker Jim Gilmore, the former Republican Governor of Virginia and also a former Chairman of the Republican National Committee. But it won’t be Gilmore that is the star attraction at this event tonight, nor Ackerman or Plescia, or even my buddy Ron Nehring. No, tonight is going to be all about Brian Bilbray and Eric Roach. As you have all read, Bilbray appears to have eked out a narrow victory in a crowded field for the honor of being the lone GOP contender on the ballot against liberal Democrat… Read More

The books are almost closed on the Special Election in SD 35. Almost 300 votes stand between conservative Diane Harkey and a seat in the California legislature. Assemblyman Tom Harman is sitting in an enviable position – especially when you consider that only 600 or so provisional ballot stand left to counted.

Nevertheless, if you took a vote here on the public side of the counter at the Registrar, Harkey would win overwhelmingly. There are about 30 Harkey volunteers here led by Scott Hart, Jimmy Camp, Adam Probolsky and former FEC member/elections attorney extraordinairre Daryll Wold.

The Harman folks, all five of them, are led up by Duane Dichiara, Jen Jacobs and former FPPC commissioner/legal beagle Ben Davidian.

Of course, the outcome is more or less assured today. I’ve been doing this stuff for too long.

But my counsel to Team Harkey will be to look into a recount. Recounts are never bad because they just provide a microscope to the process. Will it change the outcome? Probably not. But it will give peace of mind to thousands of Harkey supports who will want to know that every avenue was persued in ensuring that… Read More

LIVE from the OC Registrar of Voters…

There are no votes left to count. So the unofficial final count in SD 35 is 37,840 (38.76%) for Harman, 37,604 (38.52%) for Harkey and 22,176 (22.72%) for the Democrat, Caballero.

So, while there are no more votes to count, there are almost a hundred thousand votes to be RE-counted. Which is what I think will happen now.

A .24% difference (236 votes) seems like a small number of votes to pick up, but as someone who has worked a lot of recounts, it would be impressive if Diane Harkey could make this up. that said, improbable is not impossible.

Acting Registrar Neal Kelley will certify this election soon, and then it will be Team Harkey’s call, on whether to finance a hand-count of the ballots…

Stay tuned!… Read More

There are times when it is convenient that there is ‘breaking news’ to cover – and today would be one of them. I’m going to take a few minutes to talk about last night’s Special Elections in San Diego’s 50th Congressional District and in Orange County’s 35th State Senate District. When I say it is ‘convenient’ — that is because in the absence of covering these races, I would be left with nothing to talk about except the poor public policy and political choiceof Governor Schwarzenegger championing a solo-war against greenhouse gas emissions that will really only serve to make it that much more expensive to work and live in the Golden State.

A California-only solution is not going to solve anything. When one looks at issues like what the proper role in government should be in protecting and preserving the environment should be, and also take into account that any time the government comes in and messes with the marketplace, there is an economic cost involved (as well as a freedom-cost depending on the specific actions of government)… Sigh. We’ll be looking at this environmental… Read More

Yesterday I mentioned that there were April 11th elections other than the ones in San Diego and Orange counties. See it here.In Arcadia eminent domain should it could be a useful issue in local races. Peter Amundson, who I was working for came in 2nd and won a seat on the council. See the story here.The real story is that a poll was done by the mall that had Peter in last place out of 7 candidates with 2 percent of the vote.

What changed thing was the city of Arcadia planning to condemn some businesses and give them to a car dealerdhip. He was the only candidate to attend the rally to save one of the businesses that was featured on Hannity and Colmes. Peter did a piece on eminent domain… against it of course. He was very clear and the people responded. That is an important lesson. "No eminent domain for private gain".… Read More

The Governor today announced some new appointments. The FR continues to list out these appointments through the prism of political party with the idea that someone’s voluntary association with (or not with) a particular political party is one indicator of their overall political philosophy and/or ideology.

Congrats to FR friend Pam Corradi for being tapped for her local fairboard! Here they are:

THE REPUBLICANS

Margie Beeson, 52, of Lake View Terrace, has been appointed to the San Fernando Valley Fair Board (51st District Agricultural Association). She serves as an Avid editor and media manager for KCET, public television for Los Angeles. Jan Boel, 62, of Gold River, has been appointed deputy director of legislative and … Read More

Education is a critical issue for America, and for California. As a political professional, I spent the 1998 election cycle 100% dedicated to the education issue, first as the campaign coordinator for the successful Proposition 227 (to end the failed practice of bilingual education in public schools) and then as Campaign Manager for Gloria Matta Tuchman, who narrowly lost against former Democratic State Superintendent of Public Instruction Delaine Eastin.

I am a graduate of the California State University System and served as a member of the California State Students Association representing my university, and I also volunteered on a statewide commiteee of the CSU System.

It pains me to no end to know that during five long years, now-disgraced and recalled Governor Gray Davis appointed some very liberal Democrats to the important and impactful position of being a Trustee for the California State University system. There are only a few of these appointments. One of the painful appointments was when… Read More

Jill Buck is the Republican candidate running for the 18th Assembly district which is currently held by Assemblyman Johan Klehs. The common wisdom in this area is that the general election for this district is just a formality after the Democratic primary is over, given the area’s heavy Democratic registration (54% Democrat vs. 21% Republican). But Buck doesn’t buy that common wisdom.

Buck doesn’t believe that the district is a guaranteed Democratic win.

"The fact is when you look at voter turnout, we’re neck and neck," she said. When Buck talked about wanting to run for the State Assembly, she said lots of people encouraged her to run…in another, more Republican district. But she decided to throw her hat in the ring for the 18th distric at this past CRP convention in San… Read More