• CA-26,  California Democratic Party,  Tony Strickland

    CA-26: California Democratic Party Strikes Out On Tony Strickland

    Screenshot from website: Wrong for California

    The California Democratic Party who paid for this website Wrong for California has it WRONG about California State Senator Tony Strickland.

    Tony Strickland is a longtime Republican legislator looking to for his next landing spot. After being termed out of his state Senate seat, Strickland’s got his eyes set on joining the extreme Republican crop in Washington and sees Ventura County’s Congressional seat as his ticket to D.C. But its unlikely voters will be fooled. Strickland has a dirty environmental record, voting in favor of coastal drilling and going so far as sending a letter to California’s Attorney General, attempting to refute scientific data and analysis on climate change. Beyond towing the line for climate change deniers, he was also the first President of the California affiliate of the Club for Growth; a right wing club that strong-arms moderates out of office in favor of “no compromise” Republicans, like Strickland. Lastly, Strickland has spent a fair amount of time drumming to the beat of the Romney machine, serving as Chair of the Republican Presidential nominee’s California operation.

    Strickland is currently in the California Senate and was NOT term-limited out of office. And, Strickland could run for re-election in 2012, but chose to run for Congress instead.

    You would think a state party could get the basic facts straight, especially about an incumbent legislator.

    Note to the California Democrats: Next time you are going to mock someone, at least have your FACTS straight.

  • Julia Brownley,  Tony Strickland

    Tony Strickland Win Changes Outlook for CA-26

    Tony Strickland CA 26: Fundraising Totals Show Republican Tony Strickland Far in the Lead

    California State Senator Tony Strickland at January’s Congressional announcement

    Tony Strickland’s victory in the California June Presidential Primary election this week has changed the outlook for the 26th Congressional District, according to Stuart Rothenberg.

    Democrats avoided complete disaster by spending close to a million dollars to ensure Assemblywoman Julia Brownley made it into the top two. Brownley (26 percent) got a late start, represented just 16 percent of the congressional district and had to fend off Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks, who was running as an Independent and received 19 percent of the vote. But the race doesn’t get any easier for Democrats. State Sen. Tony Strickland (R) finished first on Tuesday with 45 percent and had over $700,000 in the bank on May 16. Given Strickland’s showing and Brownley’s need to get virtually all of Parks’ vote, we are moving this contest from Toss-Up/Tilt R to Lean Republican.

    The Democrats are apt to throw lots of money behind California Democratic Assemblywoman Julia Brownley but the fact remains Brownley is a carpetbagger. She may have represented parts of Ventura County (gerrymandered parts of heavily Hispanic Oxnard), but until a few weeks before running, she lived in Santa Monica. She has moved to Oak Park, but Strickland and the GOP Super PACS will exploit this large hole in Brownley’s candidacy.

    And, Strickland will have plenty of campaign cash to mail, run television and radio ads and run a social media campaign.

    I really do not think this will be a close race.

    Strickland will win easily.

    But, I fully expect the Democrats to throw everything at Strickland.

  • CA-26,  Julia Brownley,  Linda Parks,  Tony Strickland

    CA-26: Tony Strickland and Julia Brownley to Face Off in November

    From the California Secretary of State

    In one of California’s hotly contested Congressional races, the two major parties, fended off an independent No Party Preference candidate, Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks.

    When the dust settled, Republican California State Senator Tony Strickland was the top vote getter with around 44 per cent of the vote. Democrat Assemblywoman Julia Brownley finished second with almost 27 per cent. Parks finished third.

    In the first test of the California top two election process, it was the two major, partisan parties who prevailed.

    Underfunded and perhaps naive that money is not the “mothers milk of politics,” Linda Parks failed to break 20 per cent of the vote. Her mantra on being independent may play well in non-partisan races, but it failed to deliver last night.

    Without reading too much into the results, since voter turnout will be greater in November, Republican Tony Strickland has to be considered the favorite.

    But, the fall campaign which could determine the majority in the House of Representatives nationally will be hard-fought, expensive and brutal.

    Stay tuned…..

  • CA-26,  Julia Brownley,  Linda Parks,  Tony Strickland

    CA-26: Strickland Continues to Lead in Fundraising

    Parks and Strickland CA 26: Handicapping Linda Parks and Tony Strickland

    Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks (NP) and California State Senator Tony Strickland (R)

    Timm Herdt over at the Ventura County Star has the poop on the fundraising numbers – Republican California State Senator Tony Strickland leads far and away.

    Strickland had a pretty good week at fundraising last week, FEC reports show.

    He took in more than $70,000, most in the form of contributions from members of Congress and conservative PACs, including House Speaker John Boehner ($4,000) and Rep. Paul Ryan’s Prosperity PAC ($2,500).

