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Last week California State Representative John Campbell won a special election to fill the U.S. House of Representatives seat vacated when Chris Cox was appointed to chair the Securities and Exchange Commission this summer. But Campbell's victory, which was never in doubt, wasn't the headline of the election. Jim Gilchrist, founder of the volunteer border-watching group known as the Minutemen, ran as an independent on a border-security platform, and garnered about a quarter of the vote, 10% higher than his showing in the 19-candidate "jungle primary" in October. Campbell's share of the vote dropped a percentage point from the primary,...

Jim Gilchrist, American Independent (Constitution Party) nominee received 25.1% of the vote. The Republican, State Senator John Campbell, won with 44.7%; the Democrat is second with 28.0%. The Green polled 1.3% and the Libertarian polled .9%.Gilchrist’s showing is the highest percentage received by a minor party for U.S. House (in a race with both major parties also in the race) since 1994, when A Connecticut Party polled 26.3% in the First District of Connecticut.

Illegal Immigration: When a one-issue activist from a fringe party holds the Republican candidate to under 45% in GOP territory, it's time to take notice. If you're looking for the Orange County of pop culture and political lore, you'll find it in California's 48th Congressional District. This is the quintessential O.C., from storied beaches to rock-ribbed Republicanism. Outside the college enclave of U.C. Irvine, this is turf where the GOP reigns and its candidates usually win in a walk.

From today's Hotline: "~~~Don't Believe The Hype? Is "immigration" the great overlooked issue that is ready to shoot up the "importance" chart? Or is it simply the obsession of a passionate, and vocal, minority of GOPers? -- The results out of immigration's first big electoral test in CA 48 seem to favor the latter. Minuteman founder Jim Gilchrist (I) spent approx $500K (nearly 4 times the Dem nominee), was covered in the media as if he were the chief challenger to eventual winner John Campbell (R) and was running in one of the most immigration-focused CDs (the O.C.). -- And...

...What to conclude? Despite massive media attention and around-the-clock boosterism from local radio flaks and know-nothings John & Ken, the candidacy of anti-illegal immigration single issue candidate Jim Gilchrist could only muster 23,237 votes --less than one third of the Graham vote in November of 2004. No "Minuteman" candidate will ever have more favorable conditions than this special election, and still the Minuteman candidate failed miserably. As will a Congressman Tancredo if he mounts a "run" for the presidency. Hard truth: There is a small, but important anti-illegal immigrant vote. It is less than 10% in one of the most...

Orange County 48th Congressional District General Election December 6, 2005 Unofficial Results for Election Next Update: 0 Days 0 Hours 54 Minutes 0 Seconds Registration and Turnout Completed Precincts: 0 of 268 Reg/Turnout Percentage Total Registered Voters 405655 Precinct Registration 405655 Precinct Ballots Cast 0 0.0% Early Ballots Cast 0 0.0% Absentee Ballots Cast 0 0.0% Total Ballots Cast 0 0.0% UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE 48th District Vote Count Percentage JOHN CAMPBELL (REP) 0 0.0% BRUCE COHEN (LIB) 0 0.0% STEVE YOUNG (DEM) 0 0.0% BÉA TIRITILLI (GRN) 0 0.0% JIM GILCHRIST (AI) 0 0.0%

Lake Forest, CA — Minuteman Project founder and 48th Congressional District candidate Jim Gilchrist – who this weekend garnered the endorsement of the National Border Patrol Council, the union that represents 10,000 front-line U.S. Border Patrol agents and employees – today criticized opponent John Campbell for “backsliding” on his support of the California Border Police Initiative. Campbell in a recent media interview confirmed his discomfort and lack of commitment towards the Initiative he supposedly co-sponsors. Campbell has “sold out all of the people who have donated money and who have ‘given their blood, sweat and tears’ to get this critical...

The Republican Party has nominated John Campbell to replace Chris Cox as representative of the people of the 48th Congressional Dist. in Ca. If you look at John Campbell's voting record in Saacramento you will see why I resigned from the NRC and the NRCC. One old friend of mine described John Campbell as, "A political Whore". Jim Gilchrist on the other hand is a true American (On the order of the original Miute men). He is the actual founder of the Minuteman Org.and should replace Cox.

