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Dowlingletter.doc

State Senate candidate Phil Wyman released a letter of endorsement Monday from a decendant of President Abraham Lincoln who he met at a historical event over the summer.

Click on the links to see the letter and photo from the flag ceremony

From the Wyman press release:

        & nbsp;   Members of Wyman’s family, William and John Proctor, helped launch Lincoln’s run for the U.S. Senate at Lewistown, Illinois against Stephen Douglas in 1858. John Procter was cochairman with Judge Kellogg of Lincoln’s campaign for U. S. Senate. After the famous Lincoln-Douglas Debates about the future of slavery in America Lincoln won the popular vote, but lost to Douglas in the gerrymandered Legislature of Illinois. In 1860 Lincoln won the nomination of the Republican Party and won the election of 1860. Wyman previously donated family historical correspondence to African-American museum of the Central Valley.  
        & nbsp;   Last summer Wyman joined Chaplain Jerry Kowalsky of Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War in a Flag Memorial Presentation to Dowling. (see photo)
      
        & nbsp;   “I am humbled by my association with Lincoln historians and descendents. Remembering Lincoln on February 12, Lincoln’s birthday, ought to inspire all of us to appreciate Lincoln’s understanding of the Declaration of Independence, the foundation of our freedoms, our Constitution and the preservation of our Union,” Wyman said.

The UFW has endorsed Dean Florez for Lieutenant Governor, his website announced, noting Florez's push for seat belts in farmworker vans and his pursuit of heat-related safety considerations for Central Valley farmworkers.

I just got off the phone with Dana Culhane, Assemblywoman Jean Fuller's press secretary.

She confirmed what we suspected last night: Fuller meant to leave a voice mail message for former Bakersfield Mayor Bob Price Thursday evening letting him know she was going to announce her bid for Senate today.

Instead she left the message for Californian Opinion Page Editor Bob Price.

"It is what it is," Culhane told me this morning. "Everybody makes mistakes."

Click here to read our story about the hilarity — and listen to the voice mail message.

— Californian government editor Christine Bedell

Assemblywoman Jean Fuller, R-Bakersfield, has scheduled a press conference for Friday afternoon to finally answer the biggest question in local politics right now — what office, if any, she'll run for later this year.

Her decision affects big races: for the 32nd Assembly District and 18th Senate District posts.

Fuller has said she's leaning toward running for Senate and not another Assembly term. But there's been chatter she's going to retire from politics altogether and spend more time with family.

Perhaps the setting of her press conference provides a clue: the southwest corner of Lerdo Highway and Zerker Road. Maybe she's announcing she wants to be home full-time. Maybe she's announcing from the place she wants to continue representing in the Assembly or start representing in the Senate.

I have no clue. I do know  A LOT of candidates and possible candidates are dying to know what Fuller's next move is.

What say you?

— Government editor Christine  Bedell

Veteran political activist Bernita Jenkins announced Thursday that she is considering adding her name to the list of five people running to replace retiring 2nd District Supervisor Don Maben on the Kern County Board of Supervisors.

Jenkins' run would add another level of historical resonance to the race.

In 2002 Jenkins ran against Maben and Mary Beth Garrison ( and Linda "White" Parker) to replace retiring supervisor Steve Perez.

This year Jenkins would run against Garrison, Maben's hand-picked successor, and Steve Perez — who is looking to get his old job back after two failed runs for Kern County Sheriff.

Jenkins also has history with the 2nd District race's current money-leader — Mark Abernathy client and Bakersfield City Councilman Zack Scrivner.

In 2004 Jenkins dueled Scrivner for the 7th Ward Bakersfield City Council seat he now holds.

With two other candidates in the race Jenkins lost to Scrivner but captured a sizable 34 percent of the vote. She criticized him for moving into the 7th Ward — her long-time home in southern Bakersfield — to snag a council seat.

Jenkins denies that a run in 2010 would be aimed at spoiling Scrivner's sole "local" claim to the voters in the critical Bakersfield areas of the far-flung 2nd District.

Currently Scrivner is the only Bakersfield resident running.

"This race will not be about geography. It will be about who's the best person for the job," she said. "We need a time out from the same old politicians doing the same old damage."

Tehachapi City Councilman Stan Beckman and former Maben staffer James Welling of Boron have also announced they will run for the 2nd District seat.

