In Praise Of Sen. Dick Ackerman

Dick Ackerman rocks and I'm glad he's my state Senator.

After watching the Republican Congress betray the whole point of having a Republican Congress, it is heartening and pride-inspiring for this conservative to watch a Sen. Ackerman and a determined Senate Republican Caucus standing firm for a balanced budget. It's nice for a change to see a group of Republicans acting like Republicans. The easy thing would be to go along, get along and  vote for yet another unbalanced budget. They would earn the worthless praise of Governor Schwarzenegger and fleeting accolades from mainstream pundits. Instead, Ackerman and the rest of the Caucus are turning a flinty face to the advocates of government-as-usual and taking a stand for fiscal responsibility.

Since the Governor, the titular head of the Republican Party in California, has shed whatever GOP principles he may have had, thank goodness Ackerman and his Caucus are standing and fighting for them. And given the weight of pressure being brought to bear on them to break ranks, it is a tribute to Dick Ackerman's leadership skills and example that none has -- except for Sen. Abel Maldonado (R - Weaksisterville).

Which reminds of Martin Wisckol's post last week about Dick Ackerman possibly running for 4th District Supervisor in 2010. I happened to be part of a conversation with Sen. Ackerman and others about six weeks ago when this possibility was broached. It was the first time I'd heard Sen. Ackerman express a positive interest in running for the Board of Supervisors.

And it would be a huge hairy fly in the ointment of OC Clerk-Recorder Tom Daly's plans to run for the 4th Supervisor District seat when incumbent Chris Norby is termed out in 2010. Unless Ackerman or another GOP heavyweight like Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle jumped in, Daly will likely have a clear path to the 5th Floor.

The 4th District is 42.7% Republican and 35.3% Democratic -- not granite-solid Republican, but pretty Republican. That would ordinarily pose an obstacle for a Democrat like Tom Daly, but he has shown an uncanny ability during his years on the City Council to attract Republican voters and donors. I think a lot of that stems from his genuine likability, his avoidance of sharp partisan edges, considerable political skill and years spent in public affairs in the mainstream Republican development community.

Plus, there's a good chance Sup. Chris Norby would endorse Daly as his chosen successor. Daly withdrew his support for incumbent Sup. Cynthia Coad at a critical moment back in 2002 and swung his support to Norby's insurgent campaign. It was a big coup for Norby, and like most good politicians Chris Norby's remembers friends.

Since Ackerman and Norby are political enemies, an Ackerman entry into the 4th District race would make a Norby endorsement of Daly even more certain.

To my mind, however, Ackerman would have to be favored over Daly, for several reasons.

For starters, he'd be the Republican candidate in a Republican district -- and not just the Republican candidate, but the former Senate GOP Caucus leader who had led a high-profile fight for a balanced budget without tax hikes. A Republican who has been on the ballot in much of the Fourth District nine times since first elected to the Assembly in 1995.

Ackerman's entry would partisan the race. He'd receive the institutional support of OC Republicanism -- the OC Republican Party, the Lincoln Club, the CRA in the form of endorsements and IEs/member communications -- plus the GOP grassroots hungry to work for a Republican who actually fights for Republican principles.

Of course, the Daly campaign would slap the "carpetbagger" label on Ackerman since he has lived in Irvine since shortly after his election to the state Senate. But it'll be much, much harder to make that charge stick to Dick Ackerman than it was to Tom Umberg in the 1st Supervisor special election. Ackerman and his family lived in Fullerton -- one of the district's dominant cities -- for decades and served on the Fullerton City Council for 12 years before being elected to the Assembly. Plus, if Sen. Ackerman runs, he'll likely move back into the district long before the election rolls around and will actually live there, rather than rent a tiny apartment.

Ackerman commits early to running for Supe, builds up a huge head of steam and takes on the aura of inexorable inevitability, the cautious Daly may decide to bide his time in the non-term-limited Clerk-Recorder's office and wait for supervisorial term limits to do their work.

Comments

[A Year Late]

Yes Ackerman is doing a good job this year. But let us not forget that it was Dick Ackerman who caved into the Governor and the Democrats on last year's budget and almost lost his leadership post because of it.

If Ackerman had held firm last year, the state budget would not be in such bad shape today.

Well said #1. Ackerman has shown anything but Republican credentials on number of things both local and statewide.

That being said, he does deserve a pat on the head and a bone for doing the right thing THIS time.

[Long-time Politico]

Indeed, Senator Ackerman is not perfect; 'let he who is without sin cast the first stone.'

