A few days ago, your Lost Coast Outpost posted a brief item on Michael Halliwell, the Republican candidate for Congress who filed for the seat just under the deadline. In it, we wondered if the entry of a second Republican candidate into the fray, combined with California’s new open primary system, means that we might get to witness an exciting runoff between two Democratic contenders in the November general election.

Well, Halliwell takes issue. With something. This morning he sent us a long essay, complete with charts and a boffo bibliography. It’s not quite clear whether he takes our crowning of him as “Our Last, Best Republican Hope” in the sense it was intended — i.e., as a means to divide the vote and take out the race’s other Republican, and therefore to give us an actual election in the fall — or whether he thought that we thought that he actually has a chance to ascend to Congress.

To be clear, we do not think he or any other Republican has any chance whatsoever. It seems that he thinks that he does.

Halliwell’s essay — posted in full below — isn’t always easy to follow, and it’s not always clear what point he is intending to make. As a part-time academic myself, I must object to the fact that this former political scientist’s voluminous citations conform to neither MLA nor Chicago style. Still, there’s a lot of sweet meat in here, including notice of a century-old grudge that state Republicans bear against Humboldt County and some ferocious smack-talk against the race’s other Republican, Dan Roberts.

Take it away, Mike! 

Hank Sims asks: Is Halliwell Our Last, Best Republican Hope?

I am running to leave the answer to this question to the voters of the 2^nd CD, who are inclined to support a Republican candidate. If the North Coast voters end up prefering someone of the caliber of Todd Hooper or Jim Judd, it will have been my pleasure to help get off to a good start, the 2012 campaign to keep control of The People’s House in friendly hands. Sims’ article is well documented with links to specific pages in official election returns, but I will take this opportunity to provide a bit of extra context for the political dilemma Sims’ Lost Coast Outpost blog analyzes.

Hank Sims’ (March 14, 2012 Lost Coast Outpost) “Is This Man Our Last, Best Republican Hope?” observes:

Your Lost Coast Outpost has been thrilled at the prospect of hot Dem-on-Dem action after June 5. Thanks to voters [click-on referral here to June 8, 2010 L.A. Times “Proposition 14 passes, bringing open primaries to California”], California is testing out a whole new system of elections this year.  The old primary election/general election is a thing of the past – instead, every candidate for state and federal office runs on the same ballot in the primary, regardless of party, and the top two candidates go on to compete in the general election in November.

Those of us who are concerned about adopting a Louisiana style “jungle primary” have to come to terms with the fact that the major parties in California have been stripped of their fundamental  political accountability function, because all too often independent voters were left with little more to vote for in the June primary but lesser offices and ballot propositions.  Moreover, general elections have also been turned into foregone conclusions in most cases.  Before the demise of the Soviet Union, Russians used to joke: “Someone broke into the offices of Pravda (Moscow’s main newspaper) and stole the results of next year’s elections.” In California one could break into the offices of a joint Assembly-Senate Conference Committee and steal the results of the next decade’s legislative elections. If we are to win back the confidence of centrist voters in California, center/right oriented political leaders should make a special effort to offer a generous choice to formerly marginalized voters in this first go-round under Prop 14.

Hank Sims’ 3/14/12 Lost Coast Outpost cites the old 1 CD:

For North Coast voters, this reform couldn’t have come at a more opportune time. Last year, redistricting took our long-standing and seemingly undefeatable Congressman [click-on linkto Hank Sims’ 7/29/11 “Final Redistricting Maps” analysis] – Rep. Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) – away from us, marooning the suave law-maker in a newly drawn district [click-on here to excellent 5 CD map] that includes Santa Rosa and Martinez. At the same time, the Citizens Redistrict-ing Commission handed us off to ultralefty Marin County, whence a whole passel of Democratic aspirants seek to rise to the throne. In other words, we on the North Coast get to now experience our very first legislative election in almost two decades – our first real election, anyway.

New 2nd CD November 2010 Major Party Vote for Governor

These statistics show that while North Coast Republicans may feel dragged down by Marin and Sonoma portions of the new 2^nd CD, those of us down south look to “late returns from up North” as our salvation.  We are especially looking to Humboldt County to pay off an old debt, since late Humbodlt returns snatched victory from the grasp of our 1916 presidential nominee Charles Evans Hughes.

