California Republican Voter Guide

Here is yet another slate mailer, this time, the "California Republican Voter Guide."  Two things stand out about this one.  First, unlike most other slates that I have received, it recommends Donnelly instead of Kashkari.  Second, although it is a "Republican" voter guide, it includes three (paid) recommendations for Democrats.  Two of the Democrats (Ben Allen and Miguel Santiago) are running in races where no Republican is on the ballot.  But in the Mendoza race, there is a Republican candidate.

The return address (In small, vertical print on the lower-right hand corner of the last page) is

3700 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 1050-B
Los Angeles, CA 90010

A Google search of that address leads to the David L. Gould Company.

The firm's clients include Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA).

Click images to enlarge.

Dear California Candidates: Have Somebody Proofread Your Web Pages!

Tim Donnelly, candidate for Governor: "After five years, he started his own small business, providing solutions to his customer’s manufacturing problems."  According to this sentence, he had exactly one customer.  No wonder he did so badly.

John Perez, candidate for Controller:  "His prudent fiscal leadership helped eliminate the structural deficit that led to a half billion in savings to finance the state’s debt."  So did the structural deficit really lead to half a billion in savings?

Phil Wyman, candidate for Attorney General: "He has served as the California Vice Chairman of the Assemblies Committee of Higher Education."  It should be "Assembly's Committee.."

Kamala Harris, Attorney General: "Before the Supreme Court found portions of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional, Attorney General Harris was joined by 14 other Attorneys General in a brief that urged the overturn DOMA."  There are some words missing at the end of that sentence.

Ron Gold, candidate for Attorney General: "He supports legislations that will allow undocumented residents to register in a State sanctioned program that will let them stay in California and work."  Legislations?

Kashkari Mailer

There has been a smattering of mailings in the California primary campaign. I have not received any mailers from the Donnelly campaign.  Here is one from Kashkari (click images to enlarge):

Reid Helps Crossroad GPS Fundraising

At The Washington Post, Matea Gold reports that Harry Reid's attacks on the Kochs have led some big GOP donors to seek the anonymity of 501(c)(4) groups.

The trend can be seen at the prominent GOP super PAC co-founded by strategist Karl Rove, American Crossroads, which discloses its donors to the Federal Election Commission.

The group, which hauled in $117 million during the 2012 election, has raised $9 million so far this cycle, including just $266,000 in April.

At the same time, group officials said, donors are more interested than ever in supporting Crossroads GPS, a sister organization with a tax-exempt status that allows it to keep its donor list private. The two groups recently kicked off a $10 million television advertising campaign against vulnerable Senate Democrats — $8 million of which was paid for by Crossroads GPS.

Paul Lindsay, a Crossroads spokesman, said the spotlight that Reid (D-Nev.) and others have put on major political funders on the right has driven more contributors to the nonprofit arm. Democrats are “dragging private citizens through the mud, and that’s led to a shift of sorts for donors,” Lindsay said.

Slate Mailer from Citizens for Good Government

Another California slate mailer, this time from Citizens for Good Government.

Click images to enlarge.

It is a GOP slate mailer, but in the nominally nonpartisan contest for LA County Assessor, it includes a paid endorsement of Jeff Prang, the candidate of the local Democratic establishment.

Obamacare is Still Unpopular

Gallup confirms what polls have been finding for years.  People dislike Obamacare.

As of yet, there is no sign that Americans think the new healthcare law is having a net positive effect on their healthcare situations. The majority say the law has not affected them, while those who do report it having an effect are more likely to say it has hurt their healthcare situation rather than helped it. Americans also remain more negative than positive when asked about their views of the potential impact of the law on their family's healthcare situation in the long run.

That so few believe the healthcare law has had a positive impact on their lives could mean most Americans would not be upset if lawmakers change the law. Democrats running for office this year appear to be adopting a "keep and improve" position that acknowledges that the law needs changes. The Republican House announced Wednesday that it plans to put forward its own healthcare plan for a vote this year that would radically change how the healthcare system works. This proposal almost certainly has little chance of becoming law this year, and it is far from clear if the proposed plan would be any more popular than Obamacare. But given the widespread perception that Obamacare has not benefitted Americans so far, politicians on both sides of the aisle would appear to have little to lose by advocating changes to some elements of the law.

Crossroads GPS on VA Scandal

CNN reports:

The Veterans Affairs scandal's been a major issue on the campaign trail the past couple of weeks. Now it's front and center in the campaign ad wars.

Crossroads GPS, the non-profit sister organization to American Crossroads, a leading pro-GOP outside group which was co-founded and steered by Karl Rove, says that starting Wednesday it will start running a television commercial in Alaska that's critical of Sen. Mark Begich over his reaction to the growing controversy, which was first reported by CNN six months ago.