Thank you for this post, Jubal. There is a single point each year (the budget) when our friends across the aisle must compromise due to the 2/3 vote. I marvel at their inability to compromise on one occasion every year! The liberals are again behaving like spoiled children asked to share their toys. The good Senator is doing a wonderful job on this in the face of withering public commentary from the liberal MSM.

[Art Pedroza]

Is Ackerman backing the ouster of Harald Martin from the Anaheim Union High School District? If not, why not?

Harold Martin is a good guy who stands up for America without shame. Ackerman should back the ouster of Pedroza from this country for a trade with Mexico!

[Smedroza]

Amen to the second part of that!

[Cow]

Yeah, let's trade Pedroza to Mexico, can we throw Janet in there to sweeten the pot as well?

[Bladerunner]

Jubal---What is it with Republicans from Fullerton that draws them to Irvine?

Not a bad first impression of the race but I have a slightly different take. Daly truly fits the district like a glove. You listed some of the reasons but it's like Lou Correa in his district--they fit in well. They share many of the same concerns, aren't really ideological but looking for consensus. Daly is the hometown boy in this fight and where I'd put my money. Ackerman is a decent fellow but his years away in Sacramento have left a voting and leadership record to attack and a distance from this district which will require him to start over in getting to know the district--he wasn't exactly a Jack O'Connell in terms of his local outreach. His move to Irvine only accentuates the difference between him and Daly. His recent throwing down the partisan gloves to protect his leadership position will only highten the sense that he's far too partisan for this district and the continued collection of his per diem while he is holding up the budget is a pretty good bulls eye that Daly couldn't miss.

Art asks a fair question. But this is a no-brainer for Ackerman since the many in the GOP seem to have thrown martin under the bus.

[Jubal]

BR:

First, where've you been? On vacation? I've missed you around here.

Second, Ackerman has a record, but so does Tom Daly. That's the blessing and curse being a long-time elected official -- especially in local government, because one votes on all manner of fees and taxes in the course of years in office. That's one reason local elected officials in OC used to have such a hard-time ascending to partisan office -- the opposing campaign could come through their record and hammer them for "raising taxes ____ times on the ______ City Council!"

Campaigns always find targets to paint on the other guy. Ackerman can zap Tom for the city's stadium deal with the Angels that gave away the store in exchange for calling them the Anaheim Angels. That didn't turn out too well.

As for Dick's leadership in Sacramento, I don't think standing up for GOP principles like a balanced budget is going to hurt him with GOP voters. And it's way too inside baseball to try and make some kind of "he's doing this to protect his leadership post" case to voters.

And Lou does fit in well with his district -- and he barely beat Lynn Daucher who had no previous ties to the 34th SD.

[Jubal]

Jubal---What is it with Republicans from Fullerton that draws them to Irvine?

I don't know. I love Fullerton, and I'm hard-pressed to envision any circumstance under which i'd want to live in Irvine.

[Bladerunner]

Yes thankyou, an undeserved rest but also I didn't think I had anything important to say. Glad I was missed.

Touche on the local record. But Daly has been a pretty dare to be cautious kind of guy so I suspect there's a minimal amount of land mines--there's a few there and I'm sure you'll find them..dammit. But I do think the Sacramento thing comes into play. The legislature is disliked by a broad cross section of the public and legislators can get beat when they come home to run for local office(former Assemblyman Jim Keysor loosing for an LA City Council seat).

Point conceded on the inside baseball BUT now that you mention it, thats probably not what Harvey Englander(or whomever Tom picks) will talk about...it will be the per diems or talking about a balanced budget but supporting increased funds for legislators). And although the GOP Blogger Caucus is spitting out rubber nickels for Big Dick's 54 Days in Peking stand, I'm not sure it will translate into actual votes into the district. Maybe we'll see. I kind of imagined Dick settling into the easy life back on the Fullerton Council(unless Chuck can convince him to run in Irvine). My my.
As for Lou, it was alot closer then it should have been. Thanks to a bitter Dem primary, a Dem Party(and I include the Senate and Assembly leadership as well as the local Party and Dem. Foundation)fiddling while the District burned with a robust(and sometimes extra-legal robust)GOP VR drive, and a GOP challenger that minimized gender defections from the GOP(a tip of the fedora to Dick on that one). Lou wins by 20 points next time.

LOL on the Irvine. I love Fullerton too. Ambiance, not the eminent domain type ala Brea and not the CCR type of Irvine. Nothing against those towns but not para mi.