Ventura, CA – On September 1, 2011 the Democratic Club of Ventura endorsed the following Democratic candidates for the current Ventura City Council race: incumbent Carl Morehouse, Cheryl Heitmann and Danny Carrillo.

The Democratic Club of Ventura maintains an endorsement committee comprised of club members. These members perform a rigorous process to evaluate Democratic candidates for endorsement. A questionnaire that covers major issues concerning the city and region is distributed to qualifying candidates and returned for scoring. The top-scoring candidates are recommended to the club membership for endorsement and a vote is taken.

Sandra Kinsler, President of the Democratic Club of Ventura comments, “The questionnaire determines candidates’ understanding of major issues facing the members of the Ventura City Council. The answers provide information on how each candidate will approach these issues when faced with them in the future.”

Kinsler further observed that, “We are grateful to these brave people for stepping up to the plate to represent us. Being on the City Council is not an easy job. It is time consuming, fraught with controversy and done on a volunteer basis. The $600 a month stipend that Ventura City Council Members receive comes nowhere near paying the expenses of these members. They do this work for the love of our community.”

Candidates endorsed by the Democratic club of Ventura receive volunteer support from club members. The membership will walk precincts, make phone calls, participate in public events and distribute slate mailers on behalf of the Democratic candidates.

Ventura, CA – Thursday night, 3/25/2010 The Democratic Club of Ventura and Ventura County Democratic Party presented “2010 Democratic Candidate Town Hall” at the Topping Room, E.P Foster Library, 651 Main Street, Downtown.

Forty-five people attended the town hall meeting hosted by Helen Conly, Vice President and event coordinator. The program opened with political consultant and local software business creator David Maron, who was emcee.

Sheriff hopeful, Geoff Dean assured the audience that “political persuasion or party won’t be the catalyst behind him giving out future arrests. Criminality is not parceled out by whether or not you are a republican”, said the avowed Republican candidate.
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=crazycatherder#p/u/7/WP6OwoNQC48
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=crazycatherder#p/u/6/zUI51j9XJWc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1n_XoQmOTY

Written questions from the audience were also asked by Maron.

Next was Ferial Masry with a fifteen-minute presentation. Masry expressed the need for California, the 6th largest economy in the world, to strive to become the state where business owners create products and services that can be used globally, to educate and prepare our students to be the 21st century work force instead of going to foreign countries and to reconsider green initiatives that supplement sustainable energy resources and careers.

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=crazycatherder#p/u/4/JWXGarXgSE0
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=crazycatherder#p/u/3/ILojAzgjTdA
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=crazycatherder#p/u/2/GG15ZBYUQDM

The 37th Assembly District includes the following cities: Acton, Agua Dulce, Camarillo, Canoga Park, Castaic, Chatsworth, Fillmore, Los Angeles, Moorpark, Newbury Park, Oak View, Ojai, Piru, Santa Paula, Simi Valley, Somis, Thousand Oaks, Val Verde, West Hills, and Westlake Village.

As opposed to prior advertising, the program wasn’t televised although some of the content was captured by Todd Hoover a videographer from the Santa Clarita area.

Other participants were Ed Summers and Peggy O’Reilly, both running for Treasurer; Jim Dantona, running for County Clerk. For more information regarding the 2-1/2 hour town hall see: http://www.youtube.com/user/crazycatherder#p/u

The Democratic Club of Camarillo will host a forum at our regular meeting March 4th featuring candidates for California’s 24th Congressional District.  Joining us will be candidates Tim Allison and Marie Panec. Each candidate will have the opportunity to speak and questions will be taken from the membership so bring your questions!

Socializing will begin at 6:15 p.m. with the program starting at 7:00 p.m.  The club meets in the Orchid Building, 816 Camarillo Springs Road, which is located at the Camarillo Springs Exit from the South 101. The meeting is free and open to the public.  Call 805/987-1846 for additional information.

The Ventura County Democratic Party chose Brian Leshon as its new central committee chairman Tuesday night, party officials announced today.

Leshon lives in Ventura and owns an Internet marketing company. He has been the Democratic Central Committee’s acting chairman for the past month, since the last chairwoman, Jill Martinez, resigned her post.  Leshon has also been first vice chairman for the past six months and is chairman of the committee’s communications subcommittee.

Leshon won the vote of 22 of the 29 Central Committee members who voted at Tuesday night’s meeting, according to a statement released this morning.

