SD33 Watch: Union Hits Walters In The Mail

Wow -- the negative phase of the 33rd Senate District campaign has started early.

Really early.

This mailer landed in SD33 mailboxes today:

From what I can find out, it's a district-wide mailer targeting GOP households, and is being paid for State Building & Construction Trades Council -- who are obviouslt displeased with Assemblywoman Mimi Walters.

The GOP primary is 10 months away, and 33rd Senate District voters have received their first mailer -- and a negative piece, at that.

Let the games begin.

The building and construction trades council obviously view illegal immigrant labor as unwelcome competition for its members.

The bill in question -- AB 2680 -- was introduced by the Assemblyman Tom Harman in 2006. It would deny tax deductions to wages paid to illegal immigrants.

The mailer claims Walters "refused to support" AB 2680. That may or may not be true. AB 2680 had one committee vote and passed 4-0. Mimi Walters is listed under "Absent, Abstaining or Not Voting" -- so the veracity of the mailers claim depends on whether Mimi Walters was present and abstained, or didn't vote because she wasn't there.

We'll keep you posted.

UPDATE (7:13 p.m.): Following is the response from Walters for Senate campaign spokesman Dave Gilliard.:

Nobody should be surprised that the labor unions are not supporting Mimi Walters in this Primary. She is consistently one of the most effective conservative legislators in Sacramento. AB 2680 was a poorly drafted and unenforceable bill that was introduced purely to gain political advantage for a union-backed candidate (Tom Harman) in the middle of a special election. Mimi decided to not participate in such a cheap and shallow stunt.

This mailer says more about Mimi's current primary opponent than it does about her.

Comments

[Been Around]

This looks like the over-the-top mail that was done by Cassie deYoung against Pat Bates. That worked real well!

[Phil Paule]

Lots of people paying attention the second week in Auguest '07. I think Mimi's in trouble. I bet the robo calls start next week. I hear there is a huge GOTV walk Labor Day Weekend.

[Laguna Niguel Republican]

The labor unions are really stupid to get involved in this one. Mimi Walters is going to crush Harry Sidhu.

[Yeah but.....]

Mimi needs to drop her chairmanship of Diane Harkey's 73rd AD campaign or risk losing a couple points to Sidhu.

[Flowerszzz]

Wow that is dam early and a waste of $$ IMO. As far as harry goes....I dunno about your confidence that he will lose. he has only been fundraising for less than 1/2 the time she has and he has just abou the same amount of $$. I think this will be a race to watch and too close to call.

[Brian Thomas]

Go Harry!!!!! Actually, I don't care. I just love seeing bloodbaths.

Cant blame the unions pal. Miss Mimi has accepted those evil union dollars also.

[Union Payback]

The labor union behind this was very involved in the dishonest campaign against Proposition 90 - Eminent Domain Reform - which Mimi Walters championed.

[Flowerszzz]

lol 10:37....look at who paid for the mailer and try again.

[Taxpayerconcerns]

I’ve got a question for Mimi and her campaign spokesman: is the real reason why she opposed the bill in question a “Nannygate” in the making?

Did she or does she employ illegal immigrant household help for her housekeeping and child care needs?

Curious minds think that there is more to this. To clear the air, she should make her tax returns available to show that she is not possibly paying illegal household help and deducting it from her taxes.

[Long-time Politico]

The first piece of mail drops ten months prior to the election. Is this a first for a legislative primary? Anybody out there remember an earlier mailing?

OK, I admit to being a political junkie; tried a twelve-step program, but it did no good. But even I expect to become tired of campaigns, given the permanent presidential primary and now this. What effect will this have on the typical high-propensity voter? Will this tend to drive down turnout? Will this increase voter cynicism? Is that even possible?

[TheTruth]

I am a Walters supporter, but I don't understand Gilliard's response. Why does the mailer say more about her "current primary opponent"?

Harry wasn't behind it, a labor union was. Or is this particular union backing Harry in the Senate race?

[Duane Dichiara]

Did ‘The Truth’ really use 'Apu' in reference to Councilman Harry Sidhu and did this blog really let it stand without comment?

I take it then this blog finds it acceptable to refer to a black candidate as ‘Sambo’ or a Latino as ‘Paco'. I would hope that we were above pejorative racial terms, or that if the writer decides that they are appropriate in this forum he would have the stones to use his given name.

Now I’m not the most politically correct person in the world, but I really think that no matter what you say in your own homes, or among your own friends in your country club, PUBLIC discourse, particularly from the right, should have a higher tone.

Yours, 'Mick'

With all the misleading commentary concerning the financing of the Sidhu And Walters campaigns and the union's attempt to discredit conservative Assemblywoman Mimi Walters in favor of Sidhu, I searched the Campaign Finance Reports to see what the facts are. Sidhu and Walters have, in fact, raised approximately the same amount of money, but the bottom line is that Walters has substantially more cash on hand than Sidhu. Sidhu’s financial support is heavily centered in the Indian community while Walters shows a much broader base of support. It should be of surprise to no one that Sidhu has deep pockets and that his ethnic community will support him. But, he will need much more than that to make a race out of it. His campaign managers and union supporters need to heed the experience of ambitious councilwoman Cassie De Young. Embarking on an ill conceived and unbelievably premature attack strategy will ensure disaster for their candidate and impede Sidhu's future political ambitions within the Republican party. Remember that Cassie De Young outspent Pat Bates by 4 to 1 and still lost by a wide margin.

Posted by Barlite

[redperegrine]

Duane, Jubal would surely have edited that post but I believe he often takes the week-end off. I presume no one has commented because Saturday is a low-volume day. I saw it this morning but decided to let it pass because some commenters are simply not worth bothering with.

[Duane Dichiara]

My comments were written in a heated mindset... of course Jubal has always been fair.

Perhaps others are as confused as am I about the interchange regarding the reference to "Apu", a term with which I am not familiar. However, it might help place this dialogue in perspective if the reader understands that Duane Dichiara is Harry Sidhu's campaign consultant. I only interject this because my unrelated comments fall in the midst of this exchange.

Posted by Barlite

For the edification of Barlite and others, here is a quote from Wikipedia:

"Apu Nahasapeemapetilon, Jr., Ph.D., is a fictional character featured on The Simpsons television series. He is voiced by Hank Azaria.

He is proprietor of the Springfield Kwik-E-Mart, a local convenience store. An immigrant from India who arrived in 1988, he is, like most Simpsons characters, a caricature of a common stereotype of the Indian convenience-store owner. His most defining characteristics are his Indian English and his indefatigable immigrant work ethic. His catchphrase is "Thank you, come again!" — cheerfully and dutifully repeated to customers (no matter how unpleasant) after each transaction, even after a robbery."

[NIMBYS R BUSINESS KILLLERS!]

Thank you so much Mimi Walters for your leadership as chair of ETPRPA (El Toro Reuse Planning Authority). We just love how you were part of the fight to kill El Toro as an airport. So this now means high fares out of John Wayne and long brutal commutes to LAX to ship out cargo. You are a real friend to the business community....NOT!!!! We will vote for anyone who runs AGAINST YOU!!!!!

[Critic of Critic]

Apparently, some of you are still unclear as to who the STATE BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL represents. The SBCTC represents UNIONS!!!!! This is not a business group, the sole purpose of this organization is to make it more difficult for NON-union businesses to earn business, thus making all construction work, union-only work. This fact is obviously unclear to many commenting on this blog.