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Former New York City Mayor and 2008 Presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani and former California Governor Pete Wilson in Santa Monica, California, September 27, 2007

Former California Governor Pete Wilson has endorsed Mitt Romney for President. Not as early or as flashy of an endorsement as the Rudy Giuliani endorsement in 2007, but one nevertheless.

Former California Gov. Pete Wilson endorsed GOP presidential front-runner Mitt Romney today and will serve as the candidate’s honorary co-chairman in California, the Romney campaign announced.

In a statement, Romney called Wilson “one of California’s most accomplished leaders.” Wilson, governor from 1991 to 1999, said Romney “is an enthusiastic believer in American exceptionalism and has been a spectacular example of it: Mitt has been a success in creating American private sector jobs, a success as the rescuer of the Salt Lake City Olympic games, and as a public chief executive as the Republican governor in the challenging environment of heavily Democratic Massachusetts.”

The public employee unions and illegal immigration support advocates immediately attacked Romney and Wilson because of Wilson’s support of Proposition 187, a measure passed by Californians in 1994, overturned by the federal courts and which restricted benefits to illegal immigrants.

But immigrant rights groups were quick to pounce on the association. Wilson has become a boogeyman in California politics due to his backing of Proposition 187, the 1994 ballot measure targeting illegal immigrants that many analysts believe chased California Latinos into the Democratic party and lost the state for the GOP.

Romney has staked out an increasingly tough stance on illegal immigration during the Republican primaries this year to differentiate himself from former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

“Romney can’t seem to stop himself from digging deeper and deeper into his hole with Latino voters,” said Eliseo Medina of the Service Employees International Union in a statement. “Here is what Pete Wilson accomplished: He turned Latino voters against the GOP brand.”

Medina and other immigrant groups were quick to note that Romney is also being advised by Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who helped write controversial laws against illegal immigration in Alabama and Arizona.

No POL in California embodies GOP Establishment more than Pete Wilson. There is NO surprise that he will endorse the presumptive Republican nominee in Mitt Romney.

The endorsement per se will ONLY be important, (besides appearances at the Convention this summer) if the race for President 2012 lingers on to the California June Presidential Primary election.

By the way, California will be voting for President Obama, in any case, this November.

Rudy Giuliani talking about Actual Change in New Hampshire today

From the Giuliani Campaign:

The Rudy Giuliani Presidential Committee today announced the campaign’s California Delegate Slate. These delegate candidates will represent Mayor Giuliani in the California Republican primary election.

“Republican leaders across California are supporting Rudy because he has demonstrated leadership in times of crisis and brought this country together when he was needed most,” said Rudy’s California State Chairman Bill Simon. “This impressive delegate slate is a testament to the growing support Rudy has built in California through strong organization in the state.”

Some noteworthy delegate selections:

• Ward Connerly, Sacramento

• Former California Governor Pete Wilson

• Lewis K Uhler – National Tax Limitation Committee

• Assemblyman Edward M. Gaines, Roseville

• Assemblyman Gregory Aghazarian, Stockton

• Congressman George P. Radanovich, Fresno

• Charles S. Poochigian, Fresno

• Frank Anthony Visco, Lancaster

• State Senator Abel Maldonado, Santa Maria

• Assemblywoman Sharon Runner, Lancaster

• Assemblyman Cameron Smyth, Santa Clarita

• Congressman David Dreier, San Dimas

• William Mundell, Los Angeles

• Mayor Curtis Pringle, Anaheim

• Congressman Ed Royce, Fullerton

• Congresswoman Mary Bono, Palm Springs

The entire list is here.

This is a wide and popular cross-section of the California GOP from the anti-tax Lew Uhler, anti-affirmative action Ward Connerly and former two term California Governor Pete Wilson.

California, here Rudy comes…….

Update:

From the California campaign for Rudy:

Rudy Giuliani’s California Chairman Bill Simon made the following statement today regarding the start of absentee voting in California:

“For the first time in years, California Republicans will play a pivotal role in determining who the Presidential nominee will be for their party. The voters in California begin to be heard today, as absentee voting starts in the state. As Republicans cast their ballots, I urge voters to choose the only true fiscal conservative in the race and the man whose tested leadership brought the country together in a time of crisis – Mayor Rudy Giuliani.”

Mayor Rudy Giuliani endorsed by former California Governor Pete Wilson

AMERICA NEEDS AMERICA’S MAYOR by Pete Wilson

After recent travel to London to meet with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his tenth swing through California, Rudy Giuliani is clearly showing the leadership skills of a President. The reception he has enjoyed here during the campaign has shown that Rudy is not only well-respected and admired around the world, but that he is as popular here in California as any Republican candidate since Ronald Reagan.

