County Republicans Enjoy a Grand Old Party

Clad in his typical dark suit and red tie, a stiff but smiling President Bush made an appearance Sunday afternoon at the annual Republican picnic in Oxnard.

It wasn’t really the 43rd president of the United States. It was only a life-size cutout being sold by one party follower to another.

During the event at College Park on the city’s east side, several county officials and political candidates spoke with constituents and shared their views on hot-button issues.

“We need change in Sacramento and change in Ventura County,” a casually dressed Ventura County Sheriff Bob Brooks told the crowd.

Brooks, one of about 75 people who turned out for the event, was stumping for Greg Totten, a high-ranking local prosecutor seeking the county’s district attorney post that could be vacated if Michael D. Bradbury is selected as a new U.S. attorney in Los Angeles.

Guests ate grilled hamburgers, hot dogs and potato salad, listened to speeches and chatted at picnic tables surrounded by red, white and blue balloons and American flags flapping in the wind. One volunteer manned a small voter registration table with a big sign urging “Change to Republican Here.”

Gubernatorial candidate Bill Simon of Pacific Palisades draped several large campaign posters on fencing throughout the park and used his turn at the microphone to explain the basics of his campaign.

“Am I at a farewell party for Gray Davis?” Simon, an investment banker, rhetorically asked the clapping and cheering crowd.

Simon, who is seeking the GOP nomination along with former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan and state Secretary of State Bill Jones, said Davis has failed to improve education, adequately solve the energy crisis or plan for more roads and future water needs.

“I can’t sit by and watch what’s happening,” Simon said. “I believe we are at a critical point in the state’s history. . . . I want to bring the power where it’s supposed to be--with you, the people.”

Simon said he favors border controls and guest worker programs and plans to bring more female voters to the Republican Party by promoting improvements in education.

When county Democrats gathered for their annual Labor Day barbecue earlier this month, the discussion focused on proposed redistricting that they claimed could hurt Democrats and favor area Republicans.

Under the newly proposed boundaries, the Santa Barbara and Ventura coastal areas would fall under a vastly reconfigured district that favors state Sen. Tom McClintock (R-Thousand Oaks).

Kristy Weber, who represented state Assemblyman Tony Strickland (R-Moorpark) at the picnic, said the proposed redistricting will help and hurt candidates in both parties.

“I think most of the complaints are unjustified,” she said.

Weber said she did not know whether Strickland’s wife, Audra, had made a decision about running for the county Board of Supervisors.

Ventura City Council candidates Neal Andrews and Mike Osborn--two of 10 people vying for four seats this November--worked the crowd as Camarillo Mayor Mike Morgan told a few stories to picnickers stationed at a buffet table.