Republican Club
By Brian Harmon
LW contributor
Republican Club President David Harlow stressed the importance of electing John Moorlach to the OC Board of Supervisors in the March 9 election at the Republican Club’s February meeting.
“It wouldn’t be a problem having so many Republican candidates if there was going to be a run-off election,” he said. “But since there is not, we have to get everyone to support Moorlach and not split the vote.”
Mail-in ballots have been sent out, so people may vote ahead of Election Day on March 9.
Harlow also announced that the club is running an ad in the LW Weekly supporting Moorlach. (See page 15.) Moorlach has been county treasurer, a county supervisor and a state senator. He first entered the political arena when he realized that the investment policies of the then county treasurer would put Orange County in a dangerous financial position.
Though he lost the election by over 20 points, within a month, the county was facing bankruptcy, the first county in America ever to do so.
The board appointed Moorlach to be interim treasurer to finish the incumbent’s term. He led OC out of its financial crisis and was overwhelmingly elected two years later.
Since that time, he has been nationally recognized as an expert on state and municipal finance.
Moorlach has been endorsed by the LW Republican Club, the OC Republican Party, the Lincoln Club and the OC Register. The Register said that Moorlach is “one of the Capitol’s most intelligent and influential members” in its endorsement editorial.
In the state Senate, he has worked with Democratic senators to slow the rapid growth of state and local pension liabilities to stave off the possibility of future economic collapse. This is why public sector unions have spent millions to defeat him.
He has also helped Democratic lawmakers forge a new approach to homelessness, especially as it relates to mental illness.
In other business, Harlow announced that 144 signatures have been collected to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom.
It looks like enough signatures will be collected statewide to force a recall election. If so, the election will take place 60 to 80 days after the signatures are certified.
If this occurs, the ballot will ask whether voters want to recall the governor and who they want to replace him. Possibly hundreds of people could be on the ballot. Whoever gets the most votes would become governor. There will be no run-off election.
••• Congresswoman Michelle Steel announced last week that she has been appointed to the Education and Labor Committee of the House.
Steel said, “This assignment will give me the opportunity to work on advancing school choice, allowing families to choose the best schools for their children based on their individual needs. This is a great opportunity to work on behalf of Orange County families and workers.”
She was also named to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.
••• The Republican Club booth will be open Wednesdays from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. in the parking lot in front of Clubhouse 6 for anyone who wants to drop off ballots, sign the Recall Newsom petitions, get voter information, or sign up to receive announcements about what the club is doing. Anyone who cannot physically attend the booth and wants to sign a recall petition can call (714) 928-1950 to have someone come to their door. To sign up to receive club announcements, email dharlow50@ aol.com.
