Draft Jim Gilchrist! Minuteman Founder being urged to run for vacant Chris Cox Congressional seat!

http://www.jimgilchrist.com/ ^ | 8/5/2005 | Eternal Vigilance

[Torie]

Campbell is boring, uninspiring and squishy on the issues.

Not in my experience. I have listened to Campbell being interviewed on talk radio quite a bit. He is quite engaging, and has a good sense of humor. True, he is more conservative than I am. I am somewhere between him and Brewer.

This very upscale district socio-economically doesn't care much about illegal immigration. The illegals don't live there, except some Asians maybe (indeed few Hispanics of any nature live there), and folks appreciate the cheap and competent services. A fair percentage live in gated communities. Even in the best of circumstances for your guy, this district is pecurlarly ill suited for him.

[Torie]

B-1's flying machine isn't even going to manage to leave the gate in the airport in this CD, much less leave the ground. But then he has crashed and burned already in a CD somewhat more congenial to him, when he took on Rohrbacher. I would be shocked if he even ran.

[EternalVigilance]

You shouldn't jump to conclusions. I just had dinner with four Gilchrist supporters. Two were wealthy white males, one was an Asian woman, and the other was a Hispanic woman of Mexican descent.

Don't you think it might be a bit of an insulting and patronizing caraciture of the folks in those gated communities to think that they don't care about the problems with the border just because they like their cheap gardening and maid services?

[Torie]

I call them like I see them, when it comes to voting behavior. I live in this CD by the way. I have one vote. The primary election will be held in about 10 weeks. Isn't it a bit late to be wondering whether one might run or not? Or is Gilchrist not running in the GOP primary, just the general as a third party candidate? Or is he thinking about running in 2006? His website is very vague about these minor details. In any event, raising money without being a declared candidate seems a bit odd. What will he do with the money he raises if he doesn't run?

[EternalVigilance]

I call them like I see them, when it comes to voting behavior.

I can certainly vouch for that.

I live in this CD by the way.

Cool! Let's have lunch sometime. I'll buy.

The primary election will be held in about 10 weeks. Isn't it a bit late to be wondering whether one might run or not?

Not really, considering that the incumbent just resigned, and the Governor has not even set the date of the election as yet.

Or is Gilchrist not running in the GOP primary, just the general as a third party candidate?

You have a misunderstanding of how this election works. He could not bypass the primary and run as a third-party candidate.

Or is he thinking about running in 2006?

That's really not a timely question at this point. Who knows?

In any event, raising money without being a declared candidate seems a bit odd.

Happens every day. Candidates launch their campaigns that way all the time.

What will he do with the money he raises if he doesn't run?

Whatever is legally allowed for him to do with it.

But personally, I think he's running. He is very well-liked and admired by many people who want him to do this.

[Clemenza]

I still find it amazing that, just a few years ago, people kept saying how Orange County was going to go Dem.

[Torie]

Well OC trended Dem in the Nixon years, quite heavily, rather close to parity at the GOP nadir, and then trended back, way back, in the Reagan years, and has been slowly trending back again to the Dems since then. The territory covered by the 48th in the Reagan years was about 70-30 GOP, or close to it. Now it is about 60-40, and that margin is slowly eroding. The place is slowly regressing to the national high income suburban (as opposed to exurban) north of the Mason Dixon line CD mean. In this political environment (where social issues get so much play), that means slowly towards a competitive situation. But it isn't there yet, and won't be for some time.

[Clemenza]

There was a time back in the 1990s, after the aerospace industry went through its post-Cold War downsizing, that there was much discussion that OC would go into decline, and would become largely Hispanic and Asian due to white flight. It seems to me that the recent spike in cost of living means that urban decay has been limited to Anaheim, Santa Ana, Buena Park and Garden Grove, which were formerly lower class white areas at one time, according to friends of mine from OC.

OC may be more Dem than it was in the 1980s, but at least it hasn't gone the way of the suburban northeast.

