Sacramento Republicans Take Over New School Board

Sacramento County Chairman Craig MacGlashan reports that the new North Area School District will be controlled by Republicans who were elected to four of the seven seats on the new board.

The northern part of Sacramento County has historically been considered Demcorat territory, making the new Republican-controlled board all the more important. It creates an opportunity for Republicans to make real progress in improving the quality of education for Sacramento kids.

Congratulations to all of the members of the Republican Party of Sacramento County for another victory!

Governor Schwarzenegger Leads Opening of RGA Meeting in the OC

Governor Schwarzenegger highlighted the opening of the Republican Governors Association annual meeting in Dana Point at the St. Regis. Hotel last night.

In a great move, the Orange County New Majority donor group held its annual holiday party at the same hotel on the same night, drawing in addition to our own Governor, an impressive list of regional, state and local elected officials including Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue, and a long list of others. Clearly a well-deserved success for the New Majority.

Governor Schwarzenegger provided a powerful presentation on his administration’s accomplishments, and praised the other Republican governors for taking action on the issues that matter to Americans. (By contrast, the Democrats in Congress still have not managed to pass a federal budget, extend the President’s tax cuts, or make progress on much else.)

Air America Goes Belly Up in San Diego

In the latest sign that liberalism isn't catching on in San Diego, the liberal Air America station (KLSD) has been shut down -- permanently replaced with a new sports station.

Iraq Progress Forces Democrats to Shift Again

The success of the President's new strategy in Iraq is unmistakable. The country generally and Baghdad particularly are far different places than they were a year ago.

In short, the "surge" is working by virtually all accounts.

Concurrently, the Democrats' calls for setting a date for unilateral surrender ("withdrawal"), all too common even six months ago, have faded into the background.

In today's New York Times, reporter Patrick Healy notes, "As violence declines in Baghdad, the leading Democratic presidential candidates are undertaking a new and challenging balancing act on Iraq: acknowledging that success, trying to shift the focus to the lack of political progress there, and highlighting more domestic concerns like health care and the economy."

With the falling level of violence that has come as U.S. and Iraqi troops defeat Al Queda and other insurgent forces (most of whom are foreign-backed), the Times story notes that Democrats have tried to change the topic, making the "lack of political progress" in Iraq the issue.

In other words, if they can't score political points over the military strategy (which is working), the Democrats try to shift the discussion to the fact that Iraqi politicians are not all getting along.

Lack of political progress in IRAQ? How about the lack of political progress in WASHINGTON? Democrats are not exactly in a position to lecture the Iraqi parliament on what constitutes effective governance when their party's primary accomplishments since they took control of Congress have been to propose "the mother of all tax increases" and rename a few post offices.

Republicans Moving the Ball Forward in Napa County

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger gave a boost to Napa County Republicans recently through his appointment of several local prominent Republican leaders.

Dee Cuney, Mark Gasster and Al Wagner -- all Republicans -- were named by the Governor to the Napa County Fair Board. Cuney and Gasster are members of the Napa County Republican Committee, while Cuney is a former county Republican Chairman.

The appointments are significant for Napa County, where the fairgrounds are a major economic and cultural center. Plans for improvement of the site were stalled by appointees of former Democrat Governor Gray Davis. It's expected that the new Board members named by the Governor will lead to expanded opportunities for enjoyment of events at the fairgrounds, a major priority for local Republicans.

I spoke to the members of the Napa County Republican Committee (Janet Kirtlink, Chair) last Monday evening, and found the committee well organized and ready for the challenges of 2008. At the county committee's request, the CRP will conduct one of its new campaign schools in Napa early next year.

Governor Demonstrating Leadership in Foreclosure Crisis

Strong leadership coming from the Governor on the sub-prime mortgage/real estate/foreclosure crisis that is disproportionately impacting California. The Governor is demonstrating that there are important, positive steps that can be taken without resorting to big government bailouts that often make the situation worse.

From the Governor's office:

The Governor Is Working With Four Major Loan Servicers And Calling On Others To Take Action To Prevent More Home Losses. Loan servicers from Countrywide, GMAC, Litton and HomeEq, who together service more than 25 percent of subprime mortgage loans issued nationwide, agreed today to streamlined "fast-track" procedures to help keep more subprime borrowers in their homes.

