Jerry McNerney

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.

Freedom’s Watch, the conservative advocacy organization, is launching about three dozen robocalls over the next week targeting U.S. House members across the country, including a vulnerable incumbent in California, PolitickerCA.com has learned.

The target list for the robocalls includes California Democratic Rep. Jerry McNerney among a host of other members of Congress

The calls start off by reminding recipients of current gas prices and emphasizing how the prices affect the cost of food. The calls also stress the potential for domestic drilling and mention that the member in question has voted against oil exploration on the continental shelf.

After Freedom’s Watch launched in 2007 it initially focused its efforts on conveying a national security-focused message. But the new robocalls underscore how the organization is switching to a more economic-focused message.

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.”

Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama is announcing the endorsements of five new California superdelegates: U.S. Reps. Bob Filner, Sam Farr, and Jerry McNerney and Democratic National Committee members Rachel Binah and Christine Pelosi.

Earlier in the day, Obama’s campaign announced the endorsements of Democratic National Committee members John Perez and Kamil Hasan and U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters.

15 undeclared California superdelegates remain.

U.S. Rep. Jerry McNerney, an undecided superdelegate, is expected to endorse in the Democratic presidential race this evening, a person familiar with McNerney’s plans tells PolitickerCA.com Tuesday afternoon.

McNerney, a first term congressman from the Stockton area, is one of 22 undecided California superdelegates.

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.

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.

Angel Picon will leave Congressman Jerry McNerney's staff to return to the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) -United Health Care Workers.  Picon was McNerney’s San Joaquin County District Director.