Hank Sims’ 3/14/12 Lost Coast Outpost mentions candidates:

Problem being that despite the state’s new election system, the thing has been scripted almost to a fault. Two candidates advance past June to the general election. There’s been a whole bunch of jostling, but any reasonable assessment has to place Assm. Jared Huffman – establishment Dem candi-date – at the front of the pack. Who is lucky number two? Well, the problem is that the non-Huffman Democratic vote is split at least three ways, and so in all likelihood you had to assume that despite the overwhelming liberalness of the electorate the rump conservatives would all pull the lever for Dan Roberts, token Republican.

This “token Republican” has been rather slow, “getting out of the blocks” – considering how long ago he started his campaign. Dan Roberts’ website links to this 8/11/11 District 6 Voter “Dan Roberts to Run for Congress in 2012” commentary:

The first person to declare serious intention to run as a Republican candidate for Congress in Sonoma/Marin is Dan Roberts.  The Marin Independent Journal listed him as a potential candidate in a recent article that also mention the many Democrat declared and considering contenders (Jarod Huffman, Norman Solomon, Tiffany Renee, Susan Adams, and others). Today, he posted [www.watchsonoma.com] on WSC indicating his plan to move forward, although as yet I see no report of his having filed official papers (and I trust that in the future he will post with proper capitalization rather than all lower-case letters). 

So it would be Huffman/Roberts come November, with Huffman effortlessly crushing the mild-mannered financier to a bloody pulp in the fall.

Sims’ Lost Coast Outpost treats the Halliwell candidacy as belated, in spite of my taking out 2^nd CD papers (on the first allowable day, 12/30/11) long before Roberts did.

Hold up, though! Today’s Santa Rosa Pee-Dee [click on referral here to list of candidates at close of filing] tells us that another Republican has entered the race! This is Michael Halliwell, a Cotati-based ex-professor, and it turns out that this is his third race for Congress on behalf of the (locally) doomed Republican party. With two Rs to choose from at the ballot box, might it be that the June Republican vote is spread out among Halliwell and Roberts, giving a second Democrat a chance to slip through and make a race of things in the general election?  Perhaps. We’re rooting for Mr. Halliwell, but his record doesn’t inspire that much confidence.

Hank Sims’ 3/14/12 Lost Coast Outpost cites election results:

[Mike Halliwell] has stood for Congress twice in recent years, both time seeking the seat held by Marin Democrat Lynn Woolsey. In 2008 he did kinda OK, garnering a not-too-thrilling 24.1 percent of the Sixth District vote [click-on referral here to one of four sources for returns comparison, infra] on behalf of the Republican party.

For 2008 and 2010 General Elections here are 6th CD votes:

As a percentage of the two-party congressional vote in 2008, Mike Halliwell’s 27,143 better showing than John McCain amounts to only 8.85%. Jim Judd’s 10,872 better showing than Meg Whitman amounts to 4.36% of the 2010 two-party 6^th CD vote.

 

Small factors account for the 8.85% vs 4.36% difference, but the BIG reason for Lynn Woolsey’s victories is the weak local showing of the Republican Top of the Ticket.

Hank Sims’ 3/14/12 Lost Coast Outpost mentions Jim Judd:

In 2010, though, he faced a Republican rival – Jim Judd [click-on referral here to “Their Words 6^th Congressional District Candidates” – where Judd reminds voters: “Political party affiliation: Republican. ‘However I always make it clear that I have been registered Decline To State.  I’m upset with both parties!’”], a Rohnert Park-based captain of industry.

If Jim were a captain of industry, he would have been better positioned to keep his work force intact, as he struggles to ride out effects of Democrat control of Congress from January 3, 2007 to January 3, 2011.  Jim has moved back to Plumas County, and those of us who met him during his 6^th CD campaign will miss him.

Hank Sims’ 3/14/12 Lost Coast Outpost article concludes: 

When the primary rolled around, Halliwell fared little better in an all-Republican primary than he did against Woolsey two years earlier; Judd spanked the man who is now our last, best hope by better than two-to-one,[click-on referral here to June 2010 Primary results for Judd, Halliwell, and Roberts] giving the victor a few months of glory before his own inevitable slaughter in the general [click on here to half of 2010 results, supra]. So perhaps Halliwell’s R-appeal cannot be banked upon. Still, for those who pine for a Huffman-Solomon contest, or a Huffman-Adams, or a Huffman-Lawson, his late entry is a reason to hope.

 

JUNE 2010 JUDD, HALLIWELL & ROBERTS VOTES CAST

Roberts’ lackadaisical pace for the first five month of his 2^nd CD campaign has persisted until the closing date for the Federal Election Commission reports analyzed in Guy Kovner’s 2/1/12 Press Democrat article. “Money pours in to North Coast congres-sional race.”   Kovner’s report shows that except for $110,000 in LOANS to his own campaign (only $7,000 of which was actually spent by the FEC reporting date) Dan Roberts’ fund raising was only $3,851 (well short of the $5,000 FEC reporting threshold).

