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Al Ramirez, CA-Sen, California Republican Assembly, California Republican Party, Dan Hughes, Dianne Feinstein, Elizabeth Emken
CA-Sen: Conservative California Republican Assembly Endorses Al Ramirez for U.S. Senate
While the California Republican Party has endorsed Elizabeth Emken for California United State Senate, the more conservative California Republican Assembly has just announced their endorsement for businessman, Al Ramirez.
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Al Ramirez, an accomplished businessman, received the endorsement of the California Republican Assembly (CRA) at the group’s endorsing convention on Sunday.
“I’m incredibly pleased and honored to have the support of the State’s oldest and largest Republican volunteer organization,” said Ramirez. “The endorsement of the CRA demonstrates that our message is resonating with Republicans across the State. We simply cannot afford more of the same socialistic policies of Feinstein and Obama. It’s time to restore the American Dream in California.”
The CRA endorsement is one of the most coveted in all of Republican politics. Ronald Reagan even referred to the CRA as “The conscience of the Republican Party.”
Candidates seeking the CRA endorsement went through a rigorous vetting process which included giving speeches to the entire delegation and facing a session of tough questioning in front of a “Fact Finding Committee.” In order to receive an endorsement, a candidate must be supported by two-thirds of the voting delegates.
Ramirez was endorsed overwhelmingly by a vote of the entire CRA delegation late Sunday morning.
This endorsement has to deliver a decided edge to Ramirez, especially with so many candidates in the race vying to run against the front-runner and incumbent Senator Dianne Feinstein.
Millions of dollars were embezzled from her campaign. Twenty-two challengers are trying to knock her off in the June primary. And the stakes in the November election are nothing less than control of Capitol Hill.
But U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein isn’t a bit worried. Her campaign is on cruise control, her re-election all but certain — yet again.
After holding elected office for all but five of the last 42 years, Feinstein is the doyenne of California Democrats. She’s so politically bulletproof that no A-list candidates are wasting their time and money trying to dethrone her.
At 78, Feinstein has become the rare lawmaker who plays to her own political base while not overly riling her opponents. “She should have her easiest re-election ever,” said Gary Jacobson, a UC San Diego political science professor.
Feinstein, who won her last two elections in landslides, attributes her success to her work ethic and her ability to get along with fellow Washington politicians during venomous times. “I am known for working hard, and I can tell you if I wasn’t, I would have some major opposition,” Feinstein said in an interview last week.
Just how little she has to worry about was shown in a recent Survey USA poll. It found 51 percent of California’s likely voters intend to vote for Feinstein, while Republicans Elizabeth Emken of Danville and Dan Hughes of Oceanside were backed by 2 percent each. All other candidates clocked in at either 1 percent or zero.
But, will this endorsement be enough for Ramirez to come in second place above Elizbeth Emken and Dan Hughes?
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California Congressional Districts NOT All Bad for Republican Party
Flap’s old Congressional District CA-24 and the new one CA-26
I have to agree with Republican political operative and consultant Rob Stutzman.What will it take to win these competitive seats? We will have to do the hard work of becoming a more competitive party. We have to expand our message to Latinos and field candidates who can compete in marginal districts. These new maps will finally force to the surface Republican candidates in California who can compete and win in swing districts.
Since 1992, Republican voter registration has fallen by 8 percent. Recently released Field Poll data make the point even clearer. At the same time, our party message is not resonating with younger voters as the GOP is a graying electorate. More than half of current California Republican voters are over the age of 50, up from 40 percent in 1992.
Republican registration in the Latino community has nearly stagnated since 1992, growing only one percent at a time when the state’s Hispanic voters doubled during that time from 10 percent to 22 percent.
In a state that has dipped to only 31 percent GOP registration, providing more opportunities to be competitive is a positive development. We have been slowly withering to a darker shade of blue here, but shedding the gerrymander of the past decade gives us the chance to adapt and learn to win again.
The California Congressional redistricting is probably as fair as you are going to achieve vis a vis population and federal voting rights demographics.
I understand that, although a referendum has been approved for signature circulation to overturn the California Citizen Redistricting Commission’s Congressional District plan that no actual signatures are being solicited.
Yes, there will be few long time GOP Congressmen who will be forced either into retirement or to run in districts where there will actually be a contested race.
Isn’t that why we have elections?
California Republicans will be far better to accept the California Citizen Redistricting Commission’s and use any money raised for the referendum in party building activities.
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Amazon Tax, California Citizens Redistricting Commission, California Republican Party, California State Senate, Internet Sales Taxes
Update: Americans for Tax Reform Call AB 155 a Pledge Violation; California Republican State Senators to Support Internet Sales Taxes?
+++++Update+++++
Here is the latest from the Americans for Tax Reform
I have a new post up over at Flap’s California Blog on the Flap.
