April 15, 2008

Influential GOPers 'CRAFT' new group

A who's who group of California Republicans will announce on Wednesday the formation of a new political organization whose mission will be to recruit and elect GOP candidates to statewide office in California.

The group will be chaired by Larry Dodge, the wealthy Republican donor who has been unhappy with the organization of the California Republican Party accusing the party of lacking "professional management."

Former California GOP Chairman Duf Sundheim will serve as executive director of the group, which is calling itself California Republicans Aligned for Tomorrow (CRAFT).

Paul Folino, a Orange County Republican financier with close ties to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and a leader of The New Majority, another GOP group, will serve as vice-chairman.

Among those set to announce the group's formation on a Wednesday conference call include both GOP legislative leaders, Assemblyman Mike Villines and Sen. Dave Cogdill, Party chairman Ron Nehring, former Gov. Pete Wilson, Rep. David Dreier, the chair of the California Republican congressional delegation, freshman Rep. Kevin McCarthy and Assemblywoman Sharon Runner.

UPDATE: Chris Bertelli of Randle Communications calls to report that Adam Mendelsohn, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's former communications director, will be on the call representing the governor.

The group promises its "new, professional and visionary approach will help the California Republican Party to ensure GOP victories in 2010 and beyond." The official state Republican Party has had trouble financially in recent years.

The party has struggled to recruit top tier GOP candidates for statewide office and U.S. Senate. In 2006, only Schwarzenegger and Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, who spent millions of his own fortune in the campaign, won statewide.

The Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, former state Sen. Dick Mountjoy, raised barely any funds and mounted only a nominal campaign against U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who easily won reelection.

The new group notes that since 1994, Republicans have won only four of 24 possible statewide elections in California.

Posted by Shane Goldmacher on April 15, 2008 11:31 AM