Dean Andal

Congressional candidate Dean Andal: Campaign photoAlthough they were believed by many observers to be ready to finally answer questions about a scathing Civil Grand Jury report alleging, among other things, that they violated the state's Brown Act by passing closed session information onto the agent of a developer, trustees with the San Joaquin Delta College District remained silent on the controversy during a meeting late this week.

The agent or consultant who allegedly received the closed session data on behalf of his employer is believed to be Dean Andal, the Republican challenger opposing incumbent freshman U.S. Rep. Jerry McNerney, (D-Stockton) this November for control of the 11th Congressional District seat.

It seems the people of California's Stockton-centered 11th Congressional District just love to watch a good political scrap when they get the chance.

Back in 2006 they witnessed Democratic challenger Jerry McNerney take on and knock off multi-term incumbent Republican Richard Pombo.  Two years later GOP challenger Dean Andal appears to be getting ready for the political fight of his life in a district that is just about even in voter registrations between Democrats and Republicans.

But with McNerney enjoying the power of incumbency and so far raising more money than Andal, those handling the freshman congressman's first reelection campaign say that they are optimistic about his chances this November.

Boosting that confidence were the news reports last week that Andal had become wrapped up in a Grand Jury investigation related to the San Joaquin Delta College District board of trustees and his work as a consultant  with Sacramento-based developer Gerry Kamilos.

Congressional candidate Dean AndalDean Andal, challenging Democratic U.S. Rep. Jerry McNerney in what is widely seen as one of the most hotly contested House races this fall, has tapped Republican operative John Franklin to serve as his day-to-day campaign manager, PolitickerCA.com has learned.

“John is a tough, experienced campaigner –– familiar with California, and familiar with congressional campaigns. He will be a real asset to the Andal team," said Richard Temple, an Andal consultant.

Franklin is no stranger in Republican circles. A longtime political and legislative aide to U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, Johnson served as the campaign manager for U.S. Rep. Brian Bilbray in his 2006 special election campaign for the seat of former U.S. Rep. Duke Cunningham. Later in that cycle he managed the campaign of Sharon Angle, a U.S. Congressional candidate from Nevada who narrowly failed in her primary bid against Dean Heller. Franklin is fresh off a tour managing the successful campaign to beat back the recall attempt against state Sen. Jeff Denham.

Franklin said he was ready to steer the effort for Andal, a former state Assemblyman and onetime member of the California Board of Equalization.

U.S. Rep. Jerry McNerneyRepublicans are casting U.S. Rep. Jerry McNerney’s Tuesday decision to throw his superdelegate vote behind presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama as an example of how McNerney is out of touch with his Stockton-area district.

“This continues the role Congressman McNerney has played since he was elected -- he's a sheep not a shepherd,” said Richard Temple, an adviser to Dean Andal, McNerney’s Republican opponent.

“This endorsement just shows that liberal birds of a feather flock together,” said Ken Spain, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee. “McNerney and Obama have voted time and time again for their reckless liberal agenda that has no place in the White House or in California’s 11th Congressional District.”

With pre-primary fundraising totals released today, Democrats were quick to pounce on Republican U.S. House candidate Dean Andal’s for what is sure to be widely seen as a disappointing haul.

The fundraising reports show Andal taking in just $11,434 between April 1 and May 14 – far short of Democratic incumbent Jerry McNerney’s $148,783 during the same period.

"Is Dean Andal too radical, even for Republican donors? Andal's disastrous fundraising makes us even more confident that we will win California's 11th Congressional district in 2008," said Yoni Cohen, a spokesman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Congressional candidate Dean AndalOn the same day that John McCain is bringing the presidential spotlight to the Central Valley area, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is taking aim at a Stockton U.S. House candidate who is slated to campaign with McCain: Dean Andal. At issue is Andal’s relationship with lobbyists.

“Dean Andal is far more radical than John McCain,” said DCCC spokesman Yoni Cohen. “In the State Assembly, Radical Andal spent 60 percent of his time with lobbyists. On the campaign trail, Radical Andal has failed to denounce negative advertising from shady outside groups. Where does Radical Andal stand? With John McCain or with lobbyists working with special interests to increase the cost of gasoline, education, and health care for California families?”

The California Democratic Party is taking aim at Republican U.S. House candidate Dean Andal, who is challenging Democratic incumbent Jerry McNerney, five months before voters in the Stockton-area District 11 head to the polls.

U.S. House candidate Dean AndalIn a Thursday memo addressed to “political reporters, editors, and interested parties,” CDP spokesman Brian Brokaw writes that “it’s time to address the issues, Andal,” and poses to the candidate what Brokaw says are “unanswered questions” about his stances on issues.

The memo also aims to play up what has been seen in some quarters as concern about the progress of Andal’s campaign, namely on the fundraising front.

Republican congressional candidate Dean AndalAs he starts up his run against Democratic U.S. Rep. Jerry McNerney in what is expected to be one of the most-watched races in the country, Republican Dean Andal is maintaining a skeleton campaign operation with an eye toward conserving funds for the fall.

"What do you want a campaign manager to do?" said Andal adviser Richard Temple when asked why the campaign had not yet acquired a manager. "Running around and doing silly press releases and blast faxes doesn't win elections."

"This thing is not that complicated," Temple added. "It's raising money and talking to voters."

U.S. Rep. Jerry McNerneyWASHINGTON - In the face of what is expected to be a fierce Republican push, Democrat Jerry McNerney is pursuing a grassroots-driven strategy in his bid to keep the District 11 U.S. House seat.

“That’s the big thing,” says McNerney spokesman Andy Stone. “Getting out and talking to voters.”

McNerney, a first term Congressman who unseated U.S. Rep. Richard Pombo in 2006, has been attending public events in an effort to solidify his support, while volunteers have been going door-to-door in cities across the Stockton-area district.

Republican Dean Andal, running against U.S. Rep. Jerry McNerney in Congressional District 11The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has launched a new Web site targeting Republican Dean Andal, who is challenging Democratic incumbent U.S. Rep. Jerry McNerney in Congressional District 11.

The site, called “RadicalAndal.org”, takes Andal to task for what the DCCC says is his “extremist” views on everything from education, to health care, to family values issues.

“Radical Dean Andal’s record is incredibly out of step with people in the district,” said DCCC spokesman Yoni Cohen. “RadicalAndal.org shows that extreme Dean consistently and repeatedly cast far-right votes against common sense legislation. In Congress, instead of representing mainstream American values, radical Andal would work for extremist policies and the special interests.”