Minutemen endorse Griffith, not Bilbray against Busby in CA 50 race

[cascadiance]

This is an interesting tidbit that showed up in a few articles this morning. Despite Brian Bilbray's pretty much focusing only on immigration as his issue against Francine Busby, it is the independent William Griffith that picked up the minutemen's endorsement in the 50th district race. Hmm... If Griffith has any kind of pull with that sort of endorsement, that could spell trouble for Bilbray to beat Busby in the special election vote, since Busby only needs a plurality this time to beat him. Also, Bill Hauf running actively in the primary could also introduce a split in the Republican base too.

Check out these articles on this subject. Note that even the article on the conservative site that is concerned about Republicans' chances in congress cites Griffith as a concern here. Folks they're worried! If you're campaigning for Busby, and some Republican doesn't want to vote for her because of their feelings on immigration, then ask them if they feel Bilbray or the minutemen-endorsed Griffith better serves them. Might serve to help split the vote more!

Interesting also in the article that mentions this is that they also note that Bilbray's lobbying to support the lawsuit that some have against allowing illegal immigrants to get in-state tuition vs. higher tuition that out-of-state residents have to pay to California schools may be backfiring, as it exposes the source of his concern as being likely that his kids are paying higher non-resident tuition (as Virginia residents), which calls into question his residency status here, which calls into question issues of fraud as well as his eligibility to run here as a "California resident".

http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2006/05/house_race_hotl_15.html

Here's what makes Republicans nervous about the race, though: the party is fractured, with millionaire Bill Hauf attacking Bilbray on his right flank.

And despite Bilbray's immig. credentials and criticism of Bush on the issue, the San Diego Minutemen endorsed an independent, William Griffith.

Total spending for this compact special election: more than $10 million.

http://www.humaneventsonline.com/blog-detail.php?id=15126

'We Could Lose House,' Says Former House GOP Campaign Chief
By: John Gizzi
Posted 05/24/06
04:32 PM

The Republican who successfully steered his party’s majority in the U.S. house through two successive national elections voiced his worry this morning that the GOP could lose its majority in the House "if the present environment persists."

...

Looking ahead to the special election June 6th in California’s 50th District to fill the seat of disgraced former Republican Rep. Randy Duke Cunningham, Davis would only say that the race in the heavily Republican district "is very, very close." He specifically criticized some Republicans for waging a primary race against GOP special election nominee Brian Bilbray on the same day that Bilbray faces Democrat Francine Busby for the remainder of Cunningham’s term. "It’s very confusing," said Davis, who also said it doesn’t help the GOP effort when the anti-illegal immigration Minute Men have endorsed an independent candidate in the race.

http://www.thehill.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/052406/bilbray.html

Bilbray takes universities to court over pro-immigrant ‘bias’
By Jonathan E. Kaplan

Former Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-Calif.) faces two contests this summer; he is trying to win a seat in Congress, and he is hoping to win a class-action lawsuit against California’s higher-education system.

Meanwhile, he and his two college-age children, Briana and Patrick, will head to court in late July as the lead plaintiffs in a suit against California’s university system, charging that students who were forced to pay out-of-state tuition rates were discriminated against because undocumented immigrants who met residency requirements were eligible for in-state tuition rates.

...

This month, the San Diego Minutemen, a group that patrols the border to stop illegal immigrants from crossing into the United States, endorsed William Griffith, the independent candidate running against Busby and Bilbray in June.

...

Bilbray said his principal residence is his mother’s house in Carlsbad; he moved there in 2005 to care for his injured mother, a campaign spokesman said. When Bilbray registered to vote in June 2005, he listed the Carlsbad location as his principal address, and his driver’s license claims Carlsbad a his principal residence.

“The Democrats are throwing everything at the wall to see what sticks. This is an act of desperation,” said Steve Danon, Bilbray’s spokesman.

But Democrats argue that if Bilbray were a California resident, the California university system would not be charging his children out-of-state tuition.

After Bilbray lost his congressional seat in 2000 he worked as a lobbyist, traveling between his Virginia home and California. His children remained in Virginia to finish high school.