Posted on 06/02/2006 9:03:04 AM PDT by Kuksool
With five days to go before the too-close-to-call special U.S. House election in California's 50th District (San Diego), Republicans were rocked last week with a hard-hitting denunciation of their nominee, Brian Bilbray from a fellow Republican.
"I proudly swore an oath to defend and protect the Constitution of California and the United States," Steve Baldwin, a former state assemblyman from San Diego and longtime conservative activist, wrote in an e-mail to fellow GOP activists in the 50th District, "That's why I'm appalled and deeply saddened to learn that Brian Bilbray is making a mockery of his oath to his fellow citizens (an oath that's taken with one hand on the Bible)."
Baldwin, who served in the state legislature from 1994-2000, cited in his letter reports from Channel 10 (San Diego) of allegations of perjury and voter fraud against Bilbray, who represented the neighboring district to the 50th from 1994-2000. Bilbray, according to Baldwin's letter, "claims a home in Alexandria, Virginia as his primary residence for tax purposes. Bilbray also claims a home in Imperial Beach as his primary residence for tax purposes. Of course, Mr. Bilbray says that 'I live in Carlsbad, taking care of my mother.' He says that he has lived there since March 2005."
The former legislator went on to note reports from Channel 10 and published reports that neighbors claim while he does come to visit his mother, Bilbray doesn't live there. A next door neighbor to Bilbray's mother who didn't want his name used, according to the Baldwin letter, "wondered when people would catch on that Bilbray does not live there."
When I asked Baldwin about the hard-hitting e-mail, he said that he is supporting Bill Hauf, a conservative businessman who is opposing Bilbray for nomination for the full term in the June 6th primary. The race to fill the remainder of the term of disgraced former Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R.-Calif.), in which Bilbray faces Democrat Francine Busby, is being held the same day 50th District Republicans select a nominee for the full term in November. Baldwin said he is backing Hauf over Bilbray for nomination for the full term and takes no side in the race in which moderate former Rep. Bilbray faces a tough challenge from Busby. In his words, "I'm trying hard to help Bill win the primary, but it's hard to help him without somehow affecting the special election."
National Republicans are increasingly worried about retaining the 50th District in the special election. More than 100 volunteers have been flown into the district to help voter turnout by the Republican National Committee and a special committee of the California GOP is mobilizing 40-to-50 volunteers to help Bilbray.
If Pelosi becomes House Speaker, I'm going to compile a body count of fallen pro-border security Republicans in the 2006 election and compare their RAT replacements on how they vote for amnesty in the next Congressional session. (If the RATS do take the House, then there will be an amnesty bill signed into law).
I will then flash the data on various FR threads to show "how teaching RINOs a lesson was productive".
Bilbray may be the first one on my list.
Right on. Great idea.
I smell rove's stink all over this.
I'll bet Rove plans on using Bilbray's possible defeat as a method to pound nervous Republican incumbents into submission on immigration reform.
I don't doubt it. Bilbray has gone on record opposing the McCain senate immigration amnesty debacle and was rewarded by having McCain pullout of a campaign stop for him.
If the OBL RINO's want to play hardball, we'll play hardball come November. We'll play by the same rules they are.
Rove and his center right ilk will not win the war for control of the party.
No problem with this.
In his words, "I'm trying hard to help Bill win the primary, but it's hard to help him without somehow affecting the special election."
This is BULL. He couldn't have waited until after the 6th? I suspect he wants Busby to win in the expectation Bill Hauf (after winning the primary) will unseat her in the 2006 general election.
Bilbray, however, is a border troll.
Good point. In any given election, you have to decide what the key issues are. Right now, immigration has moved to the top of the list next to terrorism. I would vote for a tight border/strong national security guy who was pro-abort at this time, becuase if we don't immediately correct this, there won't be a nation for babies to be born into.
Both the primary and the runoff for the Special Election are being held on June 6th.
It's not effective to campaign after an election.
With the way the House Leadership conducted itself over the FBI raid on Jefferson's fridge, the Congresscritters maybe that foolish to believe Rove's spin.
What is a border troll?
This Bill Hauf guy . . . what's his fund raising look like? There are always more conservative options in any election, but they may not be viable. Viability is an important consideration in elections. Voting for your neighbor down the street who is more conservative than the GOP candidate running with the fundraising to win makes no sense.
Point being, if Hauf's fundraising is zero compared to Bilbray and a letter of this kind could hurt Bilbray in the Special election, then the letter should not have occurred.
And whose idea was it to have a special election the same day as a primary. This special election is to fill that seat for what, 4.5 mos?
And for this you blame conservatives if he loses?
He was a lobbyist for FAIR, he's totally hard-core on immigration, it's his only conservative issue.
Is there a Freeper in this district that can tell us what is really going? Who will probably win? I would hate to think this district going Democratic.
You really need to lay off the crack pipe.
Hauf is pro Cuba and does business there.
Bilbray has a history of being tough on the border issue
when he was in congress in the 90s
I'm confused. Is Bilbray running in two elections at once? A state legislative primary and a US congressional election?
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