All of Tom Brokaw’s talk about accomplishments of “the greatest generation” makes us members of the age group right after it (I was born in 1942), especially aware of our unfinished tasks, if we are to make good a “Not on Our Watch” pledge re the looming demise of long cherished institutions (such as traditional marriage and steady expansion of educational opportunity) .  

There is nothing wrong with launching a political career at age 66, as Dan Roberts did with his 2010 American Independent campaign, or at age 86, for that matter. However, we must squeeze every last drop of mileage out of the only asset Republicans around here have in equal meausre to Democrats, CALENDAR TIME.  It is literally true, that if the second half of Dan Roberts 2^nd CD pre-primary campaign proceeds at the same pace as the first half, he will have generated almost no press coverage (because he has yet to post or distribute a concrete proposal on any issue).  Unless Roberts “gets a move on it” – on June 5, 2012 it may turn out that it is he and not I, who has drained off Republican votes needed to get into the “top two” general election, into a futile, half-hearted effort.

In the spirit of your “click-on referral links,” I list, infra, key phrases one can “Google” to get my past political activity as the top Google entry.  My only website (www.csulb.edu/~halliwel/) is mainly devoted to fighting cancer and distributing free books. This is Roberts main campaign cost so far.  Roberts frankly says he is re-tailoring his political appeal to fit Marin progressivism. I let past actions speak louder than recent words, and cite my prior positions.

Chronological Listing of Halliwell Political Activity on Google

North Bay Congress Race May be Historic Same Party General Election (www.pressdemocrat.com) March 17, 2012

Crowd Running For Congress Grows: A Dozen People Jump In (www.Times-Standard.com) March 16, 2012

Hank Sims: “Is This Man Our Last, Best Republican Hope?” (http://lostcoastoutpost.com) March 14, 2012

Republicans Mike Halliwell and Daniel Roberts Have Filed in Congressional Race (www.marinij.com) March 9, 2012

Congressional Candidate Debate: Hank Sims heard “Absolutely nothing interesting.” (http://lostcoastoutpost.com) March 1, 2012

Halliwell and Roberts Help Swell Race to Replace Woolsey to 11 Candidates (www.watchsonoma.com) January 9, 2012

Congress badly needs a dedicated reformer like Mike Halliwell. (host.thecotatiindependent.com) December 15, 2011

Seven Democrats seeking Woolsey’s seat converge in San Rafael (http://ourhumboldt.org) December 15, 2011

Burton’s Ghost Only 25 Percent of 2^nd CD Voters Can Swing towards Two Republicans (http//:millvalley.patch.com) August 25, 2011

Vote Woolsey out of Congress: Dan Roberts to Run for Congress in 2012 (http://district6voter.wordpress.com) August 11, 2011

Halliwell fights districts gerrymandered to favor Democrats (www.watchsonoma.com) November 2, 2010

Books for Peace volunteer opportunities (Contact Mike or Betty Halliwell) (www.volunteermatch.org) September 22, 2010

Editorial: Halliwell A Solid Choice in GOP’s House Primary (www.marinij.com) June 1, 2010

Marin Voices: GOP Candidates for Congress (www.marinij.com) May 31, 2010

Endorsement Watch 6th Congressional District Republicans (www.watchsonoma.com) May 27, 2010

PD Editorial Debate: Michael Halliwell for House of Representatives (www.pressdemocrat.com) May 27, 2010

Michael Halliwell: Spotlight Republican Congressional Candidates (www.watchsonoma.com) May 25, 2010

Halliwell: This Deficit Spending Has Gotten Completely Out of Control (www.petaluma360.com) May 18, 2010

Pacific Sun: We Endorse Michael Halliwell (R) (www.pacificsun.com) May 14, 2010

Two Republicans Vie for Right to Challenge Woolsey (www.marinij.com) May 10, 2010

Topix: two republicans challenge Woolsey to enforce immigration law vote for Halliwell (www.topix.com) May 10, 2010

Michael Halliwell: Political Courage Test (Project Vote Smart) (www.votesmart.org) March 8, 2010

Cotati Independent: reformer Mike Halliwell’s Health Care Reform Proposal (host.thecotatiindependent.com) February 2, 2010

Halliwell’s Reform Coalition Partner Senator Peter Behr (www.stopthecasino101.com) November 4, 2008

