[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Frank D. Russo

Some astute political observers are seeing a parallel between this year’s general election in California and the elections of 1976 when the Republican Party cratered in the aftermath of Watergate. I remember 1976 very well. It was the year I graduated from law school, passed the bar, became an attorney, and began working for an Assemblymember from Southern California as his Administrative Assistant in his Sacramento office.

With a remarkably unpopular Republican President in the White House, Democrats surged both in party registration and votes at the polls and had a two-thirds majority in both the Assembly and the California State Senate. Jerry Brown had just been elected Governor and I had a great time as a 25 year old kid drafting a slug of legislation much of which wound its way through the labyrinth of the legislative process and became law. It was an exciting time.

Lest you think this is just wistful thinking, take a look at some figures Bob Mulholland, campaign advisor to the California Democratic Party, sent me last week. You’ll be surprised that the surge of Democratic voter registration and collapse of the California Republican Party is, if anything, even more pronounced than it was in 1974--at the height of the Watergate scandals.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

What's the status of the California Republican Party these days?

If you ask some DC insiders, like John Feehery, a GOP strategist who was former House Speaker Dennis Hastert's spokesman, "The party is seen as dog meat -- tainted dog meat at that."

And he's being nice.

No wonder. The State Party -- and its legislative leadership -- is hopelessly out-of-touch with the California electorate. Democratic registration is soaring, Obama has a double-digit lead, and legislative Republicans are doing the two-decade old "read my lips" dance when the majority of Californians are rejecting a cuts-only budget.

As for John McCain's prospects,the Mercury News notes, "Most analysts agree California's 55 electoral votes appear secure for the Democrats. 'McCain was going to lose California anyway, but his gamble to back offshore drilling means he will lose California by 20 points, and it will cause him trouble in Florida,' predicted Simon Rosenberg, president of the New Democrat Network, a group backing Obama."

by Michael Connery [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

You gotta love the sense of humor of the PR folks at the California Republican Party. Last night they circulated an interview expert of Sen. John McCain in USA Today saying "I intend to compete everywhere."  From that they extrapolated that he intends to "complete" in California too.
 
To that, I say bring it on.
 
The last Field Poll shows McCain trailing by 17 points. He's just come out for the ban on marriage equality that most Californians oppose. And his #1 cheerleader in the state, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, has approval ratings that are sinking fast.
 
So c'mon out, Sen. McCain. We know you have precious financial resources. And we'd love to have you waste them here. Our economy could use the lift.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Senator Art Torres (Ret.), Chairman of the California Democratic Party, issued the following statement:

"The California Republican Party issued a statement last night that completely ignores the facts of American presidential history.
 
One of our country's greatest Presidents, another former Illinois State Legislator named Abraham Lincoln, was attacked by his opponents for his 'inexperience.' Look at what Lincoln's opponents said, and look at what Lincoln did.
 
Similarly, Richard Nixon campaigned against the 'inexperience' of a young U.S. Senator named John Fitzgerald Kennedy. That 'inexperienced' Senator went on to become a President who helped the nation avert nuclear war and is remembered as one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century.
 
And President Ford accused Ronald Reagan of lacking the necessary experience to serve in the Oval Office, yet Reagan helped bring down the Berlin Wall.
 
Look at what their opponents said, and look what they did. History has proven these attacks wrong every time since 1860. They didn't work then, and they will not work now."

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Senator Art Torres (Ret.), Chairman of the California Democratic Party, today issued the following statement:

by EmilyDu [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

From the Courage Campaign

The most extreme high priests of the tax cut cult operate right here in

California. Because Democrats do not hold a two-thirds majority in our

state legislature, a small minority of Republicans is able to hold

Californians hostage to a $20 billion state budget deficit, refusing to raise taxes on the super-rich.

It gets worse. Much worse. While California's future is being put in grave jeopardy, the tax cut cult is refusing to close a tax loophole for yacht and private jet owners.

Schools closing. Social services slashed to the bone. And right-wing Republicans are letting the uber-wealthy off tax-free on yacht and private jet purchases. It's no wonder the California Republican Party has been re-branded as the "Yacht Party" by the netroots.

To increase the pressure on Republicans in Sacramento to close this

yacht tax loophole, we need to make this "Yacht Party" brand stick. That's

why the Courage Campaign and California Nurses Association have just

teamed up to produce a new 60-second TV ad that strips naked the