Go here and read which California State Senators might FLIP.Kind of interesting that the California Republican Party is asking Republican donors to support a referendum to overturn the California Citizen’s Redistricting Commission’s State Senate Redistricting Maps and these Senators FLIP to support a Democratic position anyway.
I mean, why bother, when all of the Republicans become RINOS (Republican in Name Only)?
By the way, the legislation which will likely be heard in the California State Senate tomorrow, requires three (3) Republican Senators to FLIP (NB: none voted for the Amazon Tax when it first came through the California Legislature).
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Amazon Tax, California Citizens Redistricting Commission, California Republican Party, California State Senate, Internet Sales Taxes
California Republican State Senators to Support Internet Sales Taxes?
I have a new post up over at Flap’s California Blog on the Flap.
Go here and read which California State Senators might FLIP.Kind of interesting that the California Republican Party is asking Republican donors to support a referendum to overturn the California Citizen’s Redistricting Commission’s State Senate Redistricting Maps and these Senators FLIP to support a Democratic position anyway.
I mean, why bother, when all of the Republicans become RINOS (Republican in Name Only)?
By the way, the legislation which will likely be heard in the California State Senate tomorrow, requires three (3) Republican Senators to FLIP (NB: none voted for the Amazon Tax when it first came through the California Legislature).
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President 2012: Mitt Romney Expanding His Presence in California – Quadrupling Size of La Jolla Home
View from the beach of the 3,009-square-foot Romney home in La Jolla , which the GOP contender plans to demolish and replace with an 11,062-square-foot home. — Meg Roussos
Yet, Mitt will NOT be attending the September Los Angeles California Republican Party Convention in a few weeks.GOP presidential contender Mitt Romney, scheduled to attend a series of fundraisers this weekend in San Diego, is also working on plans to nearly quadruple the size of his $12 million oceanfront manse in La Jolla.
Romney has filed an application with the city to bulldoze his 3,009-square-foot, single-story home at 311 Dunemere Dr. and replace it with a two-story, 11,062-square-foot structure. No date has been set to consider the proposed coastal development and site development permits, which must be approved by the city.
The former governor of Massachusetts purchased the home three years ago. According to a description from the listing agent, the Spanish-style residence at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac is sophisticated and understated in its décor, “offering complete privacy and unsurpassed elegance.”
Tentative plans call for new retaining walls and a relocated driveway, but would retain the existing lap pool and spa.
“This offering represents a truly unique opportunity for a buyer who appreciates the scarcity of this caliber of real estate,” the listing said.
Constructed in 1936, the three-bedroom, 4.5-bathroom home was among the first built in the Barber tract neighborhood, according to the La Jolla Historical Society, and has a stretch of lawn sloping to the white sand beach.
“I wanted to be where I could hear the waves,” Romney told a gaggle of media last year at a book signing in University City. “As a boy we spent summers on Lake Huron and I could hear the crashing waves at night. It was one of my favorite things in the world; being near the water and the waves was something I very badly wanted to experience again.”
Probably not the best timing in the world and not the best for his political image. Remember when Senator John McCain could not remember how many homes he owned?
But, Mitt, you have to show up to the California GOP confab.
Michele Bachmann will be speaking Friday night and Ron Paul has already said he would attend.
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California Citizen’s Redistricting Commission Releases Final Ventura County Congressional District Map
Well, almost final.The commission just voted out the new state lines on a 12-2 vote (with two Republicans voting no) and placed them on the Agenda for an official August 15th final vote. Until then feel free to whine, complain, cuss and gripe to commissioners about their failures. They can hear you, but they’re probably done listening.
On August 15th the only option is an up-or-down vote on the maps. You cannot have your city reunited, get your Assembly Member back. The plans are final and the only option now would be for the commission to vote the plans down and send them directly to the courts.
The game now transitions from the 14 members of the commission to the 67 members of Congress and the Legislature that have been drawn out of their seats, nested with other incumbents, or generally screwed over by the citizen process. A preliminary look at the data on the Redistricting Partners site will show some fun potential pairings and political drama. The site is now updated with maps (showing partisanship and incumbents), summary data for all districts in just a few pages, and extremely detailed datasheets from PDI for the Assembly, State Senate and Congressional districts.
Looking at the Congressional map, it is certain that my GOP Representative Elton Gallegy will either have to move (his home and electoral base in Simi Valley is out of the District), retire, or just run (there is no requirement that you must live in the Congressional District you represent), or run against GOP Rep. Buck McKeon who will represent Simi Valley. Gallegy has options.
However, the new CA-26 which is what presumably this Congressional District is called is less Republican and more Hispanic in nature.
Here are the details:
I will review the possible political scenarios next week after the final adoption of the maps.
I will also go over the California Assembly and State Senate Districts.
