Bilbray anounces for Cunningham's vacant seat

San Diego Union-Tribune ^ | 12/1/05 | Debbi Farr Baker

[b9]

Bilbray was once describd as "The bullet of the Patomac" because of his stellar rise in Congress.

His defeat by Susan Davis was a sad day in San Diego.

I don't blame him for this bid, but I'm sorry to see such stiff competition for Kaloogian.

Will be interesting to hear Roger Hedgecock's comments, as he is a friend of both good men.

[CounterCounterCulture]

Republicans make up 45 percent of the registered voters in the district and Democrats make up 30 percent.

Wish I lived in a district like that. Mine's the complete opposite (sigh)

Mandatory Kaloogian plug...

[b9]

Wish I lived in a district like that.

:::sigh::: me, too.

[scottinoc]

Bilbray was one of the really great Contract With America congressmen, which was why he was targeted by the Clintons. Would love to see him back.

[b9]

Should be a juicy race, fueled no doubt by the press pitting good R's against each other.

Sure don't look forward to that.

[Amerigomag]

This fellow sounds like the person the CAGOP should run for Governor next year.

[b9]

or Senator.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Bilbray needs to go take his seat back from Susan Davis. This seat is Howard Kaloogian's, period.

[AuH2ORepublican]

"Bilbray needs to go take his seat back from Susan Davis."

---

Unfortunately, he can't beat her. After redistricting, the Susan Davis CD is way too Democrat, more so than even Leach's in IA or Simmons's in CT.


"This seat is Howard Kaloogian's, period."

---

I hope so. That seat belongs to a conservative, not a moderate.

[Amerigomag]

That's in 2010 (Boxer). California needs a traditional, Republican, gubernatorial candidate by early next year.

The CAGOP has an excellent opportunity and a bullet proof excuse to dump the Austrian liberal. The announced Democrat candidates in 2006 are weak and California would be a tough market for another celebrity fool thanks to recent events should Reiner try to emerge from the shadows.

Bilbray may not be the best answer but the CAGOP can salvage their reputation and rectify the chaos they've enabled if they select a stable, predictable, marketable candidate by January 2006.

[SoCalPol]

Bilbray is already a loser

What do you know thousands of miles away.
I worked in the same bldg. same floor as Bilbray when he
was a Co. Supervisor.
He was great when a congressman.

[b9]

Bilbray was just on Hedgecock's show.

If elected, he would enter Congress as a senior member, a HUGE plus.

He's 100% dedicated to border control AND fixing the horrid traffic boondoggle in the North County corridor.

This is no time for personality games. It's a matter of who can accomplish most.

[AuH2ORepublican]

"If elected, he would enter Congress as a senior member"

---

Actually, he probably wouldn't. He would just have more seniority than someone sworn in on the same day, but since he'll be running on a special election, whoever gets elected will come in ranking 435th in the House. Sometimes the Speaker (or Minority Leader, as the case may be) will offer an ex-Congressman part or all of his old seniority if he runs, but in a heavily Republican district where Bilbray isn't needed to hold the seat I doubt that Hastert will offer anything to Bilbray---why would Hastert piss off the dozens of Republicans with less than 6 years of seniority who would be stepped over by Bilbray?

[b9]

Then call Hedgecock's show and dispute Bilbray yourself. He accomplished a lot in his 3 terms and his seniority is in tact.

[Kluster]

I live in Encinitas, and was horrified by the Duke's fsckup.

I'll be watching this race REALLY closely. Hopefully there will be plenty of public forums to pose the illegal invasion questions, as in, question #1: "Will you be a strong ally of Tom Tancredo's?"

[Clintonfatigued]

The article contains an error. Assemblyman Mark Wyland is running for the state Senate seat being vacated by Bill Morrow.

As for Brian Bilbray, he is yesterday's news. The winner will either be Howard Kaloogian (who has a strong following among conservatives) or Bill Morrow (who already represents most of the district in the legislature).

[Experiment 6-2-6]

I met with Brian Bilbrary before he was ousted. VERY neat guy. Accountant by trade, if I recall.

He was the teenage mayor of Imperial Beach when he got tired of the Tijuana Estuary polluting the beach. Got into a bulldozer and plugged up the entrance.

Wish we had MORE like him in Congress.