    Meanwhile, Democrat Julia Brownley took in slightly over $20,000, led by contributions from AFSCME ($2,500), House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer ($2,000) and $2,000 each from county Democratic clubs in the Conejo Valley, Oxnard and Ojai.

    The reports show that independent Linda Parks boosted her campaign with a $10,000 contribution to the campaign from her personal funds on May 2.

    Ventura County Supervisor and No Party Preference candidate, Linda Parks, has been widely outspent by Strickland and Brownley. She accepts no contributions from PACS, although an independent SuperPAC has run some ads for her.

    Will Parks approach work in the new top two format?

    Will Republicans “GAME” the voting system and vote for Linda Parks to eliminate the Democrat, Brownley?

    Well. stay tuned…..the election is tomorrow.

  • CA-26,  Julia Brownley,  Linda Parks,  Tony Strickland

    CA-26: Republicans Vote for Linda Parks Tomorrow

    Linda Parks Republican CA 26: Is Linda Parks a Republican?

    From LindaParksRepublican.com

    Why not?

    In California’s new top two election system, Ventura County voters can have either have a Far Left Democrat (Assemblywoman Julia Brownley) or a No Party Preference moderate in Ventura County Sueprvisor Linda Parks, face off with Republican Tony Strickland in November.

    Brownley without hesitation will vote for Nancy Pelosi as Speaker and for every left-wing cause down the line.

    Parks is a moderate and although more left than I would like will at least be approachable on issues. Not to say that Parks will vote more conservative, but who can be MORE left than Santa Monica resident (oh yeah Brownley just moved) Julia Brownley?

    Conservative voters tomorrow have an opportunity for a two-fer. Strickland and Parks.

    Tomorrow vote for Linda Parks.

  • CA-26,  Tony Strickland

    CA-26: Tony Strickland Goes Positive in Political Mailer

    Screenshot from Tony Strickland Mailer

    The real campaign for this contested Congressional seat will be in November. But, Republican Tony Strickland is playing nice with this positive mailer about constituent service.

    Here is the entire mailer:

    Kathleen Scott

    A very good idea to portray yourself in a positive manner while the Democrat Julia Brownley goes after No Party Preference independent candidate Linda Parks in the June primary election.

    It is called placing a little goodwill in the general election bank.

  • CA-26,  Julia Brownley,  Linda Parks,  Tony Strickland

    CA-26: Handicapping Linda Parks Independent Challenge

    dcccattacks CA 26: Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Hits Linda Parks in Republican Framing Mailer

    Democratic Attack Mailer against No Party Preference candidate Linda Parks

    The chances of Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks winning a top two spot in the June 5th California Primary election is not looking so good. Timm Herdt over at the Ventura County Star has the analysis.

    First, lets look a the early balloting (California allows early by mail voting):

    Here’s what we know, based on information compiled by Political Data Inc. and Redistricting Partners: In the 26th Congressional District, 7 percent of the ballots sent to the district’s 151,515 permanent mail-in voters have already been returned. Of them, 40 percent have come from Democrats, 45 percent from Republicans and 11 percent from nonpartisans.

    Although CA-26 has a plurality of registered Democrats, the preponderance of early returned ballots, speaks to more enthusiastic voting by Republicans. And, these Republicans, are probably NOT voting for Linda Parks (who changed her registration from Republican to No Party Preference at the beginning of this campaign).

    Note, also the non-partisan or Declined to State returned mail ballots are ONLY at 11%.

    Herdt says that Linda Parks must capture 35 per cent of the Republican and non-partisan vote, plus 22 per cent of Democratic votes in order to beat Democrat Assemblywoman Julia Brownley for second place. I don’t see how she gets there.

    With the blistering Democratic direct mail attacks on Parks and the preference for GOP primary voters to vote for one of their own, Parks will likely come in a close third to Brownley.

    Republican California State Senator Tony Strickland has run a very smart race. His low-key campaign, while raining tons of campaign cash for November has been the winning strategy.

    Watch your mailbox for more Democratic attacks on Parks as Brownley closes out the campaign.

  • CA-26,  Linda Parks

    CA-26: Is Linda Parks a Republican?

    From LindaParksRepublican.com

    The new Linda Parks, Republican website certainly makes the case.

    Linda Parks is a Ventura County Supervisor running for Congress in in California’s 26th district as an “independent.” But Linda was a Republican for 16 years before switching to become an “independent” just in time to run for office. Sixteen years as a Republican. Really?

    Linda Parks claims to hate all things partisan. But that’s funny.

    You see, Linda became a Republican during Newt Gingrich’s hyperpartisan assault on democracy and good government.

    She stayed a Republican during the politically motivated partisan impeachment of Bill Clinton.

    She remained a Republican for the election of George W. Bush, an election decided by the nakedly partisan decision of the Supreme Court’s conservative bloc. She was still a Republican throughout the Bush Administration–arguably the most partisan Republican conservative administration in history.

