Brett Wagner in the past has been a candidate against Elton Gallegly in CA-24. I don't know if he is seriously running again but with his slow to start fundraising he has a big hill to climb before he gets media attention.

Back in June he sent out an e-mail that made it appear he was co-sponsoring an event with the Young Progressive Democrats of Ventura County and with Act Blue. To read about that debate click here.

He has now apologized to Act Blue.

To read the apology click on continue reading.

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Now you too can help Brett Wagner using the new Pain Ray.

Post your top scores.

Brett Wagner ( Democratic Candidate CA-24) resigned from various positions within the Democratic Party he held to concentrate on fund raising for his upcoming primary election.

Although I haven't seen it yet I believe the June fund raising period that just ended isn't going to report favorable numbers for local Democrats.

Both Jill Martinez ( 2006 nominee CA-24) and Brett Wagner were in debt by tens of thousands of dollars last reporting period whereas Elton Gallegly still had about $800,000 cash on hand.

Before I believe any Democrat is serious about running I want to know how they plan to raise at least as much as Elton Gallegly currently has on hand. Otherwise, even if they raise money at the same pace as Elton they will still get buried under a pile of his mail pieces.

Anyways, to read Brett Wagner's letter explaining how he is going to devote more energy to fund raising click on continue reading.

I am back on Brett Wagner's e-mail list. Brett, Although I know you might not read this because you said you don't read blogs much ( where do you get information about local politics?), thanks for adding me again and sending me all that information today. I will include it in future updates.

As many of you know fund raising is reported by quarters with one of those quarters ending today. The prowess a candidate has at raising early money is often seen as a mark of their strength which encourages more donors to support a candidate. If Democrats want to defeat Gallegly or his heir they must start serious efforts soon, not a few months before the election.

Brett Wagner understands this system and sent out an e-mail alert.

( Click on continue reading to read the e-mail).

For candidates, you can have the front page of my blog and attract attention by sending in updates. Brag about your fund raising success. Tell us about your upcoming events. Send in some photos. Let me know how I can get the word out about your campaign.

You can't expect a newspaper to cover you in print if you can't even attract attention of blogs devoted to nothing but politics.

The term for media attention is called earned media. I am tired of candidates that don't go and earn any media and then complain they can't get any attention.

Brett Wagner understands this concept. That is why he wrote a Candidate's Diary for the VCreporter in 2004.

That being said, I understand the frustration at the local media not covering enough politics. That's why I started this blog.

Brett, send some photos of any recent precinct walks and I will post them ASAP for you.

Brett Wagner has managed to offend so many Democratic groups and activists it is getting hard to keep count.

Brett, if you would keep open lines of communication I am confident many of these issues wouldn't happen.

My biggest problem is that he keeps pretending he hasn't heard the news that Elton Gallegly changed his mind and is planning to run again. It might be great for fund raising to say you are running for an open seat, but it is dishonest not to mention that there is some doubt and the incumbent has also stated he is running again.

Brett, if he does retire at the end of this term, I apologize. But it has been widely reported across the nation that he is running again. Why do you still have on your website a request for money with really outdated information? Do you know something we don't? To your credit you did say way before anyone else that he was going to retire in 2006 and you were close on that one.

If you keep upsetting Democratic groups how could you hope to unite the party against Elton Gallegly or another Republican?

Anyways, if you want to read how Brett Wagner has angered the Young Progressive Democrats of Ventura County read on.

UPDATE: Brett Wagner has responded at The Ojai Post ( A very fine blog site).

UPDATE: Posting the address seems not to be the main issue being that the address is also on the front page of the Ventura County Democrats website.

UPDATE: If Heather and Brett will sit down and talk it out and come to an understanding I will unpublish this entry so they aren't hurting their party's unity. Brett, let me know if you are open to it. I left a message on your campaign office number earlier.

UPDATE: I signed up again for Brett Wagner's campaign e-mails but for some reason I don't get them. But don't worry Brett, plenty of people forward them to me!

Feel free to go to Brett Wagner's webpage and sign up for his updates.

Here is his latest e-mail.

To:
From: "Brett Wagner (for Congress)"
Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2007 09:43:42 -0700
Subject: Campaign Response to Recent News

Best wishes,
Brett

As a side note, Heather has he called to work it out between you two? The offer to clear up the dispute so that he can help unite, instead of divide the party still stands. I will take down this thread if he does it.

I did call again today, but he hasn't responded to me either. I guess he has enough media attention.

Brett Wagner recently sent out another update on his battles to stop the deployment of what he calls the "Pain Ray".

Click on continue reading fro the e-mail.

I reported weeks ago that Richard Francis was thinking about running for the Democratic nomination to take on Elton Gallegly ( CA-24). If you read the print edition only you would be finding that out this week. That is fine for most people as the election is far away. But for my readers I know you want to know information like this ASAP.

My early prediction? If Richard Francis runs he easily gets the Democratic nomination beating Brett Wagner or Jill Martinez. Both of them had their heart in the right place but couldn't shake up the status quo and I don't see how they could do it this time.

If he runs and can put together the several million dollars he needs this becomes a top tier race. But he can't wait much longer to start this uphill battle.

Gallegly has lots of support. But 2008 is a presidential election year and the Republicans are looking to get destroyed on the war issue. Regardless of your feelings, it is clear the war is unpopular and appears the momentum is on ending it, not continuing it into the next president's term.

Gallegly is clearly the front runner and it would take a perfect storm to unseat him.

Thoughts?

It has been reported several times that Elton Gallegly is NOT retiring. And although anything that has to do with Elton Gallegly and future plans must be held with suspicion I am still amazed that even after I sent Brett Wagner an e-mail with a link to Roll Call magazine his new website still talks about this open seat.

Is he going to try to make an issue out of Gallegly's In and Out campaign plans? Is he pretending Gallegly is retiring because that was Gallegly's last public statement to local media? Did I miss another announcement?

Why does the DC media get more information out of Gallegly than The Star?