The Republican Party in Ventura County is split into two factions which have a long history of deeply disliking each other (and that's putting it very gently). There is no love lost between Gallegly and McClintock.
Tony Strickland is of course on Tom McClintock's side in these internecine battles (since Tony was a former staffer for Tom). Keith Richman, who represents the other Assembly district which is included in Tom's State Senate district, is a moderate-to-liberal Republican and falls in the other camp.
Richman will be termed-out in 2006, which gives him a little more time than Tony to find a new position. He's already run for mayor of the San Fernando Valley (and won), but since the overall succession vote failed it didn't mean anything. He can't go onto the State Senate as long as Tom is in the way. So he's been looking at running for a statewide office. Running for governor would give him some name recognition in preparation for a future statewide race.
"The Republican Party in Ventura County is split into two factions "
"It's pretty amazing to me that congressman Gallegly is publicly saying the things he is about illegal immigration"
not really. he's always in the "beltway"...not his district.
shows up here bout "re-election" time...
does he even know who "willie brown" is? n how to deal with him?
That suggests why Gallegly is looking into running when he has little chance. I don't know anything about the local party politics, and I know hardly anything about him. (and he's my Congressman). I'm glad he's emphasizing illegal aliens, since many politicians are afraid to discuss that important issue, but I don't know if he has any idea of how to fix the budget problems.
Keith Richman, who represents the other Assembly district which is included in Tom's State Senate district, is a moderate-to-liberal Republican and falls in the other camp.
No, not Richman! He voted against the budget because it didn't tax&spend enough. He wanted a "compromise" budget that he fashioned with some democrat to include more tax increases.
Running for governor would give him some name recognition in preparation for a future statewide race.
Given that there may be 60 to over 200 candidates running for governor, I doubt the candidacy will enhance his (Richman's or anyone else's) name recognition.