Immediate Action Could Save Thousands Of Homes. Action is critical considering a half million Californians have subprime loans that will jump to higher rates in the next year and a half.

The Governor Encourages All Of California's Lenders To Act. Governor Schwarzenegger is the first to spur servicers to publicly commit to modifying loans in a streamlined and scalable manner and he is encouraging others to take action.

This Action Builds Off Other Proposals To Help Homeowners Facing Financial Turmoil. Today's action builds off a proposal put forward by Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Chair Sheila Bair that encourages lending agencies to keep subprime mortgage borrowers at their initial interest rate if they are living in their home and making timely payments, but can't afford the loan "re-set"--or jump to a higher rate.

The Governor Is Urging Consumers To Be Proactive. Consumers should contact their lender if they believe they are eligible for the loan restructuring.

Consumer Resources Are Available. The Governor is encouraging consumers to utilize:
The "HOPE Hotline" (1-888-995-HOPE or www.995HOPE.org), which provides free mortgage counseling 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The state's English and Spanish language consumer mortgage information websites which include helpful information for prospective homebuyers, as well as homeowners who are experiencing difficulty in keeping payments current: www.yourhome.ca.gov and www.sucasa.ca.gov.

Statewide Outreach Will Be Expanded. Through a statewide outreach campaign, which will include public service announcements, the Governor will help reinforce the importance of contacting lenders and getting help.

The Governor Is Committed To Protecting The American Dream.

The Governor Will Continue To Work With State And Federal Partners To Address The Foreclosure Crisis. The Governor has pledged to work with state lawmakers in the coming year and will continue to lobby Congress to raise federal loan limits so that more California families can take advantage of these secure products, rather than relying on subprime loans.

Already this year, the Governor:

Signed legislation to increase protections for Californians who own or plan to purchase homes and to expand affordable housing opportunities.

Directed his Cabinet to form the Interdepartmental Task Force on Non-Traditional Mortgages which consists of leadership from two agencies and seven departments. California was one of the first states in the nation to form a task force to examine the alarming developments in the non-traditional mortgage market.

Made $1.16 million in Community Development Block Grant funds available to counties for consumer counseling and urged Congress to provide more funding for these programs in California.

Why Immediate Action Is Critical

Almost One Quarter Of The Nation's Foreclosures Filings Are In California. During the third quarter, 148,000 of 635,000 foreclosure filings nationwide were in California, with 51,259 in September alone.

Seven Of The Top Sixteen Metropolitan Areas With The Highest Rates Of Foreclosures In The Nation Are In California. In the Stockton, Riverside/San Bernardino, Sacramento, Bakersfield, Oakland, Fresno and San Diego metropolitan areas, there was an average rate of approximately one foreclosure filing for every sixty households in the third quarter.

Foreclosure Rates In California Continue To Skyrocket. The foreclosure rate in California has increased more than 35 percent in the last quarter and increased almost 250 percent from September 2006 to September 2007.

The Foreclosure Crisis Devastates Families, Hurts Neighborhoods And Depresses Our Economy. Foreclosures bring property values down across California. A recent U.S. Senate Joint Economic Committee (JEC) report estimates that more than $23.6 billion will be lost in property value over the next two years because of foreclosures in California.

The Center for Responsible Lending estimates that 8.4 million neighboring homes in California will experience devaluation because of subprime foreclosures on loans originated in 2005 and 2006.

More foreclosures mean fewer state tax dollars. Over the next two years, it is estimated that California will lose nearly $111 million in tax revenue from forecasted foreclosures and the spillover effect on neighboring properties.

Morton Blackwell Confirmed for CRP February Convention

Morton Blackwell, the President of the Leadership Institute, has just confirmed as a speaker at our February covention.

Few leaders have had more of an impact on an entire generation of Republicans than Morton Blackwell, whose Leadership Institute is dedicated to training conservatives (the group is non-partisan) in how to organize and communicate effectively. Graduates of the Leadership Institute include former Virginia Governor and RNC Chairman im Gilmore, Senator Mitch McConnell, and literally hundreds of other elected and party officials.