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It's true: Ed Jagels is considering a run for the state Senate seat now held by Roy Ashburn (the 18th District).

We've chased this rumor several times prior and Jagels denied it each time.

Not so today: a recent DA conference lit a fire in his belly over what's going on in Sacramento, where the governor wants to turn felons loose and legislators are proposing ideas that, Jagels said, would effectively de-criminalize property crimes.

He's a polarizing figure; people love him (tough on crime!) and hate him (the molestation "ring" fiasco of the 1980s, that was the focus of the Sean Penn-narrated film, Witch Hunt"). Don't forget Ed Humes' book, "Mean Justice, the 2005 Rolling Stones piece, and farflung commentary when the "monstrous DA" announced his retirement not long ago.

Jean Fuller, who would be his main contendor, hasn't yet announced her political plans.

A Jagels run, if he goes for it, would likely be a game changer across the board. Maybe it would nudge Fuller to stay in the Assembly...then what happens to that race? And so on.

- Gretchen Wenner, staff writer

From Dean Florez's camp:

Dear Supporter,
I am excited to share with you today the latest successes in my campaign to represent you and all residents of this great state as Lieutenant Governor.

To date, your efforts and generosity have helped me to raise approximately $1.5 million in contributions, of which I still have $1 million on hand to support my race to be an advocate for you and for strong government oversight.  That is more than three times what has been raised by my nearest opponent, and for that I thank you for your show of faith in my leadership.

I am also proud to have gained some important endorsements from across the state.  Recently, my list of supporters has grown to include the Fresno-Madera-Tulare-Kings Building & Construction Trades Council, Kern-Inyo-Mono Building & Construction Trades Council and key endorsements from San Francisco Supervisor David Campos and other elected officials throughout the state.

Just last week, ABC's Nightline featured a story on the cruel and inhumane practice of tail docking employed by the U.S dairy industry and my successful effort to outlaw the practice in California.  I am proud to have been honored by the Humane Society of the United States as their legislator of the year for my legislative efforts to end animal cruelty and for my ardent support of Proposition 2, which passed by the largest margin of votes of any proposition in California history.

I hope you will join me as I continue my campaign to enhance government oversight, reign in irresponsible industries, protect the rights and safety of California workers and safeguard the consumers of this state.

Sincerely,

DEAN FLOREZ
Senate Majority Leader
Co-Chair, Animal Protection Caucus
 

This came in from the Fran Florez campaign today

Florez holds substantial lead in 30th AD fundraising

Shafter, CA -  Fran Florez, a State Commissioner for High Speed Rail and Democratic Candidate for the 30th Assembly District, has reported that her campaign has nearly $160,000 cash on hand, almost four times the cash on hand as her opponent in the race for the Democratic nomination. Financial reports show Florez has raised $206,861 for the 2010 campaign to date, giving her a commanding lead in fundraising with a broad base of support.
 
“I am humbled by the support we are receiving each and every day. I have said all along that our campaign is best prepared to take back the 30th Assembly District and these numbers prove this well,” said Florez.
 
The Florez for Assembly 2010 campaign notes that the financial reports have recently been filed, prior to an aggressive fundraising schedule in January and February which is expected to extend this fundraising lead even further.
 
With a lead in endorsements and fundraising, it is clear that Florez is the best candidate for Valley Democrats to reclaim the 30th Assembly District in the General Election.

Ah, February.

For political junkies, the season's thrill comes not from an East Coast groundhog but the sweet shuffle of year-end campaign finance reports, which were due Monday.

Who's supporting whom? Read our story for the highlights.

Want to get all the raw data yourself? Check out the Secretary of State's office website.

Zack Scrivner, with the money-raising might of consultant Mark Abernathy behind him,  roared into the cash lead in the 2nd District Supervisor race — bringing in $43,050 in a little over two weeks at the end of December 2009.

Merry Christmas Zack. See the full story of campaign cash here.

Former 2nd District Supervisor Steve Perez is in the hunt — raising aroud $24,135 between September and December.

Mary Beth Garrison, current Supervisor Don Maben's pick to replace him — raised just over $9,627.

Two other candidates have announced runs but have not raised reportable cash.

Scrivner seems to be on his way to a turf advantage with Garrison and Perez dueling for cred in east Kern while he plays off of his role as Bakersfield's vice mayor in the priceless turf of south eastern urban Bakersfield.