by David Dayen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

Man, where did I come up with a title like that?

John Doolittle will address the media at 10:30 am about his intentions.  Regardless of what he decides to do, I don't think it's a controversial statement that the best candidate we have running as a challenger for Congress in California this year is Charlie Brown.  He has the candidate experience, the most assured stance on the issues, and the money, but most important he has the right perspective, by not waiting until 2009 to lead but doing it every single day.  The donation of a percentage of his fundraising to aid the care of our veterans is one of the more inspired displays of leadership I've seen out of someone running for political office.  So let's not forget that, no matter what happens.

UPDATE by Brian: The Bee is now reporting that the presser is to announce his retirement at the end of his current term.

by Sheri Divers [courtesy of Blog for America]

Jack Wilson attended the DFA Training Academy in Nevada earlier this year. He took his newfound knowledge and created a political upset in Prescott, Arizona yesterday:

Challenger hangs onto lead to become Prescott’s mayor-elect

PRESCOTT - When Jack Wilson entered the race for Prescott mayor this past spring, he knew he faced a daunting challenge.

"It was clear to me that I was up against strong odds," Wilson said, noting that his opponent, Rowle Simmons, was a three-term incumbent mayor with solid name recognition.Wilson, a retired information technology executive from Chicago and seven-year resident of Prescott, determined that he needed to play to one of his strong suits: Organizational skills.

For the past several months, Wilson headed a sophisticated election campaign that featured regular Internet newsletters, a cadre of volunteers, and extensive voter-registration research.

The strategy paid off: On Wednesday, the City of Prescott and the Yavapai County Recorder's office released unofficial election results showing Wilson to be the mayoral winner in Prescott's Sept. 11 primary.

The day after the primary, both mayoral candidates acknowledged that Wilson's campaign efforts likely made the difference in the outcome.

read more »

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Contra Costa Assemblyman Guy Houston may be throwing his hat into the ring for a race against freshman Congressman Jerry McNerney on Thursday. According to the Contra Costa Times, Houston is set to make a "major political announcement" in Danville.
 
Houston recently survived an underfinanced re-election challenge for his seat. For the past several years, he has been embroiled in lawsuits with senior citizens who allege he and his father's investment firm swindled them out of thousands of dollars of their life savings. He is scheduled to be termed out of his seat unless the term limits reform intiative passes.
 
Houston is politically ambitious. But this would be an uphill fight against the other announced candidate in the race, Dean Andal. Andal has had several successful fundraisers so far and would be the annointed candidate of area conservatives. Houston is billed as a more moderate candidate, though his voting record in the Assembly shows little record of moderation.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom was being written off by pundits as self inflicted political roadkill six months ago. But, as today's NY Times points out, he's riding high with no legitimate political opponent and stratospheric poll numbers. The future's so bright for Hizzoner Newsom he has to wear shades, as demonstrated in this colorful photo. Compared to fellow Democrat and potential gubernatorial challenger Antonio Villaraigosa, Newsom doesn't have a cloud in the sky.

Photo courtesy of The New York Times.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Contra Costa area Republican Assemblyman Guy Houston -- touted as a possible challenger to Congressman Jerry McNerney -- will be heading to court on Thursday to defend himself from charges that he bilked senior citizens out of their life savings. Houston had successfully had the court date moved prior to his re-election.
 
In any case, Houston is an opposition researcher's dream come true. Read the full story here in the Contra Costa Times.

by dday [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

The LA Times writes a story about a possible challenge in CA-24, one of the few Congressional districts in the state which is somewhat purple (registration is 44-34 Republican, but with a lot of DNS votes), by a big-name Democratic opponent.

For months now, Democratic activists have been urging Ventura lawyer Richard Francis to run next year for the seat held by Elton Gallegly, Ventura County's longtime Republican congressman.

by juls [courtesy of Calitics: Soapblox California - Front Page]

"The sharks are starting to circle" says one Doolittle supporter and local activist.  The likelyhood that Doolittle will face a primary challenger, at the very least, is increasing.  The insider rag Roll Call has the juicy details.