Mr. Blackwell is also the long time RNC Committeeman from Virginia, and an expert on RNC rules.

To learn more about training opportunities at LI, visit www.leadershipinstitute.org.

Presidential Campaign Volunteers

With our state and national parties strictly neutral in the race for the Republican nomination for President, both the RNC and CRP rarely mention any of the indivudual presidential candidate campaigns. This is to avoid even the appearance of favoring one or the other.

Yet, literally thousands of Republicans are volunteering for any one of the outstanding Republican leaders who are competing for our nomination to be the next President of the United States. Each one of these Republican volunteers is helping not only their candidate, but the broader Republican cause. Activating Republican voters in the primary election helps to build a stronger party, so to everyone who is volunteering on a presidential campaign: thank you.

Once our nominee is established, it's equally important that everyone who worked in the primary to come together as a united party and work in unison for our entire Republican ticket, from Presidential nominee down to important state and local offices.

RWF and CRA Hold Big Events

The California Republican Party benefits from a diverse array of volunteer Republican groups. Each is important to tapping into and activating a different segment of the Republican base at election time.

When one thinks of "Northern California," Monterey isn't usually the first place that comes to mind. Yet that was the wonderful location the Northern Division of the RWF chose for its meeting last weekend, bringing together an array of speakers and organizing for this election cycle. Congratulations to Northern Division President Karen Atteberry and all the members of her team for a packed divison meeting.

A week earlier, the California Republican Assembly met in Sacramento for its annual meeting, which featured an impressive string of speakers, including representatives from each of the Presidential campaigns (the Republicans, anyway. Hillary Clinton would not have been well received). Congratulations to Mike Spence and the CRA team for a successful meeting.

Training Opportunity for School Board Members

The free market-oriented Pacific Research Institute will hold its next excellent training seminar for school board members in San Diego on November 28th. The program covers a range of topics of critical importance to board members, doing so from a free market perspective.

As a former school board member, I highly recommend this program for all Republicans involved in serving on or planning to run for a school board in their county.

Here's what PRI has to say about the program. which is free for school board members:

In order to be effective reformers in their districts, school board members must have the best information about policy options, strategies, and what works. Pacific Research Institute's training seminars for school board members have been highly praised for the high quality of the presentations by workshop speakers, the practicality of the advice and recommendations on critical issues, and the hard-hitting style of the sessions.

The seminar scheduled for November 28 will address critical topics such as how best to improve the performance of English language learners, how K-12 public schools can better prepare students for higher education, lessons from a successful charter school, and how to meet the challenge of school facilities.

Trainers include a top charter school principal, the director of a higher education research organization, a noted author and journalist, and a former top state education official. Handout materials, including PRI's influential and practical education books and studies, will also be available.

Learn more about the program or register

Recognizing our Presidential Campaign Volunteers

In recognition of the need for the state and national parties to remain neutral in the Republican Presidential nominating contest, state and national party chairs usually avoid commenting on any one particular Republican Presidential candidate.

Yet, thousands of California Republican volunteers have stepped up to help one Republican Presidential candidate or another. Some are supporting their candidates with contributions of money, and others with time. Many of our most dedicated California Republicans are today and every day working hard on behalf of the candidate they believe will best represent our Republican Party in next year's election.

Congratulations to every Republican volunteer working to nominate any one of our fine candidates. By getting involved in one of these campaigns, you're helping to activate Republican voters and further build our party in the Golden State. Thank you for your leadership!

RJC Enjoys Another Success in Fresno

The Republican Jewish Coalition enjoyed another success in Fresno last week. Here's an update from RJC leader Linda Halderman:

The Republican Jewish Coalition of Central California's 2007 Friend of Israel Award dinner marked the largest gathering in the organization's four-year history. It was a powerful and moving tribute to one of the Central Valley's greatest treasures, Dr. Victor Davis Hanson.

In attendance waslongtime friend of the RJCCC, Congressman George Radanovich. Other elected officials included State Senator Dave Cogdill, who offered gracious words of praise for the RJCCC, and State Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines, another good friend of our Coalition.