And I am one of the many in California and throughout the country who are greatly impressed by him …

The candidate who has the most impressive and relevant experience and record of performance as a public chief executive is clearly Rudy Giuliani. The city he inherited from his predecessor was not only the largest in the nation but one of the most dysfunctional. …

[R]udy took charge of a city crippled by tax-and-spend policies that had created a billion-dollar deficit. The city was in economic crisis and had lost hundreds of thousands of jobs. In addition, New York City saw nearly 2,000 people murdered per year and had more than 11,000 major crimes committed every week

As a former Mayor and Governor myself, I know full well how difficult it is to reduce crime, cut welfare rolls, and revitalize a city. But that is exactly what Rudy did, contradicting the conventional wisdom of all the nay-sayers who said it could never be done.

Rudy immediately controlled spending and cut wasteful programs. He cut the size of the city-funded government bureaucracy by nearly 20%—excluding the number of cops on the street and teachers in the classroom.

By the end of Mayor Giuliani’s second term, New York City was known as the safest large city in America, in sharp contrast to its previous reputation as the crime capital of the country …

The next President of the United States will face what may well prove to be the most severe tests of leadership put to any in our history …

We must nominate a candidate with the appeal to compete and win throughout the country, as Ronald Reagan did in leading his party and the nation to victory …

[Rudy’s] confident message resonates throughout the country. Conservatives are uniting behind him because they know that to win the White House, we must nominate Rudy Giuliani.

The optimism and steely resolve of Rudy Giuliani has equipped him to step into the Oval Office and lead this country on day one. America needs America’s Mayor to lead us as America’s President.

******

Read it all over at Jon’s

With California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger fighting with the California Republican Party, Pete Wilson has stepped up as Mr. California Republican. Will this translate into support for the Mayor?

You bet and Governor Wilson is actively fundraising for Rudy as well.

Stay tuned……..

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Flap attended the endorsement announcement yesterday morning at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica, California. The above is one of six videos that Flap recorded.

Ok, so former Governor Pete Wilson endorses Rudy what does it mean?

Two words:

1. Fundraising

2. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s quasi endorsement

Governor Wilson’s fundraising cabal is still intact after all of these years. In fact, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s chief fundraiser, Marty Wilson, was a top aide (in various positions) for Governor Wilson for at least a decade.

Who aided the Governator in his recall election against Democrat Governor Gray Davis?

Why, the Wilson folks.

Flap thought it was presumptuous the California Republican Party last February gave Rudy the run of the California Republican Convention in Sacramento. If you recall it was at the convention that Rudy announced for the Presidency.

I was told by a source at the time Rudy had the consent of the Governor.

Now, the connection is apparent.

Will Arnold Schwarzenegger endorse Rudy prior to the February 5, 2007 primary election.

Flap says count on it if Rudy maintains his lead in the California and national polls.

Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Governor Pete Wilson in Santa Monica, September 27, 2007

Photo by Flap

Stay tuned……..

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Former California Governor Gray Davis, right, speaks to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as former Governor Pete Wilson, left, looks on, during a news conference Thursday Aug. 23, 2007 in Los Angeles. The three along with members of the Voices of Reform Coalition including Common Cause and League of Women Voters met to discuss ways promote a fundamental change in the way political boundaries are drawn to insure fairness and transparency in elections.

Ex-governor Pete Wilson to endorse Giuliani

Rudy Giuliani expects a plum endorsement this week from one of California’s leading Republicans, former governor Pete Wilson.

The Republican presidential candidate and former New York mayor planned to announce Wilson’s support at a news conference Thursday in Santa Monica, according to several people with knowledge of the endorsement. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

Flap is not surprised by this endorsement since both Mayors have similar social views with strong national defense credentials.

Will this be enough of an incentive for California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to endorse Rudy?

Remember Schwarzenegger has a goodly number of former Wilson staffers working for him.

Flap thinks it is unlikely that the Governator will this early endorse the Mayor. But, it is possible after January 2008 if Rudy continues to poll well in California.

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Pete Wilson’s statue was unveiled yesterday and Latino and Gay Protesters made perfect asses out of themselves.

Pete Wilson in front of his statue, August 25, 2007

The Pete Wilson Quotes:

“Isn’t this a great country that anyone can make a perfect horse’s ass of himself at any time?”

“View this statue, as I will, as a surrogate recipient of the tribute that’s deserved by all of you who shared the dream, who made it come true and gave all the proud neighborhoods of San Diego the vibrant heart they needed.”

The Nonsense:

“Our message is that Pete Wilson has been about white supremacy all along. It is racist to honor this guy,” said Olin Tezcatlipoca, director of the Los Angeles-based Mexica Movement.

Tezcatlipoca’s group toted signs depicting Wilson in a Nazi uniform with a swastika.

Pete Wilson served California with distinction. Flap looks forward to visiting San Diego and seeing the statue.

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