As our thoughts turn to turkey and friends and family, it is also a time to take stock. And one group that really needs to take stock is the local Republican Party.
I am not talking about the fat cats who winter at the Vintage Club or will be at the Sacred Heart Fundraising Dinner. They and their wealth have already parachuted in here. National GOP candidates will come here on the QT seeking their money. No, this is about a huge problem facing the rank and file members who belong to the Lincoln Club or Republican Women's groups, as well as the East Valley Republican Club. While they can throw their weight around in some local council elections, at this point they appear impotent as they search for a congressional candidate to face Congressman Raul Ruiz in 2016.
Early on, it looked like Indio Council member Lupe Watson would run. Lupe dropped out after a couple weeks. There was some buzz about my former colleague Rich Gilgallon running. But he has accepted a job as a sports talk host and that appears to be done.
We are less than a year form an election and it appears that the local GOP is conceding the 36th district to Raul Ruiz. Oh I am sure they will come up with some nominal candidate to run but whoever that is will have a long slog. Starting at a baseline of zero funding 11 months before an election almost guarantees defeat.
However all may not be lost for whoever takes up the GOP banner in 2016. Brian Nestande who ran and lost in 2014, got a job as a lobbyist for Riverside County where he makes more money than Raul Ruiz does in Congress!! Ah such are the vagaries of local politics.
Steve Kelly can beached at skelly@rrbroadcasting.com. His podcasts can be accessed on Kelly's Corner Facebook page or follow him om twitter @skellynj
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