Fresno City Councilman Jerry Duncan informed the large crowd that November 6, 2007 was officially declared "Victor Davis Hanson Day" in the City of Fresno, as confirmed by Mayor Alan Autry's signature. Other honors were sent by Congressman Devin Nunes and Fresno County Supervisor Henry Perea, as well as a personal message for the RJCCC and Dr. Hanson from California Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring. Ron regretted that the wildfire threat to his San Diego home prevented his attendance this year, but he enjoyed last year's event so much that he has already committed to attend the next one.

Fans of Dr. Hanson arrived from Florida, the Sierra Nevada foothills and Southern California, including a contingent from Los Angeles-based David Horwitz Freedom Center.

Numerous members of the clergy honoring the group included 2006 Friend of Israel Award winner Bishop John-David Schofield, Pastor Jim Franklin of 15,000-member Cornerstone Church, Father Carlos Raines, Pastor Kevin Smith, Pastor Jan Van Oosten, Rabbi Levy Zirkind, Rabbi Robert Ourach and Rev. Gordon Donohoe. Nineteen members of Congregation Bnai David also generously supported the event.

Dr. David Kaye provided the perfect start to the evening with a moving, inspirational invocation.

2005 Friend of Israel Award winner, Col. John Somerville (USMC, Ret.), led a traditional military Pledge of Allegiance. A beautiful acoustic version of the Israeli National Anthem, "Hatikvah," was performed by Sacramento's Wild Branches.

2004 Friend of Israel Award winner, Dr. Bruce Thornton, offered rare personal reflections on the history of his brilliant colleague and best friend, Dr. Victor Davis Hanson.

The highlight of the evening was Dr. Hanson's acceptance speech. Many in the audience were devoted students and readers of the scholar's work, yet they were as awestruck as those newly exposed to the clarity and insight he provided on this issue of Jewish, Christian and secular support for Israel.

One of the audience members wrote this about Dr. Hanson's comments: "Victor delivered one of the most powerful and comprehensive speeches I have ever heard about the importance of supporting Israel. He focused on the problem we conservatives have with convincing our fellow liberal Jews what we know to be true--that today's anti-Semitism comes from the left, not the right. He gave new and profound insights on this critical issue."

This event was seamless, due in large part to the hard work of Friend of Israel Award committee members Sunny Abarbanell, Anne Weil, Susan Abbott, Leslie and Bob Briney. The evening could not have been such a success without the heart and commitment of the Chairman and founder of the Republican Jewish Coalition of Central California, Stuart Weil. The attached photos (credited to talented RJCCC photographer, Michael Goldring) reflect the joy and gratitude of those blessed to share this special evening.

Linda Halderman
Friend of Israel Award Committee

Remembering Our Heroes

As we observe Veterans Day, we pause to remember the sacrifices our men and women in uniform have made while serving our nation. For more than two centuries, our 50 million veterans have fought to preserve our nation's liberty and democracy and the freedom of our citizens.

A special debt of gratitude is owed to the 1.5 million heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifice. We remember and honor them, while holding dear in our hearts the families they have left behind.

Our men and women in uniform have raised and kept safe a nation that it might bestow upon us the blessings of liberty sought out so many years ago by our founders. These heroes in uniform have led this nation to victory through the darkest of moments, when victory seemed beyond grasp. Today we pay a special tribute to those who have and continue to sacrifice, so that we as a nation can live in freedom.

May God bless the United States of America and look over our soldiers and their families.

Joe Lieberman Says Democrats Captive of the Radical Left

Here's a great clip from the Financial Times:

The 2008 Democratic candidates are beholden to a "hyper-partisan, politically paranoid" liberal base that could endanger the final nominee's chances of winning next year's presidential election, Joe Lieberman, the former vice-presidential Democratic candidate, said yesterday.

In his most outspoken attack on fellow Democrats since he was unsuccessfully challenged last year by Ned Lamont, a liberal Democrat, for his Senate seat in Connecticut, Mr Lieberman yesterday said he might not vote for the Democratic presidential nominee next year.

He argued that George W. Bush and the Republican presidential candidates remained truer than the Democratic party to its tradition of a "moral, internationalist, liberal and hawkish" foreign policy that was established by presidents Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman and John Kennedy.

