California,  California Republican Party,  Election 2006,  Politics

Sheriff Mike Carona Watch: Carona Fails to Gain Republican Party Support for Re-Election

March 22, 2006 /

Los Angeles Times: Carona Fails to Gain GOP Vote Support

Orange County Republican leaders have voted not to endorse beleaguered Sheriff Michael S. Carona for a third term, dealing a blow to his once high-flying political career.

Carona, who will face three challengers in the June election, fell one vote shy of gaining the endorsement of the county’s Republican central committee at its meeting Monday night.

Failure to secure this endorsement may mean primary election trouble for the two term incumbent sheriff. This vote comes scarcely two months after California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger raised $700,000 in an Orange County fundraiser for Carona.

Although the party did not endorse someone else, the move was a setback for Carona, whose political viability has slumped amid allegations of mismanagement, sexual misconduct and conflicts of interest — all of which he has denied.
Monday’s rebuff followed lengthy debate about several scandals and investigations that political analysts say kept Carona from running for higher office this year. The state attorney general is investigating allegations that Carona sexually harassed two women and whether he improperly billed his election committee for $130,000 in expenses.

Losing the GOP endorsement was also noteworthy because the vote was coordinated by Carona supporters who are Republican party insiders, including former state GOP Chairman Michael Schroeder, Carona’s campaign spokesman, and former state GOP Executive Director Jon Fleischman, a Sheriff’s Department spokesman.

Also, Republican office holders in Orange County have accused the Sheriff of GOP disloyalty.

Speaking against a Carona endorsement at Monday’s GOP meeting were Costa Mesa Mayor Allan Mansoor, a sheriff’s deputy; Santa Ana school board member Rosemarie Avila; and anti-illegal-immigration activist Lupe Moreno.

Avila and Moreno criticized Carona for supporting Democrats in past elections, including being on the host committee for a fundraiser for then-Gov. Gray Davis and endorsing Latino activist Nativo Lopez for the Santa Ana school board, from which he eventually was recalled.

Flap handicaps a successful challenge to Carona being about even money at this time. Look for Sheriff’s Lt. Bill Hunt to gain support over the next few weeks.

Lt. Bill Hunt (L)
Is it over for Sheriff Mike Carona?

Stay tuned…….

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