New Majority Profiled On FlashReport

On July 25 The New Majority invited OC media -- both old and new -- to their annual Media Roundtable (they held their first one last year) , which is kind of a report on progress they've made and what their future plans are. I posted a couple of items that came out of that meeting.

Jon Fleischman posted this more comprehensive account of the meeting and what TNM is up to on today's FlashReport, and also features a column by TNM co-founder Tom Tucker, who's currently chairman of the statewide umbrella organization, The New Majority/California.

As Jon makes clear in his post, TNM seems to be well on their way establishing themselves as a permanent Republican counterweight to the rich and powerful special interests that underpin California Democrats -- particularly the public employee unions and the trial lawyers. The business groups such as the California Chamber of Commerce are uncertain allies to the Republican cause, as demonstrated by their Vichy phase during the Gray Davis Administration.

It was a long lunch briefing -- a little more than two hours -- and the TNM leaders there -- Tom McKernan, Tom Tucker, Paul Folino and a lot of ground was covered. Jon did a very good job of covering the ground that was covered, but I thought I'd add a couple of items to the record.

I'm a fan of The New Majority. They learn quickly and are genuinely determined to build up the Republican Party. These are wealthy, successful individual with busy lives -- many of whom had no prior contact with politics -- and they devote their time and energy (which are valuable commodities in their businesses) to the GOP. If it weren't for The New Majority its willingness to provide sustained funding for OC GOP efforts in central Orange County, that area would still be a Democratic citadel and the 2nd Supervisor District and 34th Senate District would be safe Democratic seats (the 34th is in Democratic hands, but its no longer safe).

If there's one area I'd like to see some change, it's in The New Majority/OC's generally hands-off attitude toward local races. For example, when the county's public employee unions were coming after then-Treasurer John Moorlach, TNM/OC remained uninvolved.

So, at the July 25 media roundtable, I pressed the issue again -- this time in the context of the 2nd Supervisor District.

My question was this: That there's a Republican Supervisor in the 1st District is due in large part to the New Majority-funded registration drives in central OC. Supervisor Janet Nguyen embodies much of the The New Majority's goal of "broadening" the party: she's a woman, a minority, younger. Given all that, if Supervisor Nguyen finds herself locked in a re-election fight with a Democratic challenger, can we expect The New Majority to step in and help Sup. Nguyen  -- both with contributions and an independent expenditure committee effort?

TNM/OC head Tom McKernan's didn't take as much time answering my question as I did posing it, but his answer was basically: yes, under those circumstances we would jump in.

Comments

[Preston L. Bannister]

" ... The New Majority. They learn quickly and are genuinely determined to build up the Republican Party. These are wealthy, successful individual with busy lives ... "

Odd definition of a "majority". Very odd.

Given the train wreck gifted to us by the present Republican Party, Congress, and President - are they willing to act as a "... counterweight to the rich and powerful special interests that underpin California ..." Republicans? The Republican Party is in a sorry state. Somehow we have gone down a path extremely harmful to the country.

Make no mistake - I am very, very glad folks with the stated background and motivation are getting involved in Republican politics. At the same time, nothing is going to get better without recognizing that where we are now is bad for the country.

I am still waiting for the New Majority to comment about Arnold, his health care plan, and his notable move to the left.