"The Democratic party I grew up in was unafraid to make moral judgments about the world beyond our borders," he said.

"[Today's Democrats] are inclined to see international problems as a result of America's engagement with the world and are viscerally opposed to the use of force - the polar opposite to the self-confident and idealistic nationalism of the party I grew up in."

NRCC: McNerney Undermines Marriage

First (and likely last) term Congressman Jerry McNerney once again stands against the people of his district. The following is from the National Republican Congressional Committee:

Jerry McNerney Votes against Safeguarding State Rulings on the Definition of Marriage

Washington- Once again, Rep. Jerry McNerney (CA -11) allied himself with Democrat leaders in Washington, instead of his constituents, as he voted to kill a measure to protect state marriage laws from being changed in a courtroom by trial lawyers. The important motion McNerney voted against would have ensured that states’ laws on the definition of marriage could not be overturned, redefined or restricted (House Roll Call 1056).

Because the measure was killed by McNerney and his Democrat colleagues, the Democrats’ Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) fails to fully protect state laws from being manipulated by trial lawyers. The current ENDA laws are being misused by judges across country granting them the power to define marriage according to their own personal opinions.
These are just a few examples of mishandling throughout the country:

2006, Lewis v Harris: The New Jersey Supreme Court cited the state’s non-discrimination laws to require the state legislature to either pass a same-sex marriage law or a civil union law.

2003, Goodridge v. Department of Public Health: The Massachusetts state Supreme Court opinion cited the state’s non-discrimination laws as evidence that the state should not discriminate in the area of marriage.

1999: The Supreme Court in Vermont forced the state legislature to pass either a same-sex marriage or civil union law, claiming that the state could not ban same-sex marriages or civil unions despite the fact they had an existing law outlawing discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

"Jerry McNerney had a clear opportunity to stand up for the rights of people in California, but McNerney once again put the liberal Democrat leadership in Washington first," said NRCC Communications Director Jessica Boulanger. "McNerney voted to give more power to wealthy trial lawyers and activist judges to define the sanctity of marriage over the views of the people who elected him to protect their freedoms."

Report from North State Republicans' Sold Out Event

This morning I returned from (very) Northern California where the Republican committees of Plumas, Sierra, Lassen and Modoc held a sold out dinner event to rally Republican activists in advance of the 2008 campaign.

It's not easy getting to Beckwourth (the closest airport is Reno), but the event was extremely worthwile. The 100 Republican leaders and activists present heard from congressional candidates and representatives, which we followed with a talk and discussion on principles for Republican victories in 2008.

Following the event, one Republican after another told me the event was the biggest produced by the local Republican committees in a decade -- an excellent sign of volunteer enthusiasm as we move ahead.

I was especially impressed by the level of cooperation demonstrated by this event, in which four county Republican committees representing rural areas pulled together for a single event, with tremendous success. Special recognition goes to Leah West, and the members of the Republican Women Federated who did a masterful job in producing the event.

Republicans win two out of three governor's races this week

Republicans scored two great victories in governors races this month as we won in Louisiana with Bobby Jindal, and Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour was soundly re-elected as well. Here's the report from the RGA:

Republicans won two out of the three gubernatorial races in the nation this year, giving the Republican Governors Association (RGA) and the party momentum heading into 2008. Winning a majority of the races marks a significant turnaround for the party; in 2006, Republicans lost 20 out of 36 races. Following the 2006 elections, many were predicting a Democratic sweep of this year’s races. Instead the GOP won the majority of the races.

The capstone victory came in Louisiana where Bobby Jindal won an open-seat race against eleven opponents. Jindal won 54 percent of the vote. His nearest opponent garnered just 17 percent. Jindal’s victory marked the first time that a candidate has won an open-seat or challenger election on the first ballot in Louisiana. The victory in Louisiana is also the first gubernatorial pick-up for the Republicans since 2004. RGA ran five television ads and distributed 4 sets of mail-pieces to hundreds of thousands of Louisianans in support of Bobby Jindal.

