This year is going to be great for blog traffic. I have many races that the print media won't be covering much combined with candidates like Audra Strickland and Jim Dantona who always get massive attention.

Jim Dantona is running for Ventura County Clerk-Reporter. He has shown in the past he is a tough campaigner when he defeated an incumbent supervisor and then came close in a run-off to Peter Foy in a Republican district. His declared opponent is Supervisor Peter Foy's Chief of Staff Mark Lunn.

The Ventura County Clerk-Recorder is in charge of voter registration and running elections. I want to see a candidate that isn't on the central committee for their party and won't use the position to directly influence elections. I wouldn't mind if they resigned from their party and promised to rarely endorse candidates.

I also want to expand voter registration and Vote By Mail efforts across our communities including (but not limited to) minorities, young people, military members and senior citizens. My ideal candidate will rally young people on campuses to vote and see a major duty of theirs to increase voter turn out.

I will be following these candidates closely to see who offers us the clear choice. Jim Dantona has earned my respect for his energetic campaigning. Let's see if he will earn my vote.

In related news Peter Foy might be too busy to help Mark Lunn much. Check back in a few days to see why.

To all of the candidates: If you ever see a comment that is personally offensive or otherwise over the top send me an email to have it removed. I often remove comments and I don't post who requested me to delete the comment.

The title lobbyist is up there with trial lawyer, tobacco company, and oil company CEO in popularity but to be fair as a journalist I am asking for your input.

What exactly defines what is a lobbyist?

This isn't about Jim Dantona but would you define his company as a lobbying firm? Look over their website and let me know.

Please don't try to turn this into a discussion about Jim Dantona. I am just asking for help with basic definitions for an unrelated story. I will delete off topic comments.

Thanks for your help.

( On the left likely State Senate candidate Jim Dantona (D) with Fmr. Ambassador Joe Wilson.)

I have two updates today on the state senate race.

1. Jim Dantona
The above photo is from a recent event put on by Mary Pallant and others that invited Former Ambassador and Bush critic Joe Wilson to speak. It seems Jim Dantona is really thinking about running and meeting Democratic Activists across the county.

This commentary was provided and e-mailed to me by one of the attendees.

On the campaign trail - Jim Dantona, Democratic candidate for Senate District 19, is seen here discussing several issues with Former U.S. Ambassador Joe Wilson, at an event on 5/19/07 at Cal Lutheran University. This event was just one of several on Saturday for Dantona, who was at the annual Tri-County Working People's Alliance convening in the morning, and a Conejo Democratic fund raiser in the evening.

2. Tony Strickland

Another reader directed me to The Flash Report a Republican blog devoted to California Republican politics. It looks like Tony Strickland has landed the endorsements of all 15 state senators and the Ventura County Republican Central Committee. I thought parties didn't normally endorse in primaries before the filing period had even opened. But it looks like Strickland has been able to use his connections to the GOP base to clear the primary field as of now.

( Thanks to Brian Mack for this great photoshop I have been using for entries about Jim Dantona)

This article was written by Democratic party Activist Laura Winchester. If you would like to write a guest blog entry send me an e-mail.

Timm Herdt, chief of The Star's state bureau,
wrote a very insightful piece in
today's paper. I hope you will all take the
opportunity to read it.

At the Convention this past weekend, I was glad
to finally see major interest from
Leadership about this district and Jim Dantona.
It was a who's who of Democratic
politics and power brokers, and the reception
Dantona received was great! There
was a lot of talk about his near upset in the
supervisor's race, in the reddest
of districts, and how this race is an even
better fit for him than that one.

Rank and file delegates and activists from
within the region and neighboring areas
were absolutely pumped up about this possible
campaign, and left energized, ready
to work, contribute and win.

As a woman in this district, I'm excited about
the chance to elect a moderate like
Dantona, someone who is a true champion of
issues that concern the middle class,
instead of an extremist like Strickland.
Dantona is a supporter of smart growth,
fighting off-shore oil drilling, women's rights
and will work for reform of the
current healthcare system.

While we may not agree on every issue after
all, it's no secret that I'm a Party
loyalist and liberal, I know that Jim is in
step with the voters of this district.
He would work to represent everyone, with the
power of the majority behind him,
when elected.

GO DANTONA!

Laura Winchester
1st Vice Chair, Ventura County Democratic Central
Committee
Member, California Democratic Party Executive
Board