It is good that more people are covering local politics. I would like to see follow up questions though. Interviews shouldn't just be a time candidates read their platform without any critical questions.

This is the guy banned from Star blogs for leaving creepy comments aimed at women. He shouldn't be allowed to run across the street.

Clarification: comment above aimed directly at Gibson and nobody else.

Hey Brian. Nice Post.

Daniel,

Thanks for reading and commenting on my blog.

Are you going to interview more candidates? I will post any of the videos you make with links back to your sight.

I was giving you a hard time for easy questions because you didn't challenge anything the candidate said. Say what you will of my question selection but I do challenge their ideologies and statements.

Brian,

I know you had offered to interview me on your blog some time ago, which I readily agreed to; however I never heard back from you.

Daniel Goldberg, on the other hand, was quick to contact me and set up an interview, which I see you were quick to snag and place on your blog.

I would still be more than happy to do an interview with you and you can ask me any questions you like.

All the best,

Mike Gibson

Did anyone else get Mike Gibbson's flyer in the mail? I just receive mine and it sounds like he's got a good plan to get the city back on track. He's got my vote.

Did it come with any good Walmart coupons?

His "plan" includes things that are already being done by the city. Not terribly informed, this guy.

Mike played softball on my team last season. He's a great guy with lots of good ideas to improve the City. I will be voting for him as well.

Why didn't the VCRCC endorse him? He has been loyal to their causes and candidates.

I think the VCRCC is playing it safe. If they endorsed Gibson, they would have to endorse all the other Republicans running (I think there are a total of 7 in the race) and what good would that do any of them?

Having said that, the Republican Party leadership in Ventura County has become a big joke. They have no respect from anyone who isn't a far right-wing extremist. They don't help local candidates for office, like Gibson, Halderman, and Knox, who could actually benefit from their support (which, incidentally, is what their main thrust is supposed to be). They're pretty much useless in this regard.

Just a bunch of wack jobs in Hawaiian shirts who only come to the aid of right-wing nut jobs for State office (like the Stricklands, Mike Stoker, Jeff Gorell, etc.). Mike Osborn should step down. He's just a big bag of wind who will promise you the world and then, when the chips are down, he's nowhere to be found, except kissing Phony Tony's behind.

Neal Andrews is claiming that he was endorsed by them as several other Republican groups. He is on the Central Committee so maybe that had something to do with it. They can endorse up to 4 Republicans. I guess Neal A. must be a right wing extremist.

Republican candidate Neal Andrews has the VCRCC and the Lincoln Club and the Young Republicans (many of the same people) listed as endorsements so they must be endorsing some candidates. Andrews is also on the Central Committee and I don't think he is a right winger.

Check out their Web site. They haven't endorsed anyone for Ventura City Council. Andrews is claiming endorsements he doesn't even have.

Looks like they made a judgment on who is likely to win.

The VCRCC has made no endorsements in the Ventura City Council race. Check out their website if you don't believe me.

Neal Andrews is claiming endorsements he doesn't have. He's done this before, so no big surprise there.

I looked at his website and I am pretty confident he has their endorsement. The burden of proof is on you.

From Flashreport and in an newletter from Leonard. :

by Hon. Bill Leonard - Statewide (bio) (email)(print) 10-5-2009 8:49 am
Our California political system makes party nominees and the party the focus of the November general election. However, for the June primary election the candidates are on their own. Although the state and local parties have the legal power they rarely intervene in a primary fight
and should never do so without some overriding reason where the endorsement helps the party.

Never until a week ago when the Ventura County Republican Central Committee endorsed a candidate for my job, and I am told they did so with no candidate debate, and in fact only one candidate invited. I am termed-out of my position on the Board of Equalization and there are 4 candidates pursuing the campaign. There is no reason in the world that the Republican Party voters in the 2nd District should not be allowed to choose their own nominee without party interference. This is an insult to the Republican voters in the 2nd District.

