OC Blog

SD33 Watch: Harry Sidhu Hoping to Ride the Indo-American Wave

I spotted this article in the Capitol Weekly today featuring Anaheim Councilman Harry Sidhu, an Indian-American who is running for the 33 Senate District.  Aside from Sidhu, I'm not aware of any other Indian-American Republican in Orange County that is holding public office.  However, we do have another politically active Indian American in our party - George Andrews, Executive Director of the Republican Party of Orange County:

Harry Sidhu said the major event that pushed him to the Republican Party came in 1974, when he was 17 years old and making $2.65 an hour cleaning a Holiday Inn. About a third of his first meager paycheck went to taxes, cementing the matter for the lifelong conservative. Many other Indians have gone through similar experiences, he said.

And the OCYR Endorsement goes to...

After one chaotic hour and nine motions later, the Orange County Young Republicans voted to endorse the following candidates for the upcoming June Primary election:

33 Senate District: Mimi Walters

35 Senate District: No Endorsement (at this time)

60 Assembly District: Larry Dick

71 Assembly District: No Endorsement (at this time)

73 Assembly District: Diane Harkey

I will have a full commentary later about OCYR's bizarre endorsement process in a different post.  A congratulation is also in order for the candidates who received this group's support tonight.

SD33 Watch: Michelle Steele Endorse Sidhu; Norby Not Running

This invite came over the transom yesterday. It's for a Harry Sidhu for Senate fundraiser at the June 14 Angels game.

The featured speaker is Board of Equalization member Michelle Steel. Since Sidhu will almost certainly lose the endorsement primary to Assemblywoman Mimi Walters, capturing the endorsement of one of the highest-ranking GOP electeds in the state is a nice "get."

Supervisor Chris Norby is also a featured speaker, which puts to rest any possibility he will jump into the 33rd Senate District Republican primary. Since there's no indication of any other potential GOP candidates, it looks to be a two-person, North County candidate versus South County candidate primary.

Free Tuition For Calif. Serviceman And Women Under Mimi Walters Bill

An alert reader sent me a link to this News 10 (Sacramento) story about Assemblywoman Mimi Walters' bill to give California servicemen and women free state college tuition:

State Soldiers May Get Free College Tuition

California servicemen and women would be entitled to free tuition at state colleges under legislation moving through the State Capitol. Assembly Bill 767 would allow the state to waive fees at public colleges for honorably discharged members of the military and National Guard members once they exhausted all their GI bill benefits.

"It's the least that we can do," said bill author, Assemblywoman Mimi Walters, R-Laguna Niguel. "We need to be sure that we're supporting the men and women who are protecting us."

CWLA PAC Endorses Mimi Walters For 33rd Senate District

This came over the transom a little while ago:

Mimi Walters Endorsed for State Senate by California Women's Leadership Association PAC

(Orange County, CA) -- The California Women's Leadership Association (CWLA) PAC endorsed Assemblyman Mimi Walters in her campaign for the State Senate. Walters announced her intent to run for the seat held by Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman, who cannot run for re-election due to term limits.

"It has been eight years since there was a Republican woman in the State Senate; that's eight years too long. Mimi Walters has been an outstanding member of the State Assembly and she will make an extraordinary State Senator. While we do not normally endorse candidates this early in the process, Mimi's strong commitment to fiscal conservatism and her impressive record as a state legislator contributed to our early and enthusiastic support of her candidacy," said Janice Glaab, CWLA PAC Chair. "Mimi's victory is our PAC's number one priority."

Sen. Ackerman Endorses Mimi Walters For His 33rd Senate District Seat

This just came over the transom from the Mimi Walters for Senate campaign:

Senate Republican Leader Dick Ackerman Endorses Mimi Walters for his Senate Seat

(LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA) – State Senator Dick Ackerman today announced his endorsement of Republican Assemblywoman Mimi Walters in the 33rd Senate District, which he has represented for the last six years and will be forced to vacate in 2008 due to term limits.

“Mimi Walters is a strong conservative who understands the proper role of government and who is committed to improving our business climate and keeping taxes down,” said Ackerman. “I am confident that she will be an outstanding representative for the 33rd Senate District.”

Ackerman, who serves as the Senate Republican Leader, was elected to the 33rd Senate District in 2000.

“I am very pleased and honored to have Dick Ackerman’s endorsement in the district he has represented with such strong leadership,” said Walters. “I am running for the Senate so I can continue my efforts to rein in government spending, protect taxpayers and defend private property rights,” said Walters.

Mimi Walters was elected to the State Assembly in 2004 after winning a highly competitive primary. Prior to her election in 2004, she served as Councilwoman and Mayor in Laguna Niguel.

