???????Sources indicate that Congressman David Dreier of California (R-22) is supporting the presidential candidacy of Mayor Rudy Giuliani in 2008. Congressman Dreier has been a member of Congress since the Ronald Reagan wave began with the 1980 election; he?is the former chairman of the powerful House Rules Committee, the former transition chief for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in California, and someone who is close to President George W. Bush. Congressman Dreier is a?great ally for Mayor Giuliani to have in a state rich in political donors, voters, Republican delegates to their national convention, and Electoral College votes.
In related news, the California state Senate passed legislation yesterday moving the state’s 2008 presidential primary up to February 5, 2008. The California state Assembly is poised to pass the legislation next week, which Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will then sign into law.
February 14th, 2007 at 2:20 pm
Republius, are you warming up to the value of endorsements?
February 14th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
The inevitable question, murphy. Fair enough.
No, I still think based on my personal experience that endorsements are vastly overrated, especially in the senses that they are usually discussed by the mainstream media and lay folks – where quantity seems to be the measurement of choice, followed closely by anticipated voter coattail effects.
But I have always maintained that select quality endorsements, such as the Congressman Dreier one for Mayor Giuliani, can help candidates with their fundraising and organizing in the home states of key players. For example, I would rather have a gubernatorial endorsement than the endorsement of an entire state’s congressional delegation because a sitting governor has more clout when it comes to fundraising and organizing. And I said from day one that picking up Tom Rath and Vin Weber were huge coups for Governor Romney. Obviously certain states where a candidate might pick up such endorsements are more key in gettting nominated than others, and certain folks may have national clout when they endorse you.
But most of these endorsements do not mean as much as they are trumped up to reflect. The endorsements I have referenced are those where the person can objectively add significant value to the candidate’s campaign, such as with a Dreier for Giuliani or with a Rath or Weber for Romney.
I would imagine that Mayor Giuliani is content to let Senator John McCain and Governor Mitt Romney capture the lion’s share of congressional endorsements from a quantity standpoint in order to reflect better on his candidacy as being from outside Washington, D.C. The Mayor is clearly focusing on quality for the relatively small number of congressional endorsements of his own.
February 14th, 2007 at 2:36 pm
Murph, you’re back! I was getting worried about you
!
February 14th, 2007 at 2:46 pm
Kavon, I actually severed the um-blog-ical cord for a few days for a family vacation. But your concern warms my heart.
Republius, I was just checking…it’s not often I see you post on an endorsement so favorably with no “ifs”, “ands”, or “buts” concerning the general overrating of endorsements. Your focus on “quality” endorsements makes perfect sense.