REPUBLICAN PARTY US Senator candidates – DISAPPOINTMENT – MISSED OPPORTUNITY
A conservative Latino’s view on politics…
The Republican Party implemented endorsement rules to separate those who simply want to see their names on a ballot from those who want to be contenders. One of the criterion is 200 delegate endorsement signatures and at least 10 of them must be from delegates of the eight regions. In other words, they must work to be considered for the Republican Party endorsement.
It’s not easy and they have to travel throughout the state. It’s incumbent on the candidates to get out and interact with the delegates whose endorsement they’ll need. It’s the only way to gain those signatures and secure an endorsement potentially worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, if not hundreds of thousands of votes!
Not one Republican US Senate candidate secured the necessary signatures to qualify for endorsement consideration. On the voting floor, some at the CAGOP convention wanted to forego this criterion. It went nowhere.
It’s disappointing because this endorsement could’ve vaulted one of these candidates into the top two. Specifically, I’m looking at the top-four Republican vote-recipients inexcusably ignoring their best opportunity to gain an advantage over their opponents. To consolidate conservative and Republican voters around one party-endorsed candidate.
THE EXCUSE
The excuse I heard from one candidate for not gathering enough signatures was appalling. This candidate said their focus was on another political issue of higher priority. There was no time to gather signatures. I didn’t have the heart to say how wrong that was, so I politely said thank you for the time and good luck. I was shaking my head as I walked away, surprised this candidate thought the excuse was justifiable.
If you don’t view your run for US Senate as your highest priority, then why run? It makes no sense and all your name on the ballot does, is siphon votes from other Republicans. If finances are an issue, maybe you should seek a lesser office.
“But, but, but William, money’s what’s wrong with politics. You’re wrong to say that,” my critics say. Reality check people! Money is a prerequisite to run for higher office. Right or wrong, that’s how it works.
USE SOME COMMON SENSE
Common sense should help rule your decision in deciding if you enter an expensive race. California’s a “YUGE” state and if you can’t cover the basic financials as a grassroots candidate, then you shouldn’t run. If your names on the ballot just sucking votes from another candidate, then reconsider.
The Republican Party bears some responsibility in helping find candidates with finances and backing to run. I’m not talking establishment flunkies (see Duf Sundheim), but a compromise of the Republican voters will, and donors wishes, but that’s a story for another day.
CONSERVATIVES AND REPUBLICANS WANTED A CANDIDATE
The 2018 primary numbers showed Californians wanted a Republican to compete for US Senate but those who chose to run? Well, none took the endorsement criteria serious enough. That left many voters struggling to figure which candidate to rally around.
- James P Bradley : 475,844
- Arun K. Bhumitra: 298,239
- Paul A Taylor: 272,981
- Erin Cruz: 223,819
- Tom Palzer: 171,952
- Roque “Rocky” De La Fuente: 115,171 (author’s note – a Democrat disguised as a Republican)
- John “Jack” Crew: 78,578
- Kevin Mottus: 74,690
- Patrick Little: 73,359
- Jerry Joseph Laws: 56,978
- Mario Nabliba: 33,386
Total Republican Votes: 1,874,997 (as of June 14, 2018)
Ironically, US Senate was the race I received the most questions on who to vote for. I was struggling with it because Cruz was my favorite, but the numbers weren’t adding up, so I voted Bradley in the hopes we could vault him to No. 2. Those who asked, I told to do the same… we failed. Once the numbers began to come in, I knew a Republican Party endorsed candidate would’ve received most of the Republican votes – enough to vault him or her into the top two, thus my disappointment.
ANOTHER CYCLE AND NO REPUBLICAN PARTY CANDIDATE
We enter our second straight US senatorial cycle without a Republican on the ballot in November. That’s pathetic! Thank you, Charles Munger Jr., and CAGOP leadership.
Despite that, this go-round I don’t blame the party. The same party that sabotaged the last legitimate US Senate candidate, simply because he was a conservative. This time I fault the candidates as CAGOP leadership stayed out of this race. Why did they stay out it? That’s another sad, pathetic CAGOP tale for a different day.
Regardless, had one of the 11 candidates qualified for endorsement consideration, they would’ve won! Going one step further that person would be on the ballot in November. We must do better my friends, we must do better.
William Del Pilar is politically active, currently sitting on the Valley Center Community Planning Group’s board (VCCPG), an elected position. Technically, he’s a politician. As an entrepreneur, Del Pilar drove his fantasy sports company to set the standard for analysis and news distribution, helping to commercialize the industry from 1997-2008. Del Pilar sat on the boards of the Fantasy Sports Trade Association (FSTA) and Fantasy Sports Ventures (now owned by Gannett Co., Inc.). You can view his other Op-Eds at the Valley Roadrunner, Del Pilar’s hometown paper and SD Rostra, San Diego’s online hub for politics.
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Well it’s time to put up or shut up in four years as Charles Munger has pulled back considerably with his support. No more blaming him for others’ shortcomings. I mean how is it that he’s at fault for others failing to campaign or raise money especially in a US Senate race? So for all you Munger critics, it’s time to put up or shut up. Show the rest of us all the money you claim would fall from the sky if only Charles Munger wasn’t around.
Aaron F Park Note – agree wholeheartedly.
Tom, you’re right and wrong. We as a party will have to stand on our own once Munger Jr. removes himself from the party but the actions by Munger Jr. such as the Jungle Primary will resonate for years to come.
I’ve only been involved in the party since about 2015 but I’ve never heard anyone say, watch the $ fall from the sky. Never have I heard anyone talk about the ease of replacing his $. My take is regardless of money, including what Munger Jr. has given, we’re still losing election after election. Money is not the answer. We’re out of debt which is important, we’re still losers as a party. That means it’s something else, messaging and bad candidates are tops in my book. Back to your point, the worry I’ve heard some mention is the question if the donor base will follow leadership out the door, leaving a greater vacuum than ever before.
I also state in the article this Senate race can’t be blamed on the party this go-round as the candidates failed themselves and those who supported them.