Groups choosing sides on Oller run

WASHINGTON – Special-interest groups already are taking sides as former state Sen. Rico Oller prepares to replace Rep. John Doolittle in another run for Congress.

Four years ago, Oller lost a three-way fight for the Republican nomination in the 3rd Congressional District. Former state Attorney General Dan Lungren ultimately won the seat.

Oller, a San Andreas Republican, announced last week that he would be seeking the Republican nomination for the 4th Congressional District and the right to take on Charlie Brown, the likely Democratic nominee, who nearly beat Doolittle in 2006.

The powerful Club for Growth, a conservative activist organization, backed Oller last time and is ready to do so again.

The group helped stir the rising tide of Republican opposition to another Doolittle term in a report that gave him poor marks on special-interest earmarking of congressional spending bills.

In 2004, the club helped raise more than $158,000 for Oller.

"It is clear that he would fight against wasteful government spending," David Keating, the club's executive director, said in a statement. "California Republicans deserve someone who will fight for economic freedom and limited government."

Oller's candidacy is drawing fire from the Humane Society Legislative Fund. In 2004, the Humane Society's former political arm, Humane USA, spent almost $30,000 in an independent expenditures campaign against Oller, citing his record on animal rights protection.

Michael Markarian, president of the legislative fund, said it has not decided whether to finance another campaign against Oller. But Markarian again attacked Oller for his support of using dogs to hunt bears and his refusal in the state Legislature to support tougher laws against dog and cock fighting.

"We expect this race could become a very high priority for us," he said.

Oller said Tuesday he is serious enough about the race to move from Calaveras County to Placer County, although the Constitution doesn't require members of Congress to live in the district, only the state in which the district lies.

He said he expects the Club for Growth to spend even more money on his behalf this time, and said he welcomes the debate with his opponents.

"It is no surprise to me the the Humane Society and the ACLU and other liberal groups are unhappy about me running. They don't like me. I don't like them," he said. He said he opposes dog and cock fighting, but has hunted with dogs in the past and would "be thrilled to do it again."

"I think hunting and outdoor sports are perfectly acceptable activities," he said. "If those groups want to be ticked off at me, bring it on."

About the writer:

• Call David Whitney, McClatchy Washington Bureau, (202) 383-0004. Bee Political Editor Amy Chance contributed to this report.