Now Barbara Alby (whom I have endorsed), Alan Nakanishi, and Roy Ashburn will have no political choice but to go after county central committee endorsements. I regret this. It was a dumb and unnecessary move for Ventura County to change the nature of the race. As political activists and campaign law specialists know when the party does endorse then party resources can be spent on their candidate and money can be legally laundered to the party in amounts higher than would be legal for the candidate to accept personally. So the other candidates have no choice now but to go after official party endorsements in other counties. And with 34 counties in the 2nd District every county committee is going to come under pressure. Ventura has unleashed a free-for-all for legal campaign laundering.

From FlashReport.org and a newsletter sent out by Leonard. I don't think the VCRC has all of its endorsements up because it didn't have the following either.

by Hon. Bill Leonard - Statewide (bio) (email)(print) 10-5-2009 8:49 am
Our California political system makes party nominees and the party the focus of the November general election. However, for the June primary election the candidates are on their own. Although the state and local parties have the legal power they rarely intervene in a primary fight
and should never do so without some overriding reason where the endorsement helps the party.

Never until a week ago when the Ventura County Republican Central Committee endorsed a candidate for my job, and I am told they did so with no candidate debate, and in fact only one candidate invited. I am termed-out of my position on the Board of Equalization and there are 4 candidates pursuing the campaign. There is no reason in the world that the Republican Party voters in the 2nd District should not be allowed to choose their own nominee without party interference. This is an insult to the Republican voters in the 2nd District.

Now Barbara Alby (whom I have endorsed), Alan Nakanishi, and Roy Ashburn will have no political choice but to go after county central committee endorsements. I regret this. It was a dumb and unnecessary move for Ventura County to change the nature of the race. As political activists and campaign law specialists know when the party does endorse then party resources can be spent on their candidate and money can be legally laundered to the party in amounts higher than would be legal for the candidate to accept personally. So the other candidates have no choice now but to go after official party endorsements in other counties. And with 34 counties in the 2nd District every county committee is going to come under pressure. Ventura has unleashed a free-for-all for legal campaign laundering.

Look at the VCRCC website, moron, not Andrews. You'll see they have a section on "Candidates", which lists all the candidates they're supporting in upcoming elections. The only one listed is Jeff Gorell.

Andrews is making a bogus claim and someone needs to call him on it.

Look at the VCRCC website, moron, not Andrews. You'll see they have a section on "Candidates", which lists all the candidates they're supporting in upcoming elections. The only one listed is Jeff Gorell.

Andrews is making a bogus claim and someone needs to call him on it.

Look, if you make up a claim, about a VCRCC member and city council member, you should back it up. Call the VCRCC or email them and ask for a clarification. Then post it here.

ROGUE is obviously a Neal Andrews supporter and has yet to back up his claim with any evidence. There have been no endorsements made in the Ventura City Council election by the VCRCC. Osborn and his band of white, angry old men don't have the guts to endorse anyone. They have suffered defeat so many times in the past that they don't have the stomach for another loss.

I think they need to endorse someone other than Osborn to take the helm if they expect any forward progress.

Why don't you call or email them and ask for a statement? I am confident a member of the VCRCC could get their endorsement. He is a loyal Republican.

I e-mailed them several times. No response received. What does that tell you? They're staying the hell out of this one.

It tells me very little. I doubt a leader of their committee could make up an endorsement without facing problems. Especially after he didn't endorse in the state senate campaign.

E-mail them yourself then and see if you get a more definitive answer. Andrews is shrewd, but he often acts without considering all of the consequences. Look at his stand on the new utility tax by SCE, for example. That's a bigger can of worms than the 911 fee. And he's opened it right in the midst of a tough election campaign. How smart was that?

I met Mike at one of the candidate forums and was very impressed with his in-depth knowledge of City affairs as well as his staunch opposition to new taxes and runaway pension costs.

My vote will happily go to him. Don't vote for any of the incumbents unless you want more of the same - broken promises, higher taxes, hidden fees, and back-door taxes (like the Edison utility surcharge).

Time for change indeed.