TK Arnold: The Real Republicans

by Thomas K. Arnold on September 1, 2010

There’s an old saying that to get elected to public office in Carlsbad, you have to be a Republican.

So it isn’t surprising that the two leading candidates seeking to replace Mayor Bud Lewis, who is retiring after a 24-year reign, are both Republicans who actively sought the endorsement of both the local party and its Lincoln Club offshoot, a group of mostly business leaders whose mission, according to its website, is to “advance free market principles and ideas by recruiting, endorsing, and financing business-friendly candidates and ballot measures.”

In the end, veteran councilman Matt Hall got the endorsement of both groups—which rarely happens in a race that pits a Republican against a fellow Republican. But in this case, freshman councilman Keith Blackburn is being actively supported by two public-employee unions, the “associations” representing Carlsbad firefighters and police officers, and as we all know unions are anathema to any red-blooded GOP partisan.
Blackburn also hurt himself among Republicans, insiders say, by allowing a big giver to Democratic candidates and causes co-host a fundraiser for his campaign in early July. Invitations sent to supporters listed one of the two co-hosts as Carlsbad retiree Donna Merhab (the other was firefighter Danny Glessner). As reported on the website News Meat, financial disclosure forms show Merhab contributed more than $20,000 to the Democrats over the last decade, including $15,000 to the Democratic National Committee, $3,550 to various committees associated with Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign, and $2,300 to Nick Liebham, the 2008 Democratic challenger to incumbent North County Congressman Brian Bilbray.

Meanwhile, campaign statements show old guard money is flowing into Hall’s war chest. His latest campaign statement, covering the first six months of this year, show total contributions of $31,681.

Among the givers to the Hall campaign are such veteran Carlsbad establishment figures as realtor Bob Nielsen ($520); retired Marine Corps general David Brahms ($100); fellow councilman (and dentist) Dr. Mark Packard ($100) and his wife, Bonnie (whose profession is listed as “domestic engineer,” also $100); Tri-City marketing chief Jeff Segall ($100), arts commissioner Bill Lignante and his wife, Alma ($1,000 each); Endow Carlsbad founding member Jim Farley ($1,000); and veteran philanthropist Knox Williams ($500).

Only a few outsiders contributed to the Hall campaign, including Del Mar council member Carl Hilliard ($200).
Blackburn, in the same period, collected total contributions of $58,134, including $6,500 from his 2008 city council campaign fund and a $7,500 loan to himself. Contributors to his campaign are a lot more eclectic than Hall’s list and include former Encinitas Mayor Maggie Houlihan ($750); his wife, Dawn Blackburn, a realtor ($500); peace activist Jeremy Stone of Chevy Chase, Md. ($250); an orthopedic surgeon from Phoenix named John Nassar ($750); and Rancho Santa Margarita private investigator Steven De Tata ($1,000).

Blackburn’s statement also shows a $1,000 cash gift from the Seashore on the Sand Resort, which is owned by former Carlsbad council member Norine Sigafoose.

Ironically, when Sigafoose first ran for council in 2004, she was endorsed by Hall, who reportedly also helped run her campaign.
That’s politics.

{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }

carlsbadsouths September 2, 2010 at 6:46 am

TK Arnold, go away! Your biased opinion is not wanted! Who cares about any of this. All you wrote is that there are concerned citizens on both sides that have donated money to each candidate. How does it feel to be Matt Hall’s play toy? You are selling your sole to the devil just to get elected in 2012. How is that going to work for you when Keith Blackburn is Mayor? “Betcha he ain’t gonna be helping you out!” I’d vote for Ernie Bray over you any day in 2012. At least he just quietly helps Farrah Douglas out and gets some experience in the process.

You have a lot to learn Mr. Arnold. You are playing Oceanside politics in Carlsbad. Haven’t you wrote about that before? Interesting…If you want to do it this way, move to South O, so you can still see/smell Carlsbad, but you can have an Oceanside address.

Thomas K. Arnold September 2, 2010 at 10:25 am

Gee, I love that comment! Where do I start? Oh, “biased opinion.” Opinions, by definition, are biased; they are exactly that–opinions. You are entitled to yours, and I am entitled to mine. As for Matt Hall’s play toy, that line about me being Matt’s shill is a little old. I’ve tussled with him over the pool, argued we need a village skate park and he should be 100% supportive of that, etc. So let’s cut the Matt Hall shill or “play toy” crap, all right? And selling my “sole?” I assume you mean soul, because I never sell my used shoes–I always throw them away or give them to St. Vincent de Paul. Again, I’m not selling my sole or soul or anything; in this column I merely observed that everyone who wins races in Carlsbad tends to be a Republican, so everyone who runs tends to want to align himself/herself with the GOP, and that Keith did the same–but that it didn’t work out for him due to the unions and the association with big Democrat contributors. Simple inside-the-political landscape column; I could just as easily have written a column about Matt Hall bringing out all the old guard on his side. Oh, wait, I noted that in my column. And I’m quite happy living in Carlsbad–don’t really need an anonymous commentator who lacks the guts to use his I or her real name telling me where I should live! Other than that, thanks for reading!

Glenn Bernard September 11, 2010 at 7:45 am

http://www.MostIndependentCandidateInAmerica.com

That’s me. If anybody wishes to test Arnold’s theory that nobody but Republicans can win in Carlsbad, I’m your guy. Just remember, when you see those campaign signs posted for weeks at a time in public places, you will be in violation of a Carlsbad ordinance if you post an Open House Sign (if selling your house) in those same locations for just 5 minutes. When Matt-City Hall sees your signs, your signs get discarded. Be a good citizen, return the favor, and keep the city looking good!

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