The Central Committee governs the local Democratic Party and has 44 members. Twenty-four are voted onto the committee in Democratic primary elections, and the rest serve because they have won Democratic nominations for office or are presidents of local Democratic clubs.

~ Tony Biasotti, the Ventura County Star

SANTA BARBARA, CA – The University of California Santa Barbara (UCSB) Campus Democrats today announced their endorsement of local Santa Barbara Councilmember Das Williams in his campaign for the 35th Assembly District.  The UCSB Campus Democrats voted unanimously to endorse Das Williams.

Leaders of the UCSB Campus Democrats cited Das Williams’ deep commitment to and understand of higher education issues and service to the campus community.

“After carefully considering both democratic candidates, we are pleased to endorse Santa Barbara City Councilmember Das Williams for the 35th State Assembly District,” said Amanda Wallner, President of the UCSB Campus Democrats.  “Das Williams has been a huge supporter of Campus Democrats for years. He knows students, he knows Isla Vista, and I am confident that he will continue to work for us and with us in the State Assembly.  Das cares about the students and his commitment to UCSB is unwavering.  The UCSB Campus Democrats are excited to have this opportunity to send a strong advocate for students to Sacramento.”

The UCSB Campus Democrats have hundreds of active members and are the largest Democratic club in the 35th State Assembly District.  The UCSB Campus Democrats are nationally recognized leaders in voter registration and were awarded Chapter of the Year Award in 2009 from the California College Democrats.

“I am proud to have the support of the UCSB Campus Democrats,” said Das Williams.  “I look forward to continue working closely with the Campus Democrats and the UCSB campus community to make affordable, quality higher education a priority in Sacramento.”

Das Williams is running to succeed fellow democrat and termed-out Assemblymember Pedro Nava in 2010.

Brian Leshon has been elected 1st Vice Chair to the Ventura County Democratic Party Central Committee. Brian currently serves as committee chair of the Communications Committee of the Ventura County Democratic Party as well as communications chair for the Ventura Democratic Club.

Brian Leshon has been the NewCarBuyingGuide.com’s CEO and Motorsports Editor since its inception, and he is also the co-owner of CyberAd Media, Inc.  Leshon cohosted several radio shows and has written hundreds of automotive and travel related articles, and photographed thousands of vehicles and locations for publication.  Leshon also provides consulting services to firms maintaining websites and web-based businesses in the arenas of Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing.   He was also an Audio and Video Recording and Post Production Engineer at major Los Angeles studios for 15 years.

Sandy Emberland has been elected 2nd Vice Chair of the Ventura County Democratic Party Central Committee.  She is currently Fund raising Chair of the Central Committee and was elected to serve her 3rd 2-year term in 2008.

Sandy was elected as an Obama Delegate from the 24th CD to the 2008 Democratic National Convention and attended the Presidential Inaugural in January.  She blogged from the DNC to the VC Star.  Since moving to Thousand Oaks in 1996, she has been active in the Democratic Club of the Conejo Valley, holding various executive positions and is a member of the Democratic Women’s Council of the Conejo Valley. Sandy supports Democratic activities throughout Ventura County – has clipboard, will travel.  In addition to fundraising, Sandy coordinated the Democratic Party’s booth at the Ventura County Fair.  Most recently she chaired the annual Kennedy Legacy Dinner for the VCPD.

PRESS RELEASE 7/13/09 — Tim Allison announced today the successful conclusion of his exploratory committee and the beginning of his campaign for Congress in California’s Congressional District 24.

Although Allison will not formally announce his candidacy until September, he has formed a committee with the Federal Election Commission and is raising money and actively seeking endorsements.

“Over the past several months, I have had the privilege to conduct a listening tour in all parts of the 24th Congressional District.” said Tim Allison, “I have spoken to teachers and small businesspeople, doctors and retail clerks, farmers and students. Everywhere I went there was both optimism and uncertainty. People want change. They want to leave a better country for their children. They want to know that their job is secure and their pension will be there for them when they retire. They want a strong educational system and affordable healthcare. They also want a representative in Congress who shares their values and will listen to their concerns.” “The people of the 24th Congressional deserve someone who represents them and not special interests in Washington, DC,” declared Allison, “and my campaign will be about the people in cities and neighborhoods across Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. The Barack Obama campaign, which I was privileged to have been a part of, has shown the difference we can make block by block and street by street. With the help of an incredible campaign team, we will bring change to CD-24 and begin the important work of improving education, reforming healthcare, jumpstarting our economy, providing green jobs and alternative energy and supporting public safety.”

