The Irvine World News columnist, pollster and Republican Party operative Adam Probolsky is advocating that failed US Senate candidate Chuck DeVore launch a bid for Irvine’s mayor against the popular and effective Suhkee Kang. Probolsky tweeted this yesterday and his column yesterday amounted to an ad for the Republican politician.
Probolsky wrote: “Supporters of making DeVore mayor say that his experience in Sacramento, where he battled a Democratic majority, makes him perfect for the job back here at home. The city’s budget deficits, while nowhere near the level of the state, is a major problem that DeVore could help fix.”
Let me remind Adam, DeVore has no record of accomplishment other than voting straight party line which is only a problem if you’re a Democrat. Probolsky’s column last week, a profile on Beth Krom, included a question about Krom not being a rubber stamp for the Democratic majority in Congress. Why that’s important to Adam when John Campbell is clearly a rubber stamp vote for Republicans seems a tad hypocritical. And since Adam and Beth recently appeared on the Rick Reiff program recently, let’s see if the Congressman takes Adam’s advice and doesn’t debate Krom. It’s clear Probolsky fears the outcome of such a debate.
But back to Chuck for a moment. Besides being largely ineffective in representing this district, in particular, ineffective at helping our schools gain any new ground in funding just to get us to the start average, Chuck has some issues to clear up about charges he used his paid assembly staff to help run his senate campaign. Be honest, Chuck needs a job that can pay the mortgage and the stipend paid to the Mayor of Irvine just won’t be enough.Â
The comments in Probolsky’s column are largely against DeVore’s candidacy. And since Carly Fiorina doubled Chuck’s tallies in Orange County, the appeal of Chuck by mainstream Republicans in Irvine may not be what he thinks it is.
Dan, the crap Probolsky puts in the Irvine World News (IWN) is a joke and hardly qualifies as a legitimate columnist, at least as I understand the term. How he acquired a such a position with the IWN, is a mystery to most of us? Wonder if he had photos?
Secondly, Probolsky is hardly in good standing with Irvine Republicans, being removed from his position as a Planning Commissioner in 2008. He then went on to show his true colors during the 2008 Council election, by funding and putting out a hit piece on Margie Wakeham, which likely cost her the election. I might add that this action was taken without the knowledge of any of the conservative candidates. Adam, likes to pretend he is someone important in the Republican Party, but from my perspective and that of others, he is just another hack and a symptom of everything that is wrong with our party. Hopefully, with the new blood on the Central Committee, an old fashioned house cleaning, will happen, with the Republican “good old boys” network being swept out the door and new leaders will emerge.
Actually, Chuck Devore would be a great headliner for a strong conservative slate in the November, City Council election. If Chuck is as smart as I believe him to be, he will keep Probolsky at arms length and away from his campaign (if there is one). Yep, the Agranistas might just meet their match this time out. I know as always, you will have a great spin on that though. Best wishes.
well Pat, we agree on something else. I don’t think much of Adam Probolsky and find his pontifications on Rick Reiff’s show arrogant at best and his columns in IWN boring as well. But he has a column by which to push a POV in Irvine that clearly lacks the majority opinion he believes it does and the Register is not in the business of providing “fair and balanced” coverage to any candidate with a center left POV; and when they do, it’s almost like “can you believe it, we actually agree with the Dems in Irvine on this…” The news pages are generally fine, but the opinion section isn’t and “Freedom” is only free to those with a conservative/libertarian viewpoint even though the current economic crisis demonstrates that the Keynesian view of economics is superior to Friedman’s (IMHO).
So what do you have? Choi’s a lame duck and Shea can’t beat Kang. Fundraising among Irvine Repubicans for city hall positions always lags. And Kang has done a masterful job of managing the city through very tough economic times; the safety net Irvine has, the enby of other cities in OC, is the result of progressive policies. Our residents have had no cut in services, the S-CHIP program provides healthcare services for uninsured kids, and the city’s economic development efforts have weathered the storm of the financial services/mortgage meltdown.
But good lukc in telling Irvine residents how bad things are when it’s obvious to anyone who drives the streets here that what you say isn’t the case.
I could be wrong, have been before and most likely will be in the future, but I think Shea with the right funding and candidate slate running with her, can beat Kang in November. Both Kang and Agran, will have to deal with the Great Park PR nightmare hanging like an Albatross around their necks. Add in continued deficit spending, no bid contracts to friends, mismanagement and lack of leadership, special interest money-pits (School Foundation, Barclay Theater, Shuttle to nowhere, etc.)and in these times, where residents are loosing their jobs and homes and who knows the people may just wake up and rebel. Now, I know you have a spin for each issue raised, but if both Kang and Agran are hammered hard, and a well financed message is delivered, the bad government backlash coming in November, might just extend to Irvine.
At present, Christina is not planning on running and it is no big secret. I think she is both burned out and being worn down by the constant body shots administered by the Agranistas. However, if Chuck Devore were to decide to run for City Council, that would make it a brand new ball game. The campaign machine would be there, funding would appear out of nowhere and the conservative slate might just upset the Agranistas. Sources suggest that Chuck is not interested and without him, or Christina to headline any slate, it looks like more of the same for Irvine. Of course, it is a long way until November and in politics, anything can happen.
You are 100% right however, about the apathy of Irvine voters. They like what they see and never consider that subterranean termites are below the surface eating the foundation. I speak from personal experience in this area, having had Terminex come out and take care of my problem. I ask the representative if they also treated “Political Termites,” to which he failed to see the humor. Best wishes and keep spinning..
Voter apathy? Oh Pat….things have gotten better here over the past 10 years, not worse.
I wish Ms. Shea well in retirement.
I will match your well wishes, but to the retirements of Larry Agran and Suhkee Kang.
Where in Irvine will Chuck put his Nuke? Maybe next to his hemp farm?
Hey Pat,
Christina Shea and Steven Choi and their political consultant in the 2008 council campaign not only knew about the hits on Margie Wakeham but they authorized them.
The Republican Party was simply trying to make sure Steven (the endorsed GOP candidate at the time) got re-elected to the the city council. Mission accomplished.