Governor Haley Barbour was re-elected with over 55 percent of the vote. Barbour was elected with 53 percent of the vote in 2003, defeating Democratic incumbent Ronnie Musgrove. Barbour became the state’s second Republican Governor since Reconstruction. The Governor has won high marks for his leadership after Hurricane Katrina, as well as his work on economic development, education, and tort reform.“Bobby and Haley should be commended for running outstanding campaigns focused on their ideas for the future,” said RGA Chairman Governor Sonny Perdue. “Their elections show that voters trust Republicans to guide their states through the most difficult challenges.”

In a sign of renewed faith in the Republican Party, the GOP now holds the Governorships of the five states most affected by Hurricane Katrina: Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Texas and Georgia.

Democrat Presidential Candidates Have a Bad Week

First there's Dennis Kucinich, who wants to impeach the Vice President for some reason that we're sure he thinks is really really good. Here's what Florida Democrat Congressman Alcee Hastings had to say about Kucinich this week according to Drudge:

'Dennis Kucinich is on a quest of his own. He sees flying saucers and he acts like one, too'

Then there's Hillary Clinton, who when finally tested by her Democrat competitors completely flopped on the debate stage, dodging one question after another. Yesterday on CNN she agreed with those of us who pointed out her poor performance, according to Examiner.com:

"I wasn't at my best the other night," Clinton told CNN's Candy Crowley. "We have had a bunch of debates, and you know, I wouldn't rank that up in my very top list." Following the debate, Clinton's opponents for the 2008 Democratic nomination (as well as Hillary detractors generally) criticized the New York senator for being dishonest and evasive, and for flip-flopping on several issues.

Then there's Barack Obama, whose supporters were so concerned about comedian Steven Colbert, they pressed officials in South Carolina to keep Colbert off the ballot, according to CNN:

Two prominent supporters of Illinois Sen. Barack Obama's presidential campaign in South Carolina called state Democratic Party officials and urged them to keep funnyman Stephen Colbert's name off the primary ballot, according to party officials and Obama supporters.

If the people who know Obama best are so concerned about a comedian, how do they expect him to compete with the Republican presidential nominee in 2008? Not exactly a convincing show of confidence in their guy.

Republicans Assert Themselves in Local Elections

The Ventura County Star ran an interesting story this weekend concerning the Republican Party actively supporting Republicans in local government elections ("Both parties seek to control politics in nonpartisan races"). Here are some interesting clips from a rather lengthy story:

New CRP Rules on Local Elections

Both Republicans and Democrats are pushing for more control over school boards, city councils, and other local races that are officially classified as nonpartisan. It's a top priority for leaders of both parties at the county and the state level.

"I promise you, that's the model of both parties, that there is no such thing as a nonpartisan race," said Leslie Cornejo, a former chairwoman of the Ventura County Republican Central Committee and a co-founder of a new group called the California Association of Political Centrists.

Newly elected state Republican Party Chairman Ron Nehring, who used the strategy successfully in his home San Diego County, successfully pushed for rule changes earlier this year to make it easier for the state party to devote resources to Republicans running for local office.

In a recent essay describing his efforts, Nehring wrote the state party is "identifying every local government official in California and their party. Our best opportunities for expanding our reach, and diversifying our party, come in local government."

New Law Protects Member Communications

Lawmakers from both parties overwhelmingly supported a bill this year, signed into law by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger last month, that will expand the role of political parties in nonpartisan local races.

The new state law prevents local ordinances from limiting the amount donors can give to political parties. The money can then be spent on behalf of the party's favored candidates.

(Sidenote: The reporting is not entirely clear on this point. The new law, AB 1430, protects political parties' ability to communicate unrestricted with their members without interference from local bureaucrats).

Democrats are Late to the Party

In last fall's election, the county Republican Central Committee spent close to $40,000 on mailers sent to party members to support party candidates, compared to just over $1,500 by the Democratic Central Committee. Most of that was spent in local nonpartisan elections.

Those mailers are known as "member communications," and they're exempt from the spending limits that often apply to ads distributed to the general public.

Democrats are late to the party, but they'll be sending member communications in next year's elections, said county Democratic Central Committee Chairman Bill Gallaher.

Recognizing a Legendary Republican Leader in Orange County

Longtime Orange County Republican leader Tom Fuentes was honored at a truly extraordinary event Thursday night at Newport Beach’s Balboa Bay Club.

