Ron Paul jumps into Tom McClintock's fight for a Northern California House seat

Ron Paul is getting ready to welcome Republican California state Sen. Tom McClintock into his caucus, but first, Paul must get him elected.

Paul, the libertarian-Republican congressman from Texas who raised more than $34 million for his presidential race, sent out an e-mail last week urging his massive donor base to contribute to McClintock.

McClintock is the career Southern California politician, who is in a tough fight to win a congressional seat in the region that runs from east of Sacramento north to the Oregon border. The district is heavily Republican, but Democrats think they have a chance for victory.

Now, Paul is asking his base again:

“Tom McClintock is one of the most promising warriors in the fight against big government we have seen in a long time, and the special interests and big bankers know it. ... You have stood with me as....

...I campaigned for the Presidency to return our federal government to its proper role. Will you help me bring a reliable ally to Congress?”

McClintock told The Times in a recent interview that he intends to vote for John McCain for president over Barack Obama, though he previously said McCain had not been his first, second or third choice in the primary.

In fact, McClintock had said he was enamored of Paul during the primary.

“You don’t turn down anybody who wants to raise money for you,” said McClintock’s campaign manager, John M. Feliz.

That’s especially true when you generally agree with the person raising money.

“Ron Paul is a reliable individual who stood up for limited government. I think Tom could do that,” Feliz said.

McClintock entered the final three weeks of the campaign with a mere $66,000 in the bank. His Democratic foe, Charlie Brown, had $224,795, and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has spent nearly $300,000 on Brown’s behalf.

McClintock’s stock and trade has been his antipathy toward taxes and government programs. Brown, a Vietnam veteran who has never held elective office, is challenging him as a career politician who's held office for most of 26 years, representing a district that includes parts of Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.

Brown's campaign strategist, Eric Jaye, shrugged off the Paul plea. “Charlie Brown is a combat veteran. He is not too worried about incoming.”

-- Dan Morain

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Comments

[WW Terry]

We had better elect every republican possible to prevent the democrats from having complete control of both houses. Question is can Obama be sworn in as president with so many questions about his being born in Kenya and being brought into America when he was 6 days old. If that is the case Obama should be tried and convicted of fraud and sent to the slammer with the other con-artists. wwterry

[Jeff Balla]

My god, is McClintock's opponent really named CHARLIE BROWN!?

Bahahaha.

[Curtis Walker]

Some things I agree with either RON PAUL or at least he has raised issues that need to be debated. That said, Ron Paul is very wrong and how about the ethics he talks about....McClintock lives 400 plus miles from the district he is running in (mine) and McClintock is just more of the same of what put California in a mess with his ideology over even the slightest reason on too many issues, in my opinion.
Charlie Brown is who the District needs.

[jw]

VERY GOOD STORY! I usually bash the heck out of the Times and other mainstream (I even got a personal email from Mr. Don Frederick to chill down my tone), however, this is informative, unbiased news. Thank you LA Times, though I still DESPISE mainstream media, I thank you for bring this story out. 5 of 5 star rating.

[Great Granny]

Thank you for this article.
I wonder if anyone has mentioned to Tom McClintock
the fact that Ron Paul has encoouraged folks to vote
for Constitution Party candidate Chuck Baldwin!?!
The California Secretary of State on October 24th
certified WriteIn Candidates. You can now write in
Chuck Baldwin or do as our family will be doing,
thanks to Gail Lightfoot...
YES YOU CAN write in RON PAUL!
rEVOLution!!!

http://www.RonPaulforPresident2008.com

[Great Granny]

Just a short followup.
LA Times once printed an article.
The title began with "Real Men..."
If Tom McClintock were a REAL MAN,
he would not be touting McAmnesty.
If Tom McClintock is a real man,
he will write in Ron Paul.

[Jim of LA]

Tom McClintock endorsed neocon Fred Thompson. I think it is very generous for Paul to support McClintock. Any thoughts?

[Jim]

Not that it necessarily matters, but Tom McClintock is one of the angriest, most negative, most partisan public figures you're likely to encounter. I applaud all of those, like him, who commit to working from change from within, and I just can't see how McClintock's open contempt for the institution of government where he's fed for years, and the colleagues who are just as commited as he is, helps the cause of civility and cooperative problem solving.

[libertylvr]

“You don’t turn down anybody who wants to raise money for you,” said McClintock’s campaign manager, John M. Feliz. - Anyone eh? Hmmmm....

And he's a career politician? I think Dr. Paul is being generous with this endorsement as well. I am also against a Democratic supermajority, or any supermajority for that matter, but not just any ole' Republican will do. This write up did not sell me on the candidate.

[sean truitt]

"“Ron Paul is a reliable individual who stood up for limited government. I think Tom could do that,” Feliz said."

what a ringing endorsement, from mcclontock's own campaign manager no less!

well i, for one, DON'T think mcclintock could do that. last winter, when mcclintock was asked who he would endorse for pres nom, he coughed, blinked, and stated "i'd better wait to say. . ."

it's because of guys like him that the republicans got stuck with mccain.

mcclintock is a party-pleasing republican, short on liberty.
i can't believe ron paul chose to help him.

[P_Gibbons]

To Jeff Balla - What are some conservative ideologies that put California in the mess it is now?

[Adam Haverstock]

Both Ron Paul and Tom McClintock understand what America needs. I am upset when people discuss a candidates personality and temperment, rather than their stance on issues.

McClintock supports California Proposition 11, a Redistricting Measure that California needs to put the power back into the hands of the voters. Paul supported a similar one in Texas a few years back.

Vote for Ron Paul and Tom McClintock

[godblessAmerica]

The Republicans have totally lost their way. Dr. Paul should leave the party and join up with the Libertarians where he belongs.

Stop run-away Republican spending!

Our federal budget has ballooned under these clowns and there is no way John McCain is going to make a difference with his earmarks.

Vote Bob Barr for President.

http://www.bobbarr2008.com/

[Karlos]

Geez, people, who are you going to listen to, who are you going to trust? Ron Paul or somebody like Jeff Balla or Jim or whatever who might as well work for Brown's campaign? I mean, hello! It's Ron Paul we are talking about here, not some establishment mouthpiece lying sonofa. I don't care if he's angry or loud or has a big wart on his left buttock - if Ron Paul says he trust this guy, I for one trust him as well.

[Cliff]

This is where the Ron Paul Revolution starts to grow teeth. If Tom McClintock is successful, then it will set a precedent for a new wave of "Ron Paul Republicans" to start invading the Republican Party, and the US Congress. As the economy starts to collapse under Mr. "unusually more business as usual" Obama, the very phrase "Ron Paul Republican" may be enough to elect a new wave of House and Senate members that could still keep the ship from sinking.

[Troy]

Anybody that can support the bailouts on wallstreet has to go, period. I would rather take a random perosn in the phone book then ever vote for Charlie Brown.

[Craig]

McClintock isn't bad for a Republican, but he missed his chance to gain the enthusiastic backing of Ron Paul's numerous volunteers and donors when he endorsed Fred Thompson in the primaries. I guess he thought Thompson was more "viable", but as it turned out, Ron Paul did a lot better by any measure -- fundraising, actual votes cast, volunteers, enthusiasm, etc.