From today’s Wall Street Journal Political Diary:

Fad Chaser

Jerry Brown’s strategy to position himself as the leading Democratic candidate for governor of California hit a snag last month when a high-profile lawsuit by his office against car makers for causing global warming was tossed out of court.

U.S. District Judge Martin J. Jenkins of San Francisco declared that "policy decisions concerning the authority and standards for carbon dioxide emissions lie with the political branches of government, and not with the courts." He also noted, with some wit, that it would be virtually impossible for courts to allocate blame for purported climate change.… Read More

In case anyone needed any further proof that State Senate Don Perata is a jerk, they need look no further than today’s Sacramento Bee. There, ace reporter (and FR friend) Shane Goldmacher has penned a story showing that, in essence, Perata is behind the efforts to recall Republican State Senator Jeff Denham. What is Denham’s egregious malfeasance in office or traitorous act, warranting this extreme action?

Senator Denham, along with thirteen of his Senate Republican colleagues, refrained from voting out the big, fat, bloated state budget for California until they could get some commitments on spending reductions (in the big picture, a relativelely small amount of cuts, we might add) and reigning in an out-of-control State Attorney General who wants to sue every local government in California who authorizes development, on the grounds that battling global warming should be a higher priority than people having a place to live or… Read More

I’ve known Arnold Steinberg for nearly twenty years, and he had been involved in political campaigns and causes long before we became aquainted, and developed our longtime friendship. Strategist Arnie Steinberg has been involved in virtually every phase of political and advertising campaigns. Also, he has created more than 1600 opinion survey projects and focus groups and has testified as an expert witness frequently on elections, public opinion, advertising, and related issues. For major litigation, he has helped develop legal strategy and jury profiles. Many years ago, he wrote two graduate textbooks on politics and media. He has served on various government and foundation boards. Currently, Steinberg provides strategic counsel and survey research to private clients and selected political clients.

I was very excited to interview Arnie because, as… Read More

I’ve known Arnold Steinberg for nearly twenty years, and he had been involved in political campaigns and causes long before we became aquainted, and developed our longtime friendship. Strategist Arnie Steinberg has been involved in virtually every phase of political and advertising campaigns. Also, he has created more than 1600 opinion survey projects and focus groups and has testified as an expert witness frequently on elections, public opinion, advertising, and related issues. For major litigation, he has helped develop legal strategy and jury profiles. Many years ago, he wrote two graduate textbooks on politics and media. He has served on various government and foundation boards. Currently, Steinberg provides strategic counsel and survey research to private clients and selected political clients. … Read More

We’re very excited to have a member of the Benoit team highlighted in the Riverside Press-Enterprise. Kenya is an exceptionally bright and talented woman and it’s great to see her extraordinary efforts recognized by our local paper.

In Swahili, the lingua franca of Southeast Africa, Kenya Davis-Hayes’ Christian name translates into "one of understanding."

So it’s not surprising that she’s devoted most of her 27 years living up to its meaning through scholarship, political work, community service and prayer.

After only two years in Riverside where she teaches American history at California Baptist University, Davis-Hayes can’t sit still. She’s a Kiwanian, active in local Republican politics and the World Affairs Council of… Read More

In LA County former legislators, as Dangerfield would say get no respect.

This November two former assembly members are running for local office

Sally Havice a former lawmaker in Assembly member from the 56th Assembly District is running for a seat on the ABC Unified School District Board (Norwalk, Artesia, Cerritos,some of Lakewood, Hawaiian Gardens). She formerly served on the board before being elected to the Assembly. Ed Chavez represented the 57th AD and served on a local school board. He is running for the Mt. San AntonioCommunity College Board.

What… Read More

Given the respective melt downs by San Diego sports teams in recent days — and much water cooler and coffee shop "what if" discussions this morning — I thought the following email from a friend was priceless….

"Keeping everything in perspective, the sun rose today right to schedule (around 6:40 a.m.), my car didn’t break down on my way to work and Hillary Clinton is still a candidate for President. Oh well,two out ofthree isn’t bad."… Read More

A Federal Appeals court has determined that a portion of an election law in Virginia requiring Democratic and Republican primary elections to be open to all voters is unconstitutional. According to the 4th U.S. Circuit Appeals panel,a political party has the right to restrict voting to its members when an incumbent has chosen a primary election to secure nomination for another term.

The case began state Sen. Steve Martin, a Republican, said he wanted to be nominated in a primary election. The Chesterfield County Republican Party brought the case, because under state law, an incumbent has the right to decide whether he wants to seek his party’s nomination through a primary, a convention or a caucus.

The Chesterfield Republicans successfully argued that Martin’s decision forced them to hold an open primary – and that having to allow Democrats to the polls would violate their rights to freedom of association.

The judges, however, rejected an argument that open primaries are unconstitutional in all circumstances, basically stating the matter was up to the political parties themselves as their right to free association.… Read More