So, are you in the mood for some more Byzentine California Republican politics? Here it comes.
You might remember me telling you about the long-time fued between Elton Gallegly and Tom McClintock in Ventura County politics. It’s still ongoing. As you know, McClintock now represents suburban Sacramento and Gallegly has decided to retire (he been ill lately). Word has it that state Senator Tony Strickland’s Congressional campaign is imminent. Strickland succeeded McClintock in both houses of the state legislator, happily following his mentor. And here’s another twist: Audrey Strickland followed her husband Tony into the state Assembly when he was term-limited from that body. This has not pleased Gallegly, who perhaps feared a primary challenge from McClintock and then Strickland before redistricting. Gallegly had hoped to be succeeded by Simi Valley Councilman Glen Becerra, a former aide, but Becerra doesn’t have the name I.D. to defeat Strickland in a Republican primary.
But a new development has happened. RINO Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks, who has a following in Thousand Oaks from her days as Mayor, threw both Strickland and Gallegly by announcing. How does Mrs. Parks fit into this? Gallegly had long been neutral about her (he’s more conservative). But they were drawn into an alliance of convenience in 2010 when the term-limited Assemblywoman Audrey Strickland ran against Parks for Ventura County Supervisor. Parks won by a comfortable margin, but she’s not pleased with the Sacramento conservatives who tried to meddle in local Ventura County politics and successfully played on local resentment of outsiders to win handily. If Becerra doesn’t run (he probably won’t), it looks like Gallegly will back Parks against McClintock’s protoge’, Tony Strickland. In other words, you have multiple personal grudges coming into play.
There’s even more-that’s right, more. With Tony Strickland vacating his state Senate district (which he won very narrowly and has cut into two districts now, with the west part merged with a Santa Barbara Democrat incumbent), Gallegly has moved to get state Assemblyman Cameron Smyth elected to the other part of Strickland’s district. Gallegly considered running aginst neighboring Republica Buck McKeon, who’s from neighboring northern Los Angeles County. McKeon has agreed to back Smyth for Senate, but guess who will be the nominee to succeed Smyth in the Assembly? Patricia McKeon, the Congressman’s wife, who has Gallegly’s backing. It’s possible that the conservative McKeon will back the less conservative Parks at Gallegly’s urging in exchange.
Not over yet- even more. Tony Strickland briefly worked for then-Congressman Bill Thomas. Another young staffer there was Kevin McCarthy, who later succeeded Thomas in Congress. It appears that Strickland and McCarthy were rivals within the office and after leaving became young leaders of differing Republicans in Sacramento. McCarthy is not only an incumbent Congressman, but a leader in the NRCC who helped form its successful Young Guns candidate recruitment program. Does McCarthy still hold a grudge and, if so, enough of one to back Parks over Strickland?
Almost done here. An end to the Gallegly/McClintock fued could be in the near future. McClintock is less of a presence in Ventura County and Gallegly will also be after his retirement. In the race to succeed Audrey Strickland in the Assembly in 2010, the McClintock and Gallegly factions were both supportive of Jeff Gorell, a gang-busting prosecutor and career military man, to succeed her. Gorell may have a bright future. But he needs time to establish himself both locally and in Sacramento. Being in the Army Reserve, he had to miss the legislative session to serve in Afghanistan.
OK, wrap your minds around all that and let me know what you think.
FRegards,
CF
Ping posting #15.
I think I need an aspirin that’s what I think.
Did you guys hear about the Arizona remap? It sounds like the “independent commission” screwed us there as well. Adding to the problems is that Freshman Paul Gosar is ditching his competitive district for a safe Republican one.
The Republican legislature needs to abolish that crap.
New Jersey Republicans of all people successfully manipulated the commission in their state. Amazing.