It was with some mixed emotions that I attended my first Placer GOP meeting in six years tonight. I am now Senator Brian Dahle’s representative to the Placer GOP. I last served on the Placer GOP in 2012 when Luis Buhler and David Reade directed $100,000 in to the Placer GOP race targeting myself and 3 others.
In the ensuing six years, torrents of political water have raged down the political river under the proverbial bridge. The most noteworthy is striking up a friendship with former Placer GOP Chair Dennis Revell who was the beneficiary of Reade / Buhler’s efforts in 2012. Revell is no longer on the Placer GOP, but is a good man that I consider a friend.
Bill Halldin was at the meeting talking about local issues, but he, too is no longer a member of the committee. In fact, I recognized few people at the meeting.
The meeting lasted over 2 hours, similar to how I remember them years ago. The difference was the absolute lack of bickering and open warfare that I saw for the ten years I was previously a member. To be honest, the meeting resembled a CRA meeting rather than a party meeting.
Mark Wright, the current chairman is a good man and a friend. It is interesting as years in politics have allowed me to have friends on all sides of issues. I sat next to Doug LaMalfa’s Chief of Staff Mark Spannagel at the meeting.
Mark to his credit appears to be attempting to fund-raise and try to organize a voter registration effort. It remains to be seen how many members of the committee pitch in to help him. They indicated they are attempting to assemble their first Lincoln-Reagan dinner in six years and are attempting to put an event together at Top Golf.
The highlighted speaker of the meeting was Brad Dacus from the Pacific Justice Institute who spoke for a total of 30 minutes. I learned that the School District I live in – Dry Creek Elementary is going even further than the Rocklin USD did with the sex indoctrination agenda – according to the concerned parents in attendance. I will talk to people in the district to get their take and follow up on this.
The main purpose of the meeting was to render an endorsement in Assembly District One.
The leading candidate is Megan Dahle. She has a resume of her own and is a capable candidate who is dealing with the aftermath and the skepticism created by Beth Gaines incompetence permanently marring a generation of Republican activists against Spouses running for election. I have interacted with Megan Dahle, and while I worked for Brian Dahle, I am not yet part of the campaign as anything other than a volunteer.
Please do not underestimate Megan Dahle, she is tough as nails and is quite intelligent. She’d be a formidable candidate even without a husband in the State Senate.
Patrick Henry Jones is a former Redding Council-member. He showed up and talked almost exclusively about his working for a Gun Store. It is unclear to me if he will have the resources to walk and chew gum at the same time. However, he can speak well. He also left the meeting right after speaking and walked right by myself and Josh Cook without saying a word.
The other two candidates are Joseph Turner, the former Lassen GOP Chair and Lane Rikard, a trust fund baby who used to work with former Senator Ted Gaines (who has endorsed Megan Dahle). Turner and Rikard presented themselves poorly.
The vote went down 19-6-1-1. Patrick Jones was endorsed as the Placer GOP is an ideologically based committee that did not evaluate viability – just bona-fides. This also comports with what I remember of that group.
All four candidates are prototypical Republicans.
I also took note of one member who showed up with a folder full of the mailers from the previous State Senate Campaign. It always happens that some people complain about negative campaigns, which always happen and have for years. I’ve said all I need to say about Kevin Kiley.
I will refrain from further comment as I am just getting re-acquainted with the committee and hope they are successful in their efforts to register voters and unseat some democrats. Filing opens on November 12th and Closes on December 6th for candidates in the 3/3/2020 Primary.
So let’s make some endorsements and recommendations.
CA-01: I am endorsing Doug LaMalfa. My wife likes him and thinks he’s awesome. That’s good enough for me to set aside whatever and say Go Doug. And Audrey Denney? Just hope you don’t end up on right on daily
CA-04: recommend Tom McClintock. I have several issues with him. There will be no viable republican against him and I will never vote to screw President Trump by letting personal issues get in the way of #MAGA.
SD-01: endorse Brian Dahle will be up for re-election immediately
AD-01: endorse Megan Dahle. See above for disclosure about my relationship with her campaign.
SUP D4: endorse Kirk Uhler. He is the most conservative supervisor we have in Placer County. He has stopped several fee increases and has helped pay down long term debt and get contracts under control. Placer is one of the most fiscally healthy counties in the state.
SUP D5: recommend Cindy Gustafson . she is a conservative and is a marked improvement over the extreme left wing democrat activist that got appointed to some six figure job by Newsom. I believe that Cindy fits that district and I wish she was a registered Rep which is why I can’t endorse her.
Please note that none of my endorsements imply that Brian or Megan Dahle have chosen to endorse the above. (but they should)
