Ever since he returned to the Legislature in 1996, Sen. Tom McClintock has made no secret -- and no apologies -- about his decision to keep his primary residence in the Sacramento area while shifting his official voting residence back to Ventura County. He had young children at the time and said that, for the sake of family stability, he intended to keep his home near his place of work.

Now, at least one Republican activist is promoting a way to bring McClintock's political district closer to his home. Ted Costa, best known as the person who started the recall petitions against former Gov. Gray Davis, commissioned a poll last week in the 4th Congressional District, which has as its population center the Sacramento suburb of Roseville. The district is being vacated by Republican John Doolittle, and is arguably one of the most conservative districts in the state.

Two prominent Republicans -- former state Sen. Rico Oller and former Congressman Doug Ose -- have declared their intent to seek the GOP nomination to replace Doolittle. But Costa, long an admirer and ally of McClintock's, last week commissioned a poll testing the strength of a third Republican candidate. That's right, McClintock.

The results were eye-opening: McClintock 43 percent, Ose 11 percent, Oller 6 percent.

I have yet to be able to get in touch with Costa, but sources say it is likely the poll was conducted without McClintock's knowledge. Clearly, no one told McClintock's former aide and longtime ally Tony Strickland about his former boss having any interest in the race. Tony and Audra Strickland announced today that they are endorsing Oller -- who was once Tony Strickland's roommate when the two were both in the Legislature.