Where was Matt Klemin? Matt Klemin is the $180,000 a year trainwreck that is the Senate Caucus Political Strategist and director.
IN 2021, Shannon Grove was ousted as Senate Minority Leader. Matt Klemin was in the middle of that effort. I can easily draw the conclusion that Matt was motivated by revenge and a desire to get his Job Back. Grove had fired him previously.
Look at how far behind George Radanovich is from Dem #2.
In California, the top two vote-getters regardless of party advance to the November runoff.
When six Republicans filed where were Matt Klemin and Scott Wilk (Wilk is the Senate Permanent Minority Leader)? There are only 9 existing R districts for Klemin to keep track of. With a Salary of $180,000, he is being paid $20,000 a year per district. The Caucus should demand their $20K back while terminating him.
Why didn’t they poll to see where a six Republican field would split votes?
If I was the Senate leader or the Senate Caucus political strategist (whatever the hell Klemin’s title is), I’d have at least looked at each district and the field in the district. With 2 Dems and 6 Republicans, I’d have evaluated some options.
- How do we separate the two democrats?
- Do I need to pick a Republican winner and financially support them?
- Call people like PG&E, CREPAC and others to get an Independent Expenditure to boost the desired Republican?
My guess is Wilk was afraid of upsetting people if he picked a horse in the race. I am sick of the cowardice in Republican leadership. They only show a spine when it comes to screwing conservatives or trying to take control of things within the party. If I was the leader, I’d have made it clear a 6 Republican field is unacceptable and because of so many candidates splitting the vote, I am having to spend money to ensure there is no D vs D runoff.
It didn’t happen.
Klemin did nothing in March. Nothing in April.
Then in May what did happen was likely the worst political decision I have ever seen. On 5-30-2022 an independent expenditure from Wilk for Governor 2026 popped up.
You guessed it. Because Scott Wilk was afraid to endorse a Republican, when he finally did act 9 days before election day… HE SPENT $47K MAILING TO DEMOCRATS!
What a great message. The Republican Minority leader sending mail singing the praises of someone who is now likely to be his colleague in the State Senate. Maybe Tim Robertson will send him a thank you card!
Wilk and Klemin waited until 5-30-2022 to do anything and when they did, they made the problem worse.
I am sure their thinking was that they could drive one dem down and boost the other. Ask George Radanovich how he feels about that?
Jeff McKay spent $700,000 of his own money. (Correct me if I am wrong in the comments, it was a large number) Scott Wilk knew this. WHY DIDN’T KLEMIN AND WILK RUN A POLL IN APRIL or Early May??? Steven Bailey has excellent Name ID in that Area. WHERE WERE KLEMIN AND WILK?
Wilk could have called PG&E and asked them to dump $250K in to McKay or Radanovich. (I know 100% that the establishment do not like Bailey)
These are real mailers paid for by Scott Wilk. This is not a joke, folks.
Maybe the nimrods controlling the CAGOP should have stopped spending so much time trying to rig endorsements and control the party and actually taken a look in the field somewhere.
Everyone in Republican Leadership own this failure to some degree. Scott Wilk and Matt Klemin should pay for this with their jobs. They literally drove late Democrat turnout with this stunt.
Now, some of you are wondering what if anything can be done. There are no write ins allowed in the Runoff. You can not launch a recall for 6 months and you can make bank that democrat leadership are going to attempt to handle Tim Robertson to make it more difficult to recall him. Robertson, who is a flaming liberal is going to be held out of a lot of key votes in the building.
If the same bumbling fools decide to muster the courage to try a recall of Tim Robertson, it will cost them at least $1 Million to qualify it. It will likely cost millions more to unseat the guy, all because Matt Klemin did not watch his flank and Wilk rehired that guy.
I have known Scott Wilk for years and I am mortified at the cacophony of errors committed. This blunder is unforgivable and should be career ending for him.