California: Dave Cogdill

The latest poll numbers for the Governor and the legislature are pitiful, although clearly the electorate has hit Schwarzenegger more over the recent budget crisis.
Overall, just 33% of California adults give Schwarzenegger a positive job rating, barely above the record low of 32% that he hit in 2005 after pushing a package of failed ballot measures in a special election. As recently as January, Schwarzenegger's favorable job rating was at 40%.

Faring worse is the state Legislature: Its 21% approval rating matches the record low it set in several previous polls.

There are a number of other questions in the poll regarding the right to choose and birth control, which you can see

The Yacht Party wrapped up their convention in Sacramento yesterday, and while they didn't censure the members of the caucus who voted for tax hikes, they did deprive them of support in future elections.  There's a problem with this, of course - only Dave Cogdill and Anthony Adams are running for their seats in the next election, as everyone else is termed out.  In addition, what this really prevents is slate mailers, not really anything else.  It doesn't prevent mailers that candidates can buy a spot on, or funding from individual members of the party, etc.  This measure is good for the "heads on a stick" crowd but not for much else.

The Yacht Party wrapped up their convention in Sacramento yesterday, and while they didn't censure the members of the caucus who voted for tax hikes, they did deprive them of support in future elections.  There's a problem with this, of course - only Dave Cogdill and Anthony Adams are running for their seats in the next election, as everyone else is termed out.  In addition, what this really prevents is slate mailers, not really anything else.  It doesn't prevent mailers that candidates can buy a spot on, or funding from individual members of the party, etc.  This measure is good for the "heads on a stick" crowd but not for much else.

Assembly Republican leader Mike Villines and ousted Senate GOP chief Dave Cogdill have published an op-ed in the Fresno Bee on why they supported -- and negotiated -- this budget.

So we had a choice. We could continue to say no and refuse to negotiate, facing the real prospect of enough lawmakers agreeing to pass a budget without Republican input. That budget would have surely included massive tax increases and overspending, with no reform.

Or we could negotiate a budget compromise with Democrats on a budget that saves California from the brink of insolvency, gets hard-working taxpayers their long overdue tax refunds, helps to get our economy growing again and includes long-term fixes to our budget problems.