    She remained a loyal partisan Republican during the invasion of Iraq.

    When Republicans swift-boated war hero John Kerry and wore purple-heart band-aids to mock Kerry’s military service during their convention, she still stayed a Republican. She didn’t change her registration when being a Republican meant endorsing Dick Cheney and Karl Rove.

    And when the Republican economics of reckless Wall Street deregulation crashed the economy even as the Republican Party threatened to put Sarah Palin, of all hyperpartisans, one heartbeat away from the Presidency, there was Linda Parks. An unwavering Republican.

    But now that she’s switched to “independent” in order to run for Congress, she claims to hate partisanship and declares independence from party loyalty. Not so fast.

    I have known Linda Parks for many years and watched her rise with the Thousand Oaks based “Slow Growth” movement. Her mentors were former Thousand Oaks City Council members Eloise Zeanah (a Republican) and Jaime Zukowski (a Democrat).

    Parks knew that if she was to have a political future in Thousand Oaks that she must be registered a Republican. Almost all of the POLS in this town since the 1980’s have been. The vast majority of voters and especially the ones that show up to vote are Republicans.

    Registering as a Republican was a no-brainer, if she wanted a political career.

    The better question is: will Linda Parks be a Republican partisan in the Congress?

    The answer to this question is NO and she won’t vote for the Democratic Party line either – especially since they are so desperate to defeat her with Democrat Assemblywoman Julia Brownley.

    This attack website is nothing but HOT AIR and I suppose created by the very LEFT leaning Democrats in Ventura County who so want a Brownley vs. Republican Tony Strickland race in November.

  • CA-26,  Julia Brownley,  Linda Parks,  Tony Strickland

    CA-26: Linda Parks and Her Cable Television ONLY Campaign Strategy

    Screenshot from Linda Park’s latest television ad

    Timm Herdt over at the Ventura County Star interviews Linda Park’s strategist George Gorton regarding her campaign media strategy.

    Political strategists have historically just about all come to the same conclusion about how to campaign in Ventura County: mail, mail and more mail. So it is intriguing to see the approach that Supervisor Linda Parks of Thousand Oaks is taking in running as an independent in the 26th Congressional District. She and her consultant, George Gorton, have decided to put nearly all their resources into cable TV.

    Public documents from Time Warner show that Gorton’s partner Garrett Biggs on April 5 signed a $202,200 contract to air Parks ads on Ventura County cable systems through Election Day. The current schedule shows spots slated to run nearly every day through May 13, presumably with more to be scheduled later. They are placed on a wide range of cable channels, including ESPN, the Food Network, Fox Sports, MSNBC, HGTV, the Discovery Channel and the History Network.

    “It’s a pretty significant buy,” Gorton told me yesterday.

    I know George Gorton from his days with Pete Wilson and his successful campaigns for U.S. Senate and California Governor. All of Gorton’s Wilson campaigns were very successful and almost all of the media was on television, broadcast and cable. So, a television only strategy is not unusual for Gorton.

    And, certainly this strategy is not unusual for Linda Parks who will be campaign cash challenged as compared to Republican California State Senator Tony Strickland and Democrat California Assemblywoman Julia Brownley. A direct mail campaign to all of Ventura County potential voters would be cost prohibitive for Parks – especially since she is a NPP (No Party Preference) and cannot mail to only Republican or Democratic households with the same message.

    Here is Park’s latest ad, embedded below and it features many of her supporters from City Council and Supervisor campaigns (very low production costs and value):

    What is surprising to me, is not the Park’s strategy. This is the same media campaign that her mentor and my former neighbor successful Thousand Oaks City Councilwoman Jaime Zukowski used to beat an incumbent Thousand Oaks Mayor Robert Lewis over twenty years ago. What is surprising is that neither Strickland nor Brownley have responded with ANY cable television ads of their own.

    Parks has been on for over two weeks and nobody has gone “on air.”

    As far as internet ads are concerned, I have seen little activity thus far for Parks. She will likely do some and I will let you know when I see them appear.

    And, I bet when Brownley’s and Strickland’s consultants get around to reading Herdt’s and my pieces, they may actually produce some responding or even negative television ads. At least they should, especially Brownley, if she doesn’t want to finish third to Parks or Strickland in June.

  • CA-26,  David Cruz Thayne,  Linda Parks,  Tony Strickland

    CA-26 Video: David Cruz Thayne Releases First Online Ad

    Daivd Cruz Thayne is up with his first online web ad.

    I have embedded the video below:

    It is pretty much a biography and tells of his early years as a South American immigrant to the United States.

    Thayne is one of four Democrats running for two spots against Republican State Senator Tony Strickland and NPP (No Party Preference) Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks.

    Thayne’s campaign website is here.