Free Republic

Orange County may be the state's most Republican urban county, but it's Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides who has been raking in the cash there. A Register analysis of campaign contributions from local donors to Angelides, who is state treasurer, and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger since January 2005 show Angelides ahead by 25 percent –just over $140,000 – as of March 17, according to reports filed Wednesday. There are several reasons why Angelides has done so well in Orange County, say both his supporters and detractors. For one, he is a former Democratic Party chairman and thus able to tap into...

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has released a second television ad on behalf of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger that is scheduled to run on cable and broadcast outlets statewide. This 30-second spot explicitly champions the performance of the governor since he gained office in the 2003 recall election. Below is the text of the ad and an analysis by Andy Furillo of The Bee Capitol Bureau. • NARRATOR: Remember? California was $22 billion in the red, the car tax tripled, jobs and businesses were leaving, a state literally in the dark. Arnold Schwarzenegger delivered. Repealing the car tax hike, cutting the...

SACRAMENTO, CA -- The Sierra Club, the largest environmental organization in California with approximately 200,000 members, today announced its endorsement of State Treasurer Phil Angelides' campaign for Governor. The Sierra Club is a non-profit, member-supported, public interest organization that promotes conservation of the natural environment. “I am honored to receive the Sierra Club’s endorsement,” said Angelides. “As a private citizen and as Treasurer, I have put environmental protection at the center of my work. As Governor, I will fight every day to protect California’s coastline, work hard to protect our forests and improve the quality of the air we breathe...

The recent semi-annual California Republican Convention was an attempt by Governor Schwarzenegger and others to solidify his support with the base of the party. Despite his efforts and those of State Senator Tom McClintock, Arnold has failed as of now. Schwarzenegger positions have left the base feeling that supporting him for reelection may not only be the wrong thing to do, but may also be counterproductive. Arnold and his gaggle of handlers believe his fight is with wild-eyed, right-wing conservatives. That is not true. Mainstream Republicans who have stayed away from the moderate/conservative slugfest in the California Republican Party are...

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - Last year, Sen. John McCain urged his friend, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, to push for campaign finance reforms in California in 2006. But the governor has spent much of his time talking about building highways, levees and schools, not restraining the flow of campaign dollars. On Monday, the Republican senator known for trying to slow runaway political spending in Congress was set to help the governor raise money for his re-election bid at a fundraiser with tickets priced up to $100,000. The closed-door event was being hosted by donors among the entertainment and business elite, including "The...

SACRAMENTO – Hours after suffering a major election-year defeat by failing to put his ambitious public works bond on the June ballot, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger guaranteed that the entire package would be put before voters in November. “We are going to have this year the infrastructure done. That I can guarantee you,” Schwarzenegger told a Capitol news conference yesterday. “We will have it done this year. We haven't been able to do it by June. But we will do it by November.” As a deadline approached Wednesday night, marathon negotiations to place a $50 billion bond issue on the June...

In a television commercial airing in major California media markets, state Controller Steve Westly evokes former President Carter to boost his conservationist credentials. NARRATOR: He's practical ... a problem solver with experience that sets him apart. Under President Carter, he worked on solar energy and conservation. Pro-choice. Defender of the environment. Committed to education. Steve Westly. Democrat. A different kind of governor. .... Analysis: ...... But while the ad shows a young Westly shaking Carter's hand, the former president hasn't endorsed his candidacy. Deanna Congileo, a spokeswoman for the Carter Center in Atlanta, said he makes no endorsements in primary...

WE like the way state Sen. Tom McClintock stepped up and told fellow Republicans to stop nitpicking the governor's attempts to woo moderates to the GOP. Addressing delegates last week at the state Republican Party convention in San Jose, McClintock said, "Let me ask you the critical question of this convention. What's greater - the differences among us as Republicans or the differences between us and the Democrats?" Quite a mouthful for one of the most conservative Republicans in California. He's right of course. He might just as easily have told those carping about Schwarzenegger's appointing a Democrat as his...