Once upon a time there was an America people believed in. Like most things people believe in, part of the power of the belief was based on myth. Myths are stories that don’t have to be factual to be true. Consider the myth of George Washington and the cherry tree, for example. The anecdote—little George confessing to chopping down his father’s cherry tree—may or may not be factual, but the […]
CA-10 congressional race
Josh Harder: The Kid Who Came Back
For decades, valley citizens have been lamenting the exodus of their children to distant locations. “We have to make our cities more attractive so our kids will want to come back here and live,” they say. But still the kids leave and don’t come back. The exodus of the valley’s best and brightest young people is no mystery. Over the years, a dark shadow has fallen across a region that […]
Registrar’s Office Gags Harder (and everyone else)
Political speech, “should be uninhibited, robust, and wide-open.” Justice William Brennan Last Friday, a clerk in the Stanislaus County Registrar’s Office rejected Josh Harder’s official campaign statement on the grounds it used President Donald Trump’s name. The clerk claimed Harder would need written permission from Trump himself if he were to use the president’s name. Harder and some of his staff members were stunned. While it makes sense to obtain […]
Cox Upends CA-10, Switches to CA-21
In a stunning move dictated by political realities in the San Joaquin Valley, TJ Cox has switched his campaign from California’s Congressional District 10 (CA-10) to Congressional District 21 (CA-21). Cox’s move was almost certainly prompted by upheavals in both districts: (1) Michael Eggman’s late entry into the race for CA-10 and (2) Emilio Huerta’s withdrawal from the race for CA-21. Democrats in CA-21 have grown increasingly frustrated by losses […]
Not Easy to Dump Denham
Last Friday, at the Gallo Center in Modesto, six Democrats participated in a debate to help voters decide who will be the best candidate to run against Jeff Denham next November. The crowd was enthusiastic about the prospects of unseating Mr. Denham. Whether anyone in the room was aware of how difficult the task will be, at least they enjoyed the moment. The Incumbent Advantage Conventional wisdom in political circles is that […]
Will TJ Cox’s Momentum Hold?
TJ Cox doesn’t enter a room, he explodes into it, hurled by some mighty force of nature. His arrival is usually accompanied by a loud, “Hey,” uttered when he recognizes someone he knows. Cox was especially buoyant at Wednesday night’s meet-and-greet at Modesto’s Camp 4 Restaurant, where he seemed to know everyone. Cox may be shorter than average, but his positive presence is almost larger than life. He’s both high […]