One of the hottest legislative primaries in the state has evolved into a close contest with heavy involvement from PACs flooding mailboxes with hit pieces. Sixty-Fifth Assembly District Republican primary candidates are seeing themselves painted in unflattering colors by PACs like the West Valley Young Republicans and the “Committee Against Corruption”. The WVYRs have spent $104,000 so far on independent expenditures (by Meridian Pacific) opposing San Jacinto Councilman Jim Ayres ($42,000), Yucca Valley Mayor Paul Cook ($35,000) and Hemet Mayor Robin Lowe ($35,000), while supporting Banning Councilwoman Brenda Salas ($30,000). The Upland-based Committee Against Corruption has spent $55,000 on the services of Delta Partners opposing Ayres. See the San Bernardino County Sun’s coverage from yesterday.

One might ask why Mayor Cook, a retired Marine colonel with a ballot title that says so, has started to draw fire. As a matter of fact, probably the biggest paradigm shift since my last… Read More

Today’s feature column is an important piece on why Californian’s should vote No on Proposition 82, liberal Hollywood producer/actor Rob Reiner’s latest attempt to create government bureaucracy. This is the measure that would increase state taxes and take the funds and create a government-run preschool system. Zaremberg makes some great points about how Prop. 82 simply is poor public policy.

NON-PROFIT RATES PROFITABLE FOR LACY I also took the opportunity to feature and interesting story in today’s Sacramento Bee. The article focuses on my good friend Jim Lacy, who is a prominent political law attorney in Orange County. Well, to be more accurate, the article focuses on how some people are upset that Lacy helps non-profit groups put out informational mailings that contain information on political candidates – for like 40% off the going rate for postage! How does this work? Well, read the article. I found it… Read More

Cash on Hand in the last days of a campaign is crucial. There has been a lot of focus on what thedollar figure is in different races.Brad Mitzelfelt writes about the war in the 65th AssemblyDistrict below. (if too lazy to scroll down, click here). A good piece. The reason it caught my attention was the over $200,000 COH that Jim Ayres had.

CRA is supporting another candidate, Brenda Salas. So, I looked at those reports earlier. To me it looks like over $100,000 of Ayres money CAN"T be used in the primary, because it was raised for the general election.

The way campaign finance law works in California, a donor can max out to candidate in the primaryAND the general election. Of course they CAN’T spend it until then. For candidates assured nomination like Poochigian or McPherson it is no big deal, but in a contested primary it is.

Many candidates do this to inflate their fundraising numbers. It isn’t wrong, but when a candidate says they have X amount of money in the bank, you have to… Read More

66th Assembly Candidate Brenda Salas has run a great campaign. For this former Congressman Joe Baca staffer to have re-made herself as a fierce opponent of illegal immigration, considering she was a top aide for “Open Borders Joe” has been a beautiful thing to watch. Picking up the endorsement of former State Senator Dick Mountjoy was frosting on the cake. Salas has even sold herself as a true Reagan Republican which in itself is amazing considering that she is too young to have even been a part of any Reagan campaign. Even more amazing is when she did become politically of age, she made a b-line to be a Democrat, yet she still considers herself a Reaganite. Like I said,hats off to Brenda and her campaign team. It has been an amazing campaign to watch. I think this is too close to call for next Tuesday and may go into absentee ballot overtime

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At my third stop at a Home Depot in Orange County, in a full-scale search for just the right to outdoor lighting for my backyard, I chanced upon FR friend and esteemed political law attorney Dan Reed. Dana was in search of patio furniture.

We talked about the Orange County Sheriff’s race. Dana lamented that he was registered to vote out in Riverside County, and thus could not vote for our great OC Sheriff (my boss) Mike Carona. He also pointed out that he had yet to receive his sample ballot nor his actual ballot. The Riverside Registrar isn’t doing so hot – which Phil Paule has pointed out on this page.

Dana is off to the Firestone retreat soon, to see the sight there. Perhaps he can buy Bob Larkin a sypathy beer – or rather – sypathy Sauvignon Blanc!

Dana found himself a swell patio set, with comfy chairs (I tried one). As for me, well I am off to a fourth HD store. But at least they’ve called ahead and the lighting fixtures I need await me.… Read More

If you know that one, you know what kind of day I’m having.

But.

About that Stanislaus Sups race I wrote about….my sources down there appear to be right. Keating looks like a sho in for the run off, and a recent poll (small N, high MOE) shows Monteith likely to make the run off, but Fisher is still hanging around, some would call him toast, but I don’t write off anybody in a low turnout primary…that’s just me.… Read More

Today we remember those who have fallen in defense of our nation and for the cause of liberty and freedom.

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Where I live in Riverside County is between the two contested Assembly Races so I don’t get much in the way of political mail. However I did get two interesting pieces Saturday. First, I received my ballot, be it a little late for Vote-By-Mail ballots to arrive but at least I did finally receive mine. I guess ranting on the FlashReport about how behind the Riverside County ROV is works. Second I received at 16 page manifesto from 45th Congressional Republican write in campaign candidate John Baker. After reading all 16 pages of this compendium of all conspiracy theories from the internet and how George Bush and Rep. Mary Bono are behind most of them, I have concluded that John Baker is a NUT!! However, he must be a NUT of some financial means, because it appears he sent this campaign mailer deep into the voter file. My suggestion for candidate Baker, next time spend a little money to get your name printed on the ballot, then you could actually see how many votes you lose by.… Read More