AD71 Watch: Neil Blais Secured the Sheriff's Endorsement

This came over the transom in the afternoon from the Neil Blais for Assembly campaign:

ORANGE COUNTY SHERIFF MIKE CARONA ENDORSES NEIL BLAIS FOR ASSEMBLY

(Santa Ana) - Today, Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona announced his support for Republican Neil Blais in the open 71st Assembly District, joining a growing list of Neil Blais supporters that includes 71st Assembly District Incumbent Todd Spitzer, Supervisor Bill Campbell, Senator Dick Ackerman and dozens of others.

"Neil Blais is a proven leader who will fight to ensure law enforcement and public safety are priorities in Sacramento, including a state budget that solves our current prison crisis," said Sheriff Carona.  "Neil will also protect the 3-strikes law from those who would water it down, and he'll work to keep hardened criminals behind bars, rather than being released early back into our communities.  His leadership has helped to make Rancho Santa Margarita one of the safest cities in the state.  Neil Blais has a ‘can-do' attitude, and he makes good things happen.  That's why I support him."

With 75% of the primary voters residing in Orange County, Sheriff Carona's endorsement is significant to boosting Neil Blais' lead in this race.  Sheriff Carona is widely considered one of the more popular and influential Sheriffs in the state, and Orange County voters have consistently shown high regard for his endorsements for local and legislative candidates.

"It's all about leadership, and Neil Blais has a strong track record of getting things done," said Blais Spokesman Tim Clark.  "Most in Orange County know that Neil was a driving force to incorporate Rancho Santa Margarita, and they know that Neil can help bring more transportation dollars back to the area to improve traffic flow.  That's why so many Orange County elected Republicans are coalescing around Neil's campaign."

Rancho Santa Margarita Councilman Neil Blais is a respected Republican who has earned a reputation on the City Council as a tough fiscal watchdog and rock-solid conservative.  Additionally, Councilman Blais serves or has served on a number of local boards, including the Orange County Water Task Force, the Orange County Fire Authority, and the Trauma Intervention Program Advisory Committee.

Neil Blais is an acknowledged expert on disaster response and recovery management and hazard mitigation planning issues, and he has personally been involved in helping to rebuild communities throughout the United States following devastating catastrophes such as Hurricane Floyd and the Red River Flood of 1997.

Comments

[Missy]

I hear Habermehl endorsed him too.

[OC Native]

Actually, Habermehl endorsed Choi.

[Greenhut is Right]

More pro-union, anti-taxpayer endorsements for Neil Blais
October 2nd, 2007
From Steven Greenhut:

Sheriff Mike Carona and Supervisor Bill Campbell have joined Assemblyman Todd Spitzer in endorsing Rancho Santa Margarita Councilman Neil Blais for the 71st Assembly seat now held by Spitzer. Spitzer authored the retroactive 50-percent pension spike for the deputies union in 2002. Campbell authored the 2004 retroactive pension spike for other county employees. Mike Carona supports the deputies’ pension spike, and has been quite vocal about it, despite its terrible impact on taxpayers. Carona says this about Blais: “Neil Blais is a proven leader who will fight to ensure law enforcement and public safety are priorities in Sacramento, including a state budget that solves our current prison crisis,” said Sheriff Carona. That’s code language for supporting enormous budgets and constant pension and pay spikes for unions.

So, while these are excellent endorsements from a political establishment point of view, they certainly shouldn’t give voters pause.