LAKE FOREST, Calif. -- Last year, retired accountant Jim Gilchrist started a volunteer group that vowed to catch illegal immigrants sneaking across the Mexico-U.S. border. Scarcely a year later, he's vying for the only vacant seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, running an unlikely campaign that is showcasing deep political divisions over the immigration issue. Mr. Gilchrist is the co-founder of the controversial border-watch group called the Minuteman Project, which has caused a stir by sending citizen patrols to border areas with the goal of stopping illegal crossings. The group has been branded "vigilantes" by President Bush but embraced...

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kevin Hand stands ready to have a barrier lifted off a trailer and emplaced around a local polling site in south Baghdad, Iraq, for the Oct. 15, 2005, Constitutional Referendum. Hand is assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 648th Engineer Battalion, 48th Brigade Combat Team. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. David Bill 48th Brigade Prepares Security at Polling Sites Iraqi Army soldiers provided security with an outer cordon as 48th Brigade Combat Team battalions put concrete barriers and concertina wire into place. By U.S. Army Sgt David Bill 48th Brigade Combat Team RADWINIYAH, Iraq, Oct....

ANAHEIM, California (Reuters) - The Republican favorite for a California congressional seat was forced into a runoff with Jim Gilchrist, founder of a volunteer border patrol group, and three other candidates after failing to capture a majority of the vote. With all precincts reporting in Tuesday's special election for the 48th Congressional district, former state Sen. John Campbell had collected 46 percent of the votes cast, followed by fellow Republican and former state Assemblywoman Marilyn Brewer at 16.7 percent. Gilchrist, who founded the Minuteman movement and is running as an American Independent Party candidate, drew 14.4 percent, followed by Democrat...

IRVINE, Calif. (AP) - Illegal immigration emerged as a critical issue in the race to fill the nation's only vacant House seat, as an anti-immigration activist siphoned off enough votes from the GOP-backed favorite to force a runoff election. State Sen. John Campbell finished with 46 percent of the vote in Tuesday's special election in Southern California's heavily Republican Orange County, but failed to gain the majority needed to avoid a runoff. He will face the top vote-getters from four other parties in the Dec. 6 election. Second-place finisher Marilyn Brewer, a moderate Republican who drew 17 percent of the...

Orange County 48th Congressional District Primary Election October 4, 2005, 10:09 PM Unofficial Results for Election Registration and Turnout Completed Precincts: 92 of 268 Reg/Turnout Percentage Total Registered Voters 402006 Precinct Registration 402006 Precinct Ballots Cast 12810 3.2% Early Ballots Cast 962 0.2% Absentee Ballots Cast 47440 11.8% Total Ballots Cast 61212 15.2% UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE 48th District Vote Count Percentage JOHN CAMPBELL (REP) 29681 48.9% MARILYN C. BREWER (REP) 9607 15.8% JIM GILCHRIST (AI) 6313 10.4% STEVE YOUNG (DEM) 5831 9.6% JOHN GRAHAM (DEM) 2651 4.4% BEA FOSTER (DEM) 2192 3.6% DON UDALL (REP) 1127 1.9% JOHN KELLY...

This race to replace former Rep. Christopher Cox, who left Congress in August to become chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, includes 17 candidates – 10 Republicans, four Democrats and three independents – plus two write-ins. If any candidate gets 50 percent plus one vote, that person will automatically become the next House member from the coastal Newport Beach-based district. If not, a general election will be held Dec. 6 and the top vote-getters from each party will be on that ballot. The candidates for this race: Republicans: • Marilyn Brewer • John Campbell • David R. Crouch •...

We have 9 minutes left to see whom replaces Cox for our district, anyone hear how it is going? Any bets?

No mistake, we OWNED that debate. The Republicans had about 35 interns and young staffers flown in from Washington D.C. to cheer for Campbell. John and Ken were not amused. As they pointed out, the paid “political hacks” were inside watching the show while the John and Ken audience was stuck waiting in line outside. Most of them were tossed out. There were a few Campbell supporters waiting in line but they ditched their signs and left. Campbell snuck in though the back. Jim came in through the front, shaking hand with the people in line, and taking pictures. People...

IRVINE, Calif. - Seventeen candidates qualified for Tuesday's special election to fill the nation's only vacant House seat, but the real contest in this affluent Orange County district was between the conservative and moderate factions of the Republican party. State Sen. John Campbell, a former car dealer endorsed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, was considered the front-runner for the 48th District seat relinquished by former Rep. Christopher Cox. But Marilyn Brewer, a former state assemblywoman with the endorsement of Republican Sen. John McCain of Arizona, was a strong contender who hoped to upset Campbell with a coalition of votes from moderate...

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