[Torie]

Your bread and butter 1300 square foot house in Garden Grove goes from 500-600 K these days. Decay is not the issue. Even south of 17th St. Santa Ana is spruching up. Low income folks are being forced to decamp outside the county, more and more, all of the county.

[Clemenza]

Yep. It appears as though the trashy folks of all races seem to be going to the Inland Empire or Vegas.

I was offered a job in Irvine last year, but had to turn it down as the salary was just too low to live in that area.

[shebacal]

I've bookmarked Jim Gilchrist's website. I'll be sending him some money for his campaign.

This is good news. I will be sending money, too. Here's the address for mailing donations:

Jim Gilchrist for Congress
PO Box 2308
Laguna Hills, CA 92654-2308

Or, online at www.jimgilchrist.com/

[Dan from Michigan]

Jim Gilchrist hasn't even filed a committee yet. If he's considering a run, he needs to get a campaign treasurer and file a committee - especially he's collecting money.

[EternalVigilance]

Don't worry. All of that is being taken care of.

Sheesh. His website just launched.

This thing will progress very swiftly. His intentions will be clear in the next two weeks, in any case.

We're all waiting for the Gubernator to announce the date of the 'primary'.

[Gelato]

Thanks for the ping. I'd love to see Mr. Minuteman get elected. :-)

[Gelato]

Campbell is boring, uninspiring and squishy on the issues.

And apparently Campbell has no problem pandering to the pro-illegal immigration lobby.

I googled for John Campbell on illegal immigration, and found that on September 14, 2001, Campbell voted in favor of granting in-state college tuition for illegal aliens. That's THREE DAYS after September 11.

From the OC blog:

"Campbell Supports Illegals" is absolutely right.

AB540 by ultra liberal Assemblyman Firebaugh would give IN STATE tuition to ILLEGALS. Check this out:

Here the official Assembly analysis:

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/01-02/bill/asm/ab_0501-0550/ab_540_cfa_20010918_163923_asm_floor.html

And here's the official vote:

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/01-02/bill/asm/ab_0501-0550/ab_540_vote_20010914_1218AM_asm_floor.html

What other liberal, crazy votes did this "conservative" make? I'm sure we'll all find out as the campaign gets going.

http://www.ocblog.net/ocblog/2005/06/campbell_to_ann.html

[Dan from Michigan]

I'm not as familiar with federal law, but with state and local law - once our committee collects its first check, there's a week for the committee to file. That's why I posted that. I always check the FEC or Secretary of State records before writing a check.

If Mr. Gilchrist's campaign wants me to send a check, I need to make sure he's running a serious campaign, has good campaign organization, is pounding the pavement, and is giving himself the best chance to win. That's even before I check where the individual stands on issues.

I'm skeptical since I've seen many "fly by night" campaigns and "celebrity campaigns" which run or pretend to run for office so they can sell their book, go on the talk shows, and put their name in the paper. Pat Buchanan, Ted Nugent, and Geoffrey Fieger come to mind. I'm not saying that Mr. Gilchrist is in that category. I don't know if he is or not, but he is well known in some political circles and running for office will keep his name and group in the papers.

I do believe that Mr. Gilchrist can bring a lot to a debate, and I hope he does so. That said, if he wants my money, I need to be convinced that this campaign is worth a check.

[EternalVigilance]

You will see that he is quite serious, and has his stuff together. Just wait a bit, if that makes you more comfortable.

[SwinneySwitch]

Give 'em hell, Jim!

[Torie]

I am here to announce the results of the General election in December (I doubt Campbell will get 50% plus 1 in the primary due to Brewer being very well funded):

Campbell 50%
Young 42%
Gilchrist 8%

Stay tuned.

[Waywardson]

Your bread and butter 1300 square foot house in Garden Grove goes from 500-600 K these days.

---

Who can afford that? Who makes that kind of money? And what kind of work do they do? I had an 8,000sqft home with an acre of land. Paid $65,000 in 1996 in the midwest. And was paid $50,000 salary (before uncle sams share is stolen).