The Ventura County Labor Day picnic put on by the Working Blue Democratic Club promises to be a huge event. This is going to be the start of an exciting campaign season. Redistricting has created new districts and opportunities for many candidates.

I expect this to be the largest gathering of Democratic Party activists and candidates this year. Any candidate that is serious about running for a legislative seat will have a presence there. The most organized campaigns will have booths.

The organizers gave me some free tickets to promote the event. There are only a few rules:

1. You must not have attended their event in a previous year.

2. The winner cannot transfer the tickets.

Here is contest number two. This picture of Tim Allison was taken today at a rally in Ventura County. What was the location of the rally. Post your answers in the comments section.

Congratulations to Suzanne Anders for winning the first competition. You won tickets for two to the event on Monday.

The Simi Valley / Moorpark Democratic Club had a candidates forum last night and Tim Allison spoke to the crowd. After his speech he took questions from the audience including a question on what he would do to stop the Tea Party agenda. This was his response:

I was surprised that Tim Allison didn't take this chance to fire up a Democratic crowd. When a politician avoids taking the easy path that impresses me.

I was also sent this video of Tim Allison speaking at an event recently:

Democratic Congressional candidate Tim Allison mentioned my observation that he has more signs up in Simi Valley than any Democrat has had in more than a decade. I'm flattered to have been quoted in his stump speech. Tim Allison is doing his best to challenge UnRepresentative Elton Gallegly. Taking on an incumbent with a large financial advantage is admirable and I appreciate that Tim Allison is doing it.

If you are interested in a great political documentary about the powers of incumbency I suggest you watch the film Street Fight about Cory Booker and Newark, New Jersey. It is my favorite political documentary.

I am not comparing Gallegly to Sharpe James but I do understand that incumbency is very powerful.

I uploaded pictures from the candidates forum to my Facebook page for my blog:
facebook.com/briandennerthere Please go there and hit the like button.

It isn't a surprise that Republican UnRepresentative Elton Gallegly doesn't want to debate Democrat Tim Allison but he should stop playing games and just say so. In a recent VC Reporter article he denied there has even been a request to debate.

That's funny because Tim Allison's campaign has copies of email and details of phone conversations to show Gallegly's government paid staff and his campaign staff have been contacted many times. Click on continue reading to see some of them.

I call Gallegly by the title UnRepresentative because he won't hold a scheduled townhall event that is open to the public, he won't debate, and this district was won by Barack Obama in 2008. Instead of moving to the center he has moved farther to the right.

UnRepresentative Gallegly claims he doesn't have any time in his schedule to debate an opponent yet he has time to attend Tea Party and Republican Party events.

If he doesn't think the people of this area need or deserve to have their Member of Congress he should come out and say so instead of making lame excuses.

Some of my readers have asked what has Democratic nominee Tim Allison been doing lately in his campaign against unRepresentative Elton Gallegly. If you click on continue reading you can see some of his upcoming events.

I don't agree with Gallegly on many of the issues in front of Congress but what really disappoints me is that he won't debate his opponents and he won't schedule town hall events that are free to the public. Since he has time to fundraise and attend Tea Party events he should have time for town hall events. All the other Members of Congress, of both parties, schedule open events for the public except for him.

Barack Obama won more votes in Ventura County and in CA 24. Gallegly shouldn't assume a mandate from the voters just because he has beat weak candidates like Marta Jorgensen in the past.

I doubt it but if he doesn't debate that should be an issue. If he doesn't hold townhall meetings I don't see why he would debate his opponent. Rep. Brad Sherman emails out his schedule when he has events in the district. Rep. Gallegly doesn't have a calendar online.

Democratic Candidate for Congress Tim Allison has written an open letter to the Publisher and President of the Ventura County Star asking him to have the paper moderate debates between the candidates.

Here is Tim Allison's letter:

Dear Mr. Cogswell,

This election season, voters deserve a different playbook, one which offers a dialogue between candidates. From Orcutt to Oak Park, constituents of the 24th Congressional District are owed opportunities to decide their votes based upon debates and dialogue with the candidates.

My campaign will challenge Elton Gallegly to meet and debate throughout the district. We hope you will join us in this challenge and sponsor a debate in your town using your editorial board to moderate forums, Town Hall meetings or formal debates as you prefer.

The time for Elton Gallegly to appear alongside his challenger is disgracefully overdue. Every week, voters read of debates between Congressional candidates nationwide and it is my hope that this election season we can offer voters this opportunity in our district.

If the Ventura County Star would like to sponsor a debate or forum please contact Nancy Frawley at my campaign office and we will get it on the calendar.

In states within every region of this country, members of Congress afford their constituents an ongoing opportunity to be heard at seasonal Town Hall meetings. Congressman Gallegly provides no such forums. We hope you will join us this election season to give the voters the chance to hear from the candidates.

Sincerely,

Tim Allison

Candidate for Congress

If Rep. Gallegly doesn't respond Tim Allison would be wise to make sure the public knows he isn't willing to debate the issues. It is conventional wisdom that front runners avoid debates but we aren't required to accept it.

Tim Allison's campaign manager is looking for suggestions of community events he should be attending across the district between now and November. If you have an idea you can call them or post a comment here.