In addition to Ackerman, Walters has recently received the support of Assemblyman Chuck DeVore and Assemblyman Todd Spitzer, who, along with Walters, represent nearly all of the 33rd Senate District.

Needless to say, this is a big endorsement in the ongoing battle of positioning in the 33rd Senate District race. It always helps to have the stamp of approval from the legislator you're working to succeed. Expect a steady parade of endorsement press releases from the Walters campaign as part the effort to make her candidacy the form  of an unstoppable freight train.

A Self-Inflicted Wound For Mimi Walters

I like and respect Assemblywoman Mimi Walters very much -- but I'm puzzled by today's Buzz item reporting she decided to accept a $12,000 pay increase this on June 29 of this year, after turning it down last year.

Mimi is the front-runner in the 2008 GOP primary for the 33rd Senate District seat. Anaheim Councilman Harry Sidhu is also running, and OC Supervisor Chris Norby is another potential candidate. So why would Mimi give herself this self-inflicted political wound?

Mimi is personally wealthy -- she doesn't need the pay hike. She initially declined promised not to take the pay increase -- and then changed her mind.

The hit piece against her is already written: "wealthy politician breaks promise to accept pay increase she doesn't need."

Frankly, legislative pay increases don't bother me like they used to. I'm far more concerned with whether legislators' votes result in the reduction or expansion of government's size, scope and burden -- and Mimi has been a conservative leader and a strong, vocal proponent for liberty in Sacramento. But I am surprised at the poor political judgment involved in accepting a pay increase she (presumably) doesn't need.

No Trouble With Harry In 2008?

While we wait for the next candidate to jump into the 1st District Supervisor race, let's look at Anaheim Councilman Harry Sidhu's decision to run for the GOP nomination in the 33rd Senate District -- also being sought by Assemblywoman Mimi Walters and possibly Supervisor Chris Norby.

There was talk during the spring and early summer that Sidhu would challenge Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle for re-election. Since Sidhu was only half-way through his first term he had a free ride and theoretically "nothing to lose." In reality, Harry had plenty to lose: he would have lost to Curt Pringle and made enemies of people who might be inclined to support him for other offices. Sidhu prudently shelved his mayoral ambitions, and according to the political gouge set his sights on running for the 60th Assembly District seat being vacated by Assemblyman Bob Huff (who's running for termed-out Sen. Bob Margett's seat).

When it comes to the 33rd Senate District race, Harry Sidhu more nearly has a "nothing to lose" situation. If he wins, he's in the state Senate for eight years. And if Harry loses, he can still run for re-election to the Anaheim City Council -- which will have received an early boost by the mailing he'd already been doing to Anaheim Republicans.

Not a bad spot to be in.

Harry Sidhu To Run In The 33rd Senate District

No one's wasting anytime, are they?

Steve Greenhut posted this earlier today on Orange Punch:

I just got off the phone with Anaheim councilman Harry Sidhu, and he said that he has definitely decided to run for the the 33rd district Senate seat. Anaheim comprises 23 percent of the district, so he believes he has a good shot at this seat, although he will face a tough race against Assemblywoman Mimi Walters of Laguna Niguel. Expect the GOP establishment to line up behind Walters. Both are solid conservatives, though, although it's easier to run as a member of the Assembly as opposed to a councilman. I had expected Sidhu to run for Bob Huff's Assembly seat, but Sidhu is aiming even higher.

The candidates for this seat are charging out of the gate even faster than for the 1st Supervisor District special. Still, my hunch is Harry returns to his original plan of running for Assembly. But if Harry goes forward with his 33rd SD plans, it will be a mega-money blow-out.

The Crystal Ball: Will The 33rd SD GOP Primary Be A Walk Or Rumble?

It's been common knowledge in OC political circles that Assemblywoman Mimi Walters has been planning to run for the 33rd Senate District almost since she was first elected to the Assembly in 2004, when Sen. Dick Ackerman was simultaneously elected to his second and final term in the state Senate.

Mimi has a lot going for her as a candidate for the 33rd SD: she's hard working, conservative, likable. She's been bloodied and victorious in a contested primary, is an incumbent Assemblymember who can raise money -- plus the ability to tap personal wealth if necessary (Mimi us one of those rare creatures: a self-funding-capable candidate who is also an good fund raiser).

The reason for declaring now is to build up so much momentum that by the time other potential 33rd SD candidates begin thinking about running, they'll be staring at the headlight of an oncoming freight train called Mimi Walters for state Senate. Now-Rep. John Campbell employed that same strategy during his first Assembly run in 2000 (I was a consultant on his campaign) and succeeded in running unopposed in the GOP primary for an open seat in the most Republican legislative district in the country.