Loretta Sanchez Facing Challenger

Loretta Sanchez, better known for her risque Christmas cards, and being called out by colleagues, might be facing a significant challenger in her next election.

According to C.Q. Politics Asian American Republican Van Tran announced Wednesday he is forming a 2010 exploratory committee to run against Democratic Rep. Loretta Sanchez in California's 47th District.

From C.Q.:

"I'm deeply concerned about our economy. California's unemployment is up 33 percent in the past five months, but we're not seeing solutions in Washington," Tran, a California assemblyman, said in a statement. "If I run for Congress, my first priority will be passing meaningful economic reforms to create more jobs and get Californians working."

Republicans in Washington have been working to recruit Tran for a congressional bid. Tran's election to the state assembly in 2004 made him the first Vietnamese-American in the country elected to a state legislature.

Officials in Washington (I am assuming the NRCC and RNC) hope that Tran will appeal tot he large Vietnamese constituency in the district, who are also strongly conservative Christians.

Sanchez, a Latina, whose sister is also in Congress, is whispered to be interested in running for the California Governor in 2010. But like usual, many are not taking her very seriously. She has taken no major steps toward seeking the mega office of California Governator. She isn't even a blimp in major statewide polls of the race.

George W. Bush narrowly carried the district in 2004. Shockingly Barack Obama received 60 percent of the vote in 2008. John McCain received 38 percent in CA-47.

Should you be angry at the “Republican Party” about backing Specter before he bailed on us?

Great post today on the Next Right entitled : Should you be angry at the “Republican Party” about backing Specter before he bailed on us?

Chris Faulkner, who has worked on dozens of campaigns tries to explain Republican Party structure to the masses. Clearly there were many upset with the Specter defection. Some activists were upset at the NRSC (National Republican Senatorial Committee) for previously supporting Spector.

Many conservative activists don't understand the Republican party structure. They vote on ideology but don't understand the RNC, NRCC and NRSC are not ideological organizations. As noted by Faulkner:

"Keep in mind the RNC, NRSC and the NRCC are NOT issue driven organizations. They are member driven organizations with only ONE goal…majority status, that’s it, no other reason for being."

The NRSC and NRCC are organizations aimed at helping officials who have been popularly elected by their communities to represent them in Washington D.C. They aim to maintain the power of the Party.

I really liked Faulkner's call to action. Instead of complaining that the party doesn't represent you, become part of the party structure.

"So if you want the committee to be ideologically pure you should cool your jets. They are not think tanks, they are membership retention organizations. If you are mad at the NRSC for backing Specter in the first place call your own Senator and yell at him/her.

Is the RNC not conservative enough for you? Then check your state party. State Party too liberal for you? Work your county party."

Good luck to all and get involved. No one likes a political back seat driver.