[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By David Dayen
d-day

I don't know if people still have some notion that Tom McClintock is a good general election candidate, having never won a contested general election race, but this John Doolittle affair should completely put an end to that.

The story goes that on June 16, McClintock appeared to signal that he would be meeting with the disgraced Congressman to talk about campaigning in tandem during the fall election.

"We're talking about doing a couple of events and we're putting them together," said Doolittle spokesman Dan Blankeburg....Stan Devereux, a spokesman for McClintock, confirmed that the campaign had set up a meeting to discuss Doolittle's support for McClintock."

The very next day, June 17, a McClintock spokesman denied any desire for an endorsement or joint campaign event.

"If you're running as an outsider why would you want anyone's endorsement?" asked John Feliz, a McClintock consultant, when asked if the campaign would be receiving Doolittle's stamp of approval." June 17, 2008, PolitickerCA.

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

[courtesy of California Progress Report]

By Frank D. Russo

On primary election eve in the hot race for California’s 4th Congressional District to replace disgraced Republican John Doolittle who is not running for re-election, Democrat Charlie Brown has released polling that shows him leading either of his likely Republican opponents opposition in the November election. The poll shows that either Doug Ose or Tom McClintock, locked in a tight and nasty fight for the Republican nomination in this district centered in Sacramento, would likely lose the general election battle with Brown if the election was held today.

The survey of 400 likely General Election voters was conducted by Pete Brodnitz of the Benenson Strategy Group on May 14th and 15th. The margin of error was +/- 4.9%. Brodnitz was named “Pollster of the Year” in 2007 by the American Association of Political Consultants-- a bi-partisan award given to one pollster per election year. The Benenson Strategy Group’s clients include Governor Tim Kaine (VA), Senator Jim Webb (VA), and Barack Obama’s campaign for President.

Despite, or maybe because of a $4 million advertising blitz by the GOP frontrunners, the poll shows Brown leading Ose 38% to 34%, and leading McClintock 42% to 40%.

by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Now Doug Ose is alleging illegal coordination between Tom McClintock and a 501(c)(4) group headed by poster boy for Republican losers in the state:

A California-based group and other local officials filed a Federal Election Commission (FEC) complaint Monday regarding the alleged ties between an ex-aide to Rep. Richard Pombo (R-Calif.) and state Sen. Tom McClintock (R).

McClintock and former Rep. Doug Ose (R-Calif.) are in a bitter primary battle to face off against Democrat Charlie Brown this fall for retiring Rep. John Doolittle's (R-Calif.) seat.

At issue is the role of Steve Ding - an ex-McClintock consultant and former chief of staff for Pombo - and The Partnership for America, a 501(c)4 advocacy group headed by Pombo.

McClatchy recently reported that Pombo's group is organizing a $660,000 independent campaign in the 4th congressional district.

Whoever comes out of the primary is going to be tainted by multiple smears, and flat broke.  McClintock and Ose are both willing to risk that because they think the 4th District is automatically Republican, and they're underestimating the strength of Charlie Brown.

At their peril.

You can read on for McClintock's ties to Pombo and various Indian gaming groups.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

The Sacramento Bee reports that legislators have no fundraising limit for ballot measures, allowing them to skirt a 2000 law limiting campaign contributions."Politicians have used the funds for everything from TV ads featuringthemselves to family Christmas cards to leverage in policy negotiationswith well-heeled special interests."

Peter Stahl reminds us all why Proposition 98 is a bad idea in today's California Progress Report. In contrast, Proposition 99 limits eminent domain without destroying rent control.

The race to replace Rep. John Doolittle is getting ugly, saysthe San Francisco Chronicle. Former Rep. Doug Ose is painting hisopponent Senator Tom McClintock as a carpetbagger, while McClintock forhis part is calling Ose "a Republican that votes like a liberalDemocrat." Grab your popcorn.

There's more...

Image courtesy Sacbee.com 

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

The battle between proponents of two competing property rights measures inCalifornia is already underway, with both sides getting ready to hitthe airwaves, the Los Angeles Times reports. One measure, Proposition99, is a common-sense initiative that would give basic protectionsagainst the seizing of homes. The alternative, Proposition 98, wouldundermine local government at every level, not to mention eliminaterent control.

Doug Ose (above) is ripping away at arch-right-winger Tom McClintock's reputation for fiscal conservatism with a new ad that slams the State Senator for taking a per diemdespite not living in his home district in Thousand Oaks, according tothe Sacramento Bee. Ose is by far the more moderate of two running inthis Northern California district, but we're still rooting for DemocratCharlie Brown.

John Doolittle's soon-to-be former Congressional district isn't theonly place where Republicans are beating each other up. Down inaffluent Southern California, Assemlymember Mimi "I always vote no"Walters is fending off what ought to be just a nuisance challenge fromAnaheim Councilmember Harry Sidhu. Walters' website says she exhibits "Orange County" values, but given what we have seen of the OC on TV, is that really a good thing?

There's more...