The Tim Allison for Congress Campaign would like to thank his committee.

Co-Chairs of the Tim Allison for Congress Exploratory Committee:

Leo Valenzuela-Ventura County Labor Leader
Jill Martinez-Former Congressional Candidate & Chair, Ventura County Central Committee
Daraka Larimore Hall- Chair, Santa Barbara County Central Committee*
Sue Broidy-Regional Director of the Democratic Party* (Region 10)

Members of the Tim Allison for Congress Exploratory Committee:
David Atkins-President, Ventura County Young Dems*
KK Holland- Vice-President of Administration, Ventura County Young Dems*
Joyce Howerton-former Mayor of Lompoc
Mike Getto- Obama Precinct Specialist
Sherry Holland-Obama Phone Bank Organizer
Cheryl Hermann- President of the Santa Ynez Democratic Club*
Ron Suckle-President of the Stonewall Dems of Ventura County*
Sandra Kinsler-President of the Ventura Democrats
Brian Leshon-Communications Committee Chair, VCDCC
Steve Cummings, Treasurer of the Working Blue Democratic Club*
Debra Dent-CD 24 regional coordinator for the Obama Campaign*
Jay Kapitz- Obama Delegate to the Denver Convention
Sandy Emberland of the Democratic Club of the Conejo Valley* and Obama Delegate
Bill Gallaher, Supervisor Zaragosa’s office* and fmr Chair, Ventura Cty Dem Party*
Sharon Hillbrant, Fmr Chair Ventura County Dem Party*

* all titles for identification purposes only and are not used to suggest organizational endorsements.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced on national television today he would not be running for California governor in 2010 after flirting with a bid for higher office for months.

Elected to a second, four-year term in March, the mayor told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that he wanted to devote his full attention to Los Angeles, which is facing its worst fiscal crisis in decades.

Villaraigosa’s decision adds a dash of clarity to the race for the 2010 Democratic gubernatorial nomination which, at the moment, appears will be between state Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.

Source:  Los Angeles Times, June 22, 2009

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa announced on national television today he would not be running for California governor in 2010 after flirting with a bid for higher office for months.

Elected to a second, four-year term in March, the mayor told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer that he wanted to devote his full attention to Los Angeles, which is facing its worst fiscal crisis in decades.

Villaraigosa’s decision adds a dash of clarity to the race for the 2010 Democratic gubernatorial nomination which, at the moment, appears will be between state Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.

Source:  Los Angeles Times, June 22, 2009

State Attorney General Jerry Brown, the former two term governor, all but announced his candidacy for governor today with a fund raising appeal sent to his supporters. The email included what will likely be his theme. “This state is desperately in need of creativity and new ideas. The state also needs…the know-how and experience to get this impossible job done.”  In these tough times, calling for know-how and experience in the state’s top executive spot is smart — and is certainly nothing that any of the others interested can claim.

Editor Dennis Wyatt says, “Jerry Brown was right. Thirty-one years ago when Brown ended his second term as governor of California he not only had reduced taxes but had built up the largest state surplus ever. On his watch, California created 1 out of every 4 new jobs in the nation. He also was the trailblazer for building and energy appliance standards as well as solar and alternative energy. How did Brown do it? Simple. He refused to spend money like a fleet of sailors on a 48-hour leave after two years on the high seas. If California had continued to move forward at the end of Brown’s first go around as governor using his discipline and out-of-the-box thinking it is doubtful we’d be going through much of the pain that we are today.”

As another writer recently put it, “All you need to know about who California Democrats really are can be found on Jerry Brown’s Wikipedia page. He is us. His values are the sort I grew up with — and, boy, the similarities are uncanny. You see, what we have here is the curious mix of seasoned spirituality, environmentalism, brains and quirkiness — plus that ROGUE fighting spirit that Californians are known for… This is a Californian who could be Steinbeck’s Tom Joad when it comes to agriculture in our state — and believe me he is going to care about water. Jerry Brown is the kind of Californian who would be as comfortable camping in the Sur’s forests as he would be at the swankiest Nob Hill soiree… He’s the real California NEW DEAL.”

For more info:
http://www.jerrybrown.org
http://www.facebook.com/jerrybrown
http://www.twitter.com/jerrybrown2010