Ex-ally may challenge 'damaged' Doolittle in GOP primary

Sacramento Bee ^ | 5/31/7 | David Whitney

[SmithL]

WASHINGTON -- Eric Egland, who helped Rep. John Doolittle defeat Democratic challenger Charlie Brown in November, said Wednesday that he is seriously considering challenging Doolittle in next year's Republican primary because the congressman is too damaged to win the general election.

"The main concern of our district is that if Doolittle wins the primary, we will likely lose the seat to Cindy Sheehan Democrat Charlie Brown," Egland said in a telephone interview.

Egland, a 36-year-old Air Force reservist from Roseville, says he was a lifelong independent voter before he re-registered as a Republican last year. Yet, he is picking up some important Republican support.

Among those backing his entry into the race is Steve Schmidt, a former White House adviser to President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney who ran Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's 2006 re-election campaign, and Cindy Sherrod, who chaired the Bush-Cheney re-election drive in Placer County in 2004.

"The Republican Party will lose that seat if John Doolittle is nominated," Schmidt said.

"That was the lesson of the 2006 election. Ethically tarred Republican congressmen will go down to defeat. And the situation for Doolittle has only deteriorated since the last election."

Amy Dunn, another of Egland's backers, said the Roseville congressman is not the issue.

"We're looking for a fresh young candidate with new ideas and outside-the-Beltway mentality," said Dunn, a former vice chairwoman of the Placer Coun- ty Republican Central Committee.

Ron Rogers, Doolittle's new chief of staff, said he believes Egland and his supporters are misreading the political climate in the sprawling district.

The ongoing Justice Department investigation of Doolittle and his wife, Julie, in connection with the Jack Abramoff political corruption scandal is not eroding Doolittle's support, Rogers said.

[SmithL]

- Eric Egland

[Brilliant]

Go for it.

[norge]

I have a feeling Tom Sullivan will go for it. Tom doesn’t talk just for talking, and having teased the Lundgren thing two years ago, I suspect he is seriously thinking about it. He would have tremendous financial backing.

Besides, Doolittle is toast.