CRP Treasurer Keith Carlson performed masterfully as the Master of Ceremonies for an event that was attended by a who's who of Orange County Republicans who gathered to recognize Tom's decades-long commitment to electing Republicans throughout America’s seventh-largest county.

Bruce Herschensohn, Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, and Senator Dick Ackerman were among those presenting in the packed ballroom.

Tom Fuentes served as the Chairman of the Republican Party of Orange County for twenty years, building a powerful political organization that often left Democrats scratching their heads once the ballots were counted and wondering "what happened?"

Congratulations, Tom, for your truly remarkable commitment to the Republican Party, and a lifetime of achievement.

Special recognition goes to Kathy Tavoularis and her team for managing this five star event.

Jerry McNerney: Running on Empty

Last year, Democrat Jerry McNerney campaigned on the promise to change Washington for the better and provide real solutions for the American people. However, one year later, all Jerry McNerney and the Democrats in Congress have to show for it is a number broken promises and a laundry list of failed accomplishments.

"Democrat Jerry McNerney is on track to become a 'one-term wonder' in Congress," said CRP Chairman Ron Nehring. "With a year under his belt, Jerry McNerney has failed to deliver just about anything. Instead, he's lined up with the most extreme forces within his own party in clear opposition to the voters of his moderate district."

"Strong incumbents tend to draw weak challengers, while weak incumbents draw strong challengers. This could not be more true in the case of McNerney, whose weak performance has led to his drawing an opponent who is among the very best in California: Republican Dean Andal," added Nehring.

From the NRCC:

By proving to be more interested in scoring political points, Jerry McNerney and the Democrats have squandered any opportunity to get something done for the American people

By failing to keep a single promise that the Democrats made to the American people on the campaign trail, Jerry McNerney and the Democrats have forfeited the mantle of change

And by taking less than a year to become the problem in Washington instead of the solution to the problem, Jerry McNerney is saddled with the baggage of a highly unpopular Democrat-led Congress.

DEMOCRAT FAILURES

Democrats failed to get their basic work done on time by not sending a single appropriations bill to the president

Democrats failed to provide healthcare to those who need it most by preferring to craft political attack ads over crafting a compromise solution to the problem

Democrats failed to run the "most ethical Congress in history" by appointing not just one but two Members of Congress under federal investigation to powerful House committees

Democrats failed to abide by their own House rules, maneuvering around them to protect a $23 million earmark for the ethically-challenged Congressman Jack Murtha, described by news outlets as a "boondoggle"

Democrats failed to produce substantial earmark reform: According to Taxpayers for Common Sense, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer are among the top five porkers in this year’s federal spending bills; Democrats failed to put an end to partisan arm-twisting by inserting pork-barrel spending on peanut storage and tropical fish into a troop withdrawal bill in order to buy the votes of their Members

Democrats failed to reprimand California Democrat Pete Stark for his outrageous and delusional comments towards our American troops and our Commander-in-Chief

Democrats failed to tackle the problem of illegal immigration and have instead gone as far as breaking House rules to deliver taxpayer-funded benefits to illegal immigrants

Democrats failed to practice fiscal responsibility by passing the largest tax increase in American history and introducing the Mother of All Tax Hikes that will raise taxes by a whopping $1 trillion

Democrats failed to close the terrorist loophole in their proposed FISA bill, forcing the bill to be pulled from the House floor, indefinitely delaying this crucial legislation.

DEMOCRAT BROKEN PROMISES

Democrats broke their promise of a five day work week and rewarded their caucus’ lack of work with an even lighter schedule

Democrats broke their promise to put people first, not special interests.

The powerful Jack Murtha continues to pocket campaign contributions in exchange for earmark requests

Democrats broke their promise to drain the swamp by erecting their own “K Street Project” to shake down Democrat lobbyists and special interests

Democrats broke their promise to hold their members accountable for their actions by voting against a resolution reprimanding Congressman John Murtha for threatening another Member on the floor of the House

Democrats broke their promise to be the most ethical Congress in history

Democrats broke their promise to pass a comprehensive lobbying reform bill

Democrats broke their promise to run the most open government in history.