I was looking through the Federal Election Commission disclosures and noted that Republican Congressman Gary Miller, who recently won his re-nomination (congratulations) has already spent out of his political committee close to $2,000 this election cycle on — flowers. I wanted to review Miller’s reports to try to learn the secret of success in a heated Congressional election. Its’ flowers. And one sure can’t argue with success.

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County government in California saw some major changes on Tuesday. Around the state we saw a number of Supervisors lose to challengers.

In Butte County Supervisor Jane Dolan lost to Larry Wahl.

Inyo County saw Supervisor Beverly Brown earn 333 votes while challenger Rick Pucci was able to get 702 or 51.66% of the vote and prevent a November run-off. Pucci is the former City Manager for Bishop. It is not too common to see someone make that transition.

In Lassen County Supervisor Lloyd Keefer was defeated by Larry Wosick. Wosick got 1,086 votes.

In Mariposa County Supervisor Brad Aborn was beaten by Lee Stetson.

Merced County Supervisor and former Merced County Republican Party Chairman Mike Nelson was surprised by Linn Davis. This one was a shocker.

Nevada County Supervisor John Spencer appears to… Read More

Orange County consultant Brandon Powers heads to DC today to be a part of Politics Magazine’s (formerly Campaigns& Elections) "Rising Stars of Politics." Each election cycle, the trade publication for political professionals identifies up-and-comers of all parties and Brandon joins that list for 2010. Occassionally, they make bad choices…like me in 2002.

See this year’s Republican list here.… Read More

The combined Republican primary vote in the 47th Congressional District exceeded liberal Democrat incumbent Loretta Sanchez’s vote in the Democrat primary by 2,000 votes. Time to get on the Van Tran bandwagon.… Read More

As her campaign re-tools for the general election, GOP Gubernatorial nominee Meg Whitman has re-launched her website (check it out) and has launched a new ad…

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A ‘source’ slipped us a copy of this internal, super-secret memo…

Memorandum Date: 6/10/10 To: Asm. Mike Gatto From: Spkr. John Perez RE: Welcome To The Capitol Dear Mike, First and foremost, let me congratulate you on your election to the State… Read More

I am fond of telling people that you have to have a minimum amount of money to get your message out. You don’t have to have all the money, but enough. That amount needed has dropped dramatically. As of now pending the results of provisional ballots, Tim Donnelly leads Chris Lancaster by 40 votes in the 59th. Lancaster had the most money, endorsements and mail. He had the most baggage having been recalled for raising taxes in the early 90’s as councilman. Claremont City Councilman Corey Calaycay followed him in the balloting. And Hesperia School Board member Anthony Riley who had the endorsement of the Adams recall committee and much of the San Bernardino political establishment came in fourth. Came in fourth doesn’t quite explain it. Riley was supposed to win in the San Bernardino County portion of the district; there he came if fifth. He did better on the LA side of the hill. (Lancaster came in second … Read More

I’ve been waiting until after the election to post this special little picture I took with my iPhone on May 2 in San Francisco’s Chinatown at a shop on Grant Avenue. The shop had the usual collection of Chinese vases, furniture, silks and artifacts, but I noticed in a corner of the store a whole little section devoted to Chairman Mao and the Chinese Communist party. Being a political junkie, I gravitated to the pile there of "Little Red Books" of Mao’s communist sayings, Mao pins, a couple of Mao statues, propaganda magazines, etc., and, low- and-behold, spotted two stacks of refrigerator magnets with U.S. President Barack Hussein Obama’s picture on them. You can see them in this picture, being marketed right next to the Chairman Mao pins. I wonder if the local Democrats in San Francisco pressured the store owners to give Obama equal time?

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