Candidates Position Statements: Woolsey Evades Halliwell Debate (www.stopthecasino101.com) October 3, 2008

Dr. Michael Halliwell for Congress, CD 6 (against Lynn Woolsey in 2008) (http://dandoodleblogspot.com) February 29, 2008

Mike Halliwell: How Lynn Woolsey Paved the Way for Indian Casino Gaming (www.stopthecasino101.com)  May 7, 2007

Halliwell Books for Peace: Peace Corps Ukraine Bi-Monthly (www.pcukraine.org) January 31, 2007

Republican Voter Information for Michael Halliwell (www.smartvoter.org) November 7, 2006

Smart Voter: If you’re thinking of voting for Michael Halliwell, you’re five months late (www.smartvoter.org) November 6, 2006

Smart Voter: Sonoma County Republican Central Committee Member Mike Halliwell (www.smartvoter.org) June 6, 2006

Smart Voter: Sonoma & Marin Republican State Legislative Nominees Endorse Halliwell (www.smartvoter.org) June 1, 2006

Republican Halliwell has Differences with Congresswoman Woolsey (www.marinij.com) May 21, 2006

IJ Backs Hooper over Halliwell in GOP Primary (www.mercurynews.com) May 18, 2006

Mike Halliwell: 1991 Gerrymandering, Lynn Woolsey’s Backroom Deal (www.marinij.com) May 4, 2006 

Smart Voter: Mike Halliwell Tenth Amendment Fundamental Rights (www.smartvoter.org) April 30, 2006

Halliwell’s Opening Statement at Channel 26 Debate (www.smartvoter.org) April 29, 2006

Smart Voter: Mike Halliwell Preserving the Value of American Citizenship for the Future (www.smartvoter.org) April 28, 2006

Smart Voter: Mike Halliwell Debate in Tiburon (www.smartvoter.org) April 27, 2006

Mike Halliwell: Lynn Woolsey the anonymous incumbent who can’t be mentioned (www.stopthecasino101.com) April 11, 2006

Halliwell: Civil Rights, a Vital Necessity for Peoples of Color (www.smartvoter.org) April 10, 2006

Michael Halliwell: Candidate’s Position Statements (www.stopthecasino101.com) March 22, 2006

Mike Halliwell:Lynn Woolsey is Afraid to Debate (www.stopthecasino101.com) March 22, 2006

Smart Voter: Political Philosophy for Michael Halliwell (www.smartvoter.org) February 15, 2006

Smart Voter: Full Biography for Michael Halliwell (www.smartvoter.org) December 30, 2005

Cotati Independent: Tenacious reformer Halliwell opposed Sonoma County GMO ban (host.thecotatiindependent.com) November 8, 2005

Halliwell: Health Care is not a Right or Freedom, Health Care is a War on Disease (www.smartvoter.org) October 28, 2004

Mike Halliwell is a Leader in the Fight against Breast Cancer (www.stopthecasino101.com) August 13, 2004

Halliwells’ Books for Peace Charitable Organization Ships Books to Peace Corps (www.csulb.edu/~halliwel/freebooks) July 1, 2004

Smart Voter: Mike Halliwell Mobilization to Survive Breast Cancer (www.smartvoter.org) June 6, 2004

Halliwell’s Challenging the Political Status Quo: $35 Million for Butterflies (www.smartvoter.org) June 5, 2002

Mike Halliwell Supports Local Control over Casino Gambling (www.stopthecasino101.com) October 26, 2000

Halliwell’s Non-Profit Ships Donated Books to Help Peace Corps Programs (http://booksforpeace.org) September 22, 1999

Cotati Independent: dedicated  reformer Mike Halliwell carries on Bill Filante’s legacy. (host.thecotatiindependent.com) December 3, 1992

California 1990 Redistricting Archive (Halliwell Box 4 # IX) (http//:igs.berkeley.edu) January 14, 1992

Assembly v Deukmejian Real Party Phil Burton Amicus Curiae Michael Halliwell http://law.justia.com January 28, 1982

Legislature v Reinecke (1973) 10 cal 3d 396, 402 Michael Halliwell Amicus Curiae http://law.justia.com November 28, 1973

California 1970 Redistricting Archive Halliwell Amicus Curiae Brief (http//:igs.berkeley.edu) October 1, 1973

Cotati Independent: Congress needs Peter Behr’s running mate Mike Halliwell. (host.thecotatiindependent.com) November 2, 1970

Cotati Independent: tenacious reformer Mike Halliwell opposed dishonest judge (host.thecotatiindependent.com) November 3, 1964