If I were running for office in the Valley, or just about anywhere else in the state of California, I would not worry so much about who would not endorse my candidacy. After all, Congressman Brad Sherman won reelection in the newly-drawn 30th Congressional District without any major endorsements form his own party.
Instead, I would make sure to discourage or repudiate endorsements from people with a dubious character or a long train of losses behind them. I would also reject endorsements from major unions only because I believe, as do many Californians, that too many special interests have all the power in Sacramento. I would want every voter to believe that when they vote for me, they are getting someone who respects their views, their concerns, and will vote in line with the best interests of the public interest.
If I were a voter in the West Valley, or just about anywhere else in the state of California, I would avoid any candidate who received endorsements from the following people and interest groups:
Presidential Nominee, Gov. Michael Dukakis
This is the same cold blue blood Governor of Massachusetts and former Presidential candidate who would not execute someone, even if the guy had killed his own wife. As Governor of the Bay State, Dukakiss also ran a prison release program which allowed a prisoner to kill a woman, and thus kill his election chances in 1988 against George "Read My Lips" Bush. Horton Killed a Who? Ask Dukakis, and an endorsement from him would kill my election chances, too.
California Lieutenant Governor Gavin Newsom
Newsom has been a nuisance since his tenure as mayor, where he flouted the laws of the land and handed out marriage licenses to gay couples even though marriage in the state of California was still recognized for male-female couples only. Whatever one’s opinions about gay marriage, Lieutenant Governor Newsom did not respect the rule of law. He did not even honor his own marriage vows, since he engaged in an affair while running San Francisco. As Lieutenant Governor, he does. . .nothing (and Governor Brown should think about axing his job to save some money for the state). I would not want a do-nothing philanderer endorsing my candidacy for office.
California Governor Gray Davis (ret.)
Davis was elected in 1998 and reelected in 2002, then recalled in 2003. Let's have some truth in advertising, please! He was retired the same way that Congressman Howard Berman was retired — he was fired by the voters. Gray Davis was taken by the Enron energy scammers in 2002 (I still remember those rolling blackouts in the early 2000s). He said that Californians were not ready for “Gay marriage”, even though a majority of them voted define marriage by constitutional amendment in 2008. Gray was supposed to help balance the budget and secure funding for California's future. Instead, a massive recall effort, with Arnold Schwarz-a-housekeeper at the front, took him down for good. Why would I want a winner-turned-loser to back me? I want to win!
California State Treasurer Phil Angelides (ret.)
Angelides typifies the slash-and-burn politician who had very little fire of his own. He ran his also-ran Presidential campaign against "Arnold" in 2006, and even Mayor Villaraigosa tried to weasel out, since Arnold was so popular. In one commercial, Angelides was walking out of a crowd of cardboard cutouts, which all seemed more lifelike (and likeable) than he. With endorsements like Angelides, who would want to run for office?
Sheriff Lee Baca
Sheriff Lee Baca is one of the most embattled incumbents in Los Angeles County. A Blue Ribbon Commission exposed jailhouse abuse and corruption during his watch. In an attempt to deflect blame from his own poor leadership, Baca fired his assistant sheriff Paul Tanaka, who is running for Sheriff against his former boss. Baca has caca all over his record at this time, and I definitely would not want him to endorse me for any office.
Congressman Brad Sherman
I supported Sherman instead of Berman in 2021 because he voted against TARP, and he liked to yell at people. I also do not like political machines. Now Sherman has his own machine in the Valley. I do not trust a left-wing nut who cannot get major committee assignments in Congress, with one of the highest turnover staff rates in Washington. If he were to endorse me for office, I would say: “I don’t wanna get into this!”
So, voters of the West Valley 45th Assembly District, I urge you to consider very closely your next representative in the State Assembly. The state legislature has a Democratic Supermajority poised to raise taxes and take money away from our schools. Democrats are rewriting the laws to determine who can go into which bathrooms in our public schools, all while pension problems remain unresolved and businesses (and jobs) flee the state.
Pay close attention to the candidates’ endorsements for the 45th Assembly District special election. Vote for those who protect life, celebrate liberty, and honor every Californian’s pursuit of happiness. Support the candidates who represent the public interest and California’s best interest, not the special interests.