as posted 8.15.07 by Shane Goldmacher at The Sacramento Bee's Capitol Alert:
After Democrats launched a recall campaign and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger visited his district and pronounced that Sen. Jeff Denham "should get a lot of heat" for refusing to support the budget, the Atwater Republican is striking back with a local TV and radio campaign.
Denham, who easily won reelection in 2006, told CapitolAlert he has already spent $150,000 on the ads and launched a Web site, http://www.joinwithjeff.com/ .
"I'm ready to spend more as long as this stalemate continues," he said.
The TV ad begins with images of children in a classroom: "Senator Jeff Denham: He's fighting to balance the budget, restore accountability, and protect California's teacher-tax credit," the narrator intones.
In a statement after Schwarzenegger's Monday visit to his district, Denham said,
Denham has also been targeted by Democrats.
Last Wednesday, Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata removed Denham from his seat on the Governmental Organization Committee, on which he served as vice-chair. The California Democratic Party, meanwhile, has launched a recall effort, titled "Dump Denham," that began as an anonymous sign campaign in his district.
"The Democrat party has challenged me and I have responded," Denham said.
Denham said the TV and radio campaign was planned before Schwarzenegger visited his district on Monday and reiterated that the visit was "unproductive."
"If we stop the theatrical performances, hopefully it will get done this week," Denham said of the budget. He said the governor's promise to blue-pencil veto $700 million in spending "should be put in writing." But even that, he said, would not be enough, citing inflated revenue projections from the recently approved Indian gambling compacts and the fact that no new money for higher prison guard salaries is included in the budget.
"We've got to sit down and make cuts," he said.
The budget needs 27 votes in the Senate for passage and has the support of 25 Democrats and one Republican, Sen. Abel Maldonado of Santa Maria. Denham has been targeted, in part, because he has previously provided the 27th vote.
Schwarzenegger continues to travel the state to ratchet up pressure on the holdout Senate Republicans. He is in Riverside today, near the districts of Sens. Jim Battin and Bob Dutton, both of whom were quoted in the local paper, the Press-Enterprise, criticizing the governor's visit.
After Democrats launched a recall campaign and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger visited his district and pronounced that Sen. Jeff Denham "should get a lot of heat" for refusing to support the budget, the Atwater Republican is striking back with a local TV and radio campaign.
Denham, who easily won reelection in 2006, told CapitolAlert he has already spent $150,000 on the ads and launched a Web site, http://www.joinwithjeff.com/ .
"I'm ready to spend more as long as this stalemate continues," he said.
The TV ad begins with images of children in a classroom: "Senator Jeff Denham: He's fighting to balance the budget, restore accountability, and protect California's teacher-tax credit," the narrator intones.
In a statement after Schwarzenegger's Monday visit to his district, Denham said,
"Governor, let me repeat myself again, since perhaps you are not listening yet. I will not be bullied, intimidated or pressured into voting for a budget with inflated revenues, unaccounted expenses or accounting gimmickry."
Denham has also been targeted by Democrats.
Last Wednesday, Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata removed Denham from his seat on the Governmental Organization Committee, on which he served as vice-chair. The California Democratic Party, meanwhile, has launched a recall effort, titled "Dump Denham," that began as an anonymous sign campaign in his district.
"The Democrat party has challenged me and I have responded," Denham said.
Denham said the TV and radio campaign was planned before Schwarzenegger visited his district on Monday and reiterated that the visit was "unproductive."
"If we stop the theatrical performances, hopefully it will get done this week," Denham said of the budget. He said the governor's promise to blue-pencil veto $700 million in spending "should be put in writing." But even that, he said, would not be enough, citing inflated revenue projections from the recently approved Indian gambling compacts and the fact that no new money for higher prison guard salaries is included in the budget.
"We've got to sit down and make cuts," he said.
The budget needs 27 votes in the Senate for passage and has the support of 25 Democrats and one Republican, Sen. Abel Maldonado of Santa Maria. Denham has been targeted, in part, because he has previously provided the 27th vote.
Schwarzenegger continues to travel the state to ratchet up pressure on the holdout Senate Republicans. He is in Riverside today, near the districts of Sens. Jim Battin and Bob Dutton, both of whom were quoted in the local paper, the Press-Enterprise, criticizing the governor's visit.
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