I would strongly suggest getting a dedicated booth at Simi Valley Days. What's your suggestion?

Click on continue reading to see her message and for the contact information to suggest ideas.

I am posting this late but a group of mostly Democratic Party activists were drawing attention to Rep. Gallegly voting in conflict with his own district.

Barack Obama won in both Ventura County and in the more conservative 24th district. But instead of moving towards the middle to represent the views of the people of this district Gallegly has moved further to the right. I have seen no evidence that he is willing to work with President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats in a bipartisan way. Imagine what priorities of ours Gallegly could have pushed if he was willing to cross the aisle on any number of issues.

Rep. Gallegly has been attending Tea Party events but hasn't been holding townhall events. He went to a lecture by a Tea Party leader that frequently calls Barack Obama a dictator and said she doesn't even know if he is a citizen. He might join the Tea Party caucus in congress, which is led by one of the most extreme and bombastic members of congress, Rep. Michele Bachmann. This isn't someone in line with the views of Ventura County voters.

In this video she alleges that Members of Congress and Barack Obama might be Anti-Americans:

Google Michele Bachmann and post your favorite quotes of hers.

Rep. Gallegly's opponent Tim Allison said:

"...part of the bill includes a provision that the extra
compensation spending be budget neutral, so it does not pose an extra burden
on the national debt."

Here is an excerpt from Tim Allison's press release:

The unemployment extension vote comes just after Rep. Gallegly voted "no" to
a bill that would delay new requirements that homeowners purchase flood
insurance. The bill, HR 5114, which passed 329-90 (with strong bipartisan
support), would give homeowners a reprieve from buying the insurance until
the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) can revise current maps
determining who needs flood insurance.

I haven't seen Gallegly's argument for his vote. If you can find it please post it. You don't need to register to comment but keep it classy.

Click on continue reading for Tim Allison's press release.

Here is some additional coverage of the protest:

KEYT

Ventura County Star

The President of the Simi Valley Democratic Club sent me this message:

Let's help our local CD-24 candidate. Vote for Tim Allison at www.grassrootsallstars.com/allison

There are 100 candidates now: on July 16, the top 10 move to the next round.
Tim Allison - is currently number 30.

Richard Carter

I am glad to see local Democrats have realized more and more that they will need outside help to change Ventura County. Online activists, of both parties, frequently help out candidates across the country. Tim Allison isn't favored to win so far but it isn't because of his lack of effort. Beating an incumbent that isn't tarnished by a major scandal is a tough task.

Democratic Party nominee Tim Allison took has been working hard in his campaign to bring a serious challenge to Rep. Elton Gallegly. As of now Rep. Gallegly does have the advantage but that isn't because Tim Allison isn't working hard. Here are some photographs from his 4th of July weekend.

He started campaigning at the Ojai Valley Parade with family and other supporters:

He then attended a fundraiser put on by the Working Blue Democratic Club that he helped organize:

In this photograph are Heather and Hank Lacayo, Jason Hodge, Ferial Masry, Rep. Lois Capps, Leah Lacayo, Bill Fulton and Tim Allison.

The Working Blue Democratic Club is raising money to open offices in East County, including Simi Valley, for the November elections. Anyone interested in helping can run the offices can contact them or their local Democratic Club. The offices will be helping elect Democrats to office including local offices.

Democratic Congressional candidates Tim Allison and Marie Panec were featured in a news story detailing their campaign strategies. Both of them are relying heavily on grassroots campaigning to get their message out.

I am interviewing Marie Panec this Thursday night. Please suggest questions you think I should ask her.

Tim Allison has been adding to his endorsements in the past few weeks and has claimed almost every party institution, interest group, and elected official that endorses in a Democratic primary.

I haven't heard much from Shawn Stern lately but he emailed me to let me know he has been working hard.

Who are you supporting? Vote in my unscientific poll below:

The Santa Barbara Democratic Party is pressuring candidates to sign a clean campaign pledge. You can view the pledge by clicking on continue reading. So far in the CA 24 Democratic Primary Tim Allison has signed the pledge but Shawn Stern and Marie Pane have not.

After you read the pledge post a comment with your thoughts if the other candidates should sign it. You don't have to register to comment but keep it classy.

I predict Stern and Panec will pledge to sign it by this Monday.

UPDATE: I was totally wrong on that prediction.

Tim Allison is going to officially announce he is running for congress this weekend. Click on continue reading for details.

My biggest criticism of the three Democrats running is that so far they haven't been making the case to regular voters why Rep. Gallegly needs to leave congress. I want a candidate that inspires their supporters to write letters to newspapers and campaigns as if the election is only a few weeks away.

Scott Brown in Massachusetts won for many reasons. Among them is the fact that he came across as willing to work hard. Is Marie Panec willing to stand on street corners waving her sign with a group of supporters? Will Tim Allison campaign at the upcoming streetfair in Simi Valley? How far across the district is Shawn Stern literally willing to run?

Voters won't believe you are willing to fight for them until they see you fighting for yourself.

When Democrats take the fight to Gallegly they will start rallying the activist base. They won't be rallying the base much by telling them why they should spend time going after each other.