OC Blog

AD71 Watch: Corona Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Miller Raises $45,000 At Anaheim Fundraiser

This just came over the transom from the Jeff Miller for Assembly campaign:

Jeff Miller adds more Money and Endorsements in AD 71 Race

(ORANGE COUNTY, CA)   Assembly Republican candidate Jeff Miller raised another $45,000 last night at a fundraiser held at Angel Stadium in Anaheim during the Angels game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.  Miller also announced endorsements from Republican Senator George Runner, Republican Senator Bob Dutton and Republican Senator Jim Battin.

Ledesma Looking To Anti-Illegal Immigration Furor To Fuel Assembly Campaign

What do you do if you're a long-time but little known city councilman running for state Assembly but with little hope of matching your opponents' fundraising?

Go populist and latch onto a populist issue like illegal immigration!

A look at this week's Political Datebook in the OC Register seems to confirm my belief that that's the strategy Mission Viejo Councilman John Paul Ledesma is pursuing in his underdog quest to win the 71st Assembly District GOP primary next year.

AD71 Watch: Jeff Miller Says He's Raised $150,000

Not to be outdone, Corona Mayor Pro Tem Jeff Miller has raised $150,000 for his Assembly bid according to his consultant Dave Gilliard.

Thus reports Martin Wisckol over at Total Buzz:

Yesterday, I was a pawn for Neil Blais' campaign, which bragged about him bagging $75,000 at his first fundraiser for the 71st Assembly District. Then I got a note from consultant Dave Gilliard, hyping his man, Corona Councilman Jeff Miller. Seems Miller has raised more than $150,000 -- most of it from OC.

You can read the rest of Martin's post here.

UPDATE: I followed up with Dave Gilliard about the number of contributors that $150K came from. He said about 100 contributors.

AD71 Watch: Neil Blais Says He's Raised $75,000 In A Single Night

This came over the transom yesterday from Neil Blais for Assembly:

Neil Blais Kicks Off Assembly Campaign with Big Financial Support

Campaign kick-off event nets over $75,000 in one night

(Rancho Santa Margarita) – Councilman Neil Blais kicked off his campaign for the open 71st Assembly District with a broad-based fund raising event last Thursday, netting over $75,000 in financial support on one night.

RSM Councilman Neil Blais Opens Assembly Campaign Committee

This came over the transom a couple of days ago from the Neil Blais for Assembly campaign:

Popular Conservative Rancho Santa Margarita Councilman Neil Blais Prepares Run for Assembly

(Rancho Santa Margarita) – Three-term Rancho Santa Margarita Councilman and well known Orange County Republican Neil Blais has opened his campaign committee in anticipation of announcing his candidacy to replace term-limited Assemblyman Todd Spitzer in California’s 71st Assembly District.

Blais is a respected member of the Council, where he’s earned a reputation of being a tough fiscal watchdog and champion of conservative causes.  Neil is also a fixture in the Orange County Republican Party, where he served for four years as the representative on the 71st District Central Committee and is currently a member of the Orange County Lincoln Club.