From my preliminary analysis of the statewide and Ventura County maps, they appear actually fair for the GOP. I, now, doubt that the California Republican Party will support a referendum on the Commission’s work.
But, then again, you never know and someone is bound to be really upset. But, this time it looks like the incumbent California Democrats.
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President 2012: Michele Bachmann To Address California GOP Convention
Republican presidential candidate, Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., speaks during a rally at the Delaware County fairgrounds in Manchester Iowa, Monday, July 25, 2011
A Friday night speech which is NOT prime time but coming to California must mean fundraising time.GOP presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann will make a trip to Southern California in September to speak at the California Republican Party’s fall convention.
The conservative Minnesota congresswoman is scheduled to address delegates on the first night of the three-day convention, which will be held in Los Angeles Sept 16-18.
CRP Chairman Tom Del Beccaro said in a statement that he believes Bachmann’s “pure energy, vibrancy and leadership will be a hit with our delegates.”
“This is a great opportunity for us to hear directly from one of the Republican Party’s leading presidential candidates,” he said.
The full speaker line-up has yet to be confirmed, though CRP spokesman Mark Standriff said invitations have been extended to other GOP presidential candidates as well.
Interesting that Bachmann who, if the GOP Presidential nominee, will have NO chance of beating President Obama is still coming to the Golden State. Obviously, it is to meet with donors and to fundriase but it may also be to preempt Mitt Romney and Rick Perry (who has addressed the convention previously) from having an exclusive forum in the vast nationwide media market which is Los Angeles.
I might actually buy a ticket for the Friday night speech and/or cover the event for flapsblog.
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Day By Day June 30 and July 1, 2011 – Just in Time
Good morning everyone as we prepare for a major holiday weekend, national fundraising numbers are filtering out of D.C.. Yeah Obama is able to raise some big money and everyone is waiting to see what Michele Bachmann is able to raise.And, California sales taxes, plus motor vehicle registration fees decrease because of the California GOP’s resistance to tax increases. Good job, California GOP.
As the POLS flee Washington and Sacramento for the 4th of July, we can have solace that it could be worse, since the NBA, NFL and the state of Minnesota are now effectively shutdown.
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Video: California GOP to Governor Jerry Brown – Do Your Job
Jerry Brown campaigned on the promise that he could bring both parties together and make the tough decisions now. Call Jerry and tell him to make the tough decisions now!A hard-hitting ad by the California GOP that makes an apt point to California Democrats. Where have you been? Especially since they have had control of the California Legislature for decades and Brown has been around California politics for decades.
So, Jerry, why not negotiate with the Republicans and do YOUR job?
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Poll Watch: California Republicans Can Gain Ground with Hispanic Voters If They Become Democrats
A statewide survey of California Latino voters released today showed that while this important voting demographic has a somewhat negative view of Republicans, there nevertheless exists an opportunity for Republicans to make inroads into the Latino community. The poll, conducted by veteran GOP pollster Bob Moore with strategic counsel from well-regarded GOP strategist Marty Wilson, surveyed 400 California Latino voters from March 12-14 and has a margin of error of +/- 5 percent at the 95 percent confidence level.
Here are the specific findings:
- Latino voters are generally negative about the Republican Party (26 percent favorable/47 percent unfavorable/27 percent no opinion) and widely positive about the Democrat Party (62/22/17).
- The GOP is not going to win many Latino voters by stressing conservatism; only 22 percent suggest that Republicans should, “stick to core values and nominate true Conservatives.”
- Philosophically, a third are self-described “Conservatives,” a third are Moderate and a quarter are Liberal.
- The Arizona immigration law is widely unpopular; only 25 percent approve, while 71 percent disapprove of the law.
- On the positive side for Republicans, more than seven-in-10 voters will consider a candidate who says, “secure the border first, stop illegal immigration, then find a way to address the status of people already here illegally” (73 percent favorable reaction).
- Further good news for Republicans is that more than six-in-10 Latino voters are likely to consider voting for a GOP candidate who would “ensure all children had a chance at a first rate education” (69 percent would), who they agreed with on improving the economy and creating jobs (65 percent) and with whom they agree on protecting America from terrorists (63 percent).
Here is the latest California census map which shows the growth of the California Hispanic population.
The fact is despite my friend Marty Wilson’s happy moment in this poll. California Republicans as are most of America’s GOP are right of center and are not going to change their political philosophy in order to win elections – even in California. California liberalism with pandering to Hispanics, Asians and African-Americans has created a bankrupt state with major structural problems, like education, high taxes and an unfavorable business climate.
California Republicans will have to pick their battles and win those seats where voters do not vote their racial or national origin, but vote for candidates on the issues.
Unfortunately, for the California GOP, California has become a very blue Democratic state like New York and Massachusetts. California will remain so for the foreseeable future, regardless of whatever Hispanic outreach/pandering is pursued by the GOP .
The entire poll is here (PDF).
