As Carlsbad Dem notes in Quick Hits, State Senator Tom McClintock will speak at a news conference in Placer County Tuesday morning to discuss the Congressional race in CA-04.  And the indications are he will be jumping into the race.  He’s already announced an exploratory committee, and he’s told his supporters that “polling shows me in a very powerful position to win the Republican nomination” against former State Senator Rico Oller and former Congressman Doug Ose.  Eric Egland has already announced that he would drop out and support McClintock in the event that he announces.

Today in the Sacramento Bee, McClintock dismissed criticism that he would be seen as carpetbagging in the 4th District, which is roughly 600 miles from his home in Thousand Oaks.  He claims that he rented for three years in Rocklin, which makes it all better.  Charlie Brown’s campaign manager got in a really choice quote:

Former state lawmaker Rico Oller, who lives outside the district in San Andreas, quickly announced that he would run in the Republican primary. So did Sacramento resident Doug Ose, a former three-term GOP congressman from the neighboring 3rd District […]

The outsiders’ aspirations are assailed by the campaign of Democrat Charlie Brown, a district resident and retired Air Force lieutenant colonel who narrowly lost to Doolittle in 2006.

“Charlie Brown raised his kids in the district,” said Brown’s spokesman, Todd Stenhouse. “They went to Roseville public schools. There are certain values you get for living in the district for 17 years.”

He attacked the District 4 wannabes as part of “some kind of ‘American Idol’ talent search” fueled “by party designation and the fact that it’s an open seat.”

I don’t think the field of carpetbaggers will clear for McClintock.  Rico Oller was reportedly John Doolittle’s handpicked choice to succeed him, and Doug Ose has already announced a half-million dollar ad blitz in the event of a McClintock candidacy.  Meanwhile Charlie Brown continues to raise money and will not have to spend a dime in the primary.

Here’s what the state of the race will be after June 3.  The three carpetbaggers will knock each other around for three months, and the winner will come out with around 40% support among Republicans and no money to speak of.  They’ll have to raise a substantial amount in a hurry, and there’s little expectation of help from the struggling national campaign committee for Republicans.  Charlie Brown will have a large war chest and roots in the district.  And there’s those Presidential coattails.  The peculiarities of this race say to me that the winner of that knock-down drag-out fight on the Republican side is by no means assured of the general election win.

I’ve been a really, really bad blogger and have stopped my Congressional House Roundup.  So here’s a mini-one.  I’ve dug up the totals for 2007 fundraising in the top races in the state, and they’re a little interesting.  Here are the numbers from the key races.

CA-11:

Jerry McNerney raised $1.065 million in 2007, has $760,000 cash on hand

Dean Andal raised $535,000, has $471,000 CoH

CA-04:

Charlie Brown raised $506,000, has $383,000 CoH I was looking at Q3 numbers.  Brown has raised $692,000, and has $483,000 CoH.  Big numbers for a non-incumbent.

Eric Egland raised $141,000, has $79,000 CoH

There are no fundraising numbers yet for the new challengers who have entered the race on the Republican side, including former State Sen. Rico Oller and former US Rep. Doug Ose.  By the way, Ose has donated to Doolittle’s legal defense fund, along with Minority Leader John Boehner.  Reformers, all of them!

CA-26:

David Dreier raised $599,000, has $1.96 million CoH

Russ Warner raised $380,000, has $240,000 CoH

Hoyt Hilsman raised $114,000, has $10,550 CoH

Obviously, Dreier is sitting on a goldmine.  

CA-50:

Brian Bilbray raised $419,000, has $262,000 CoH

Nick Leibham raised $211,000, has $188,000 CoH

Very encouraging.

Others to note:

Mary Bono (CA-45) only has a paltry $219,000 CoH.  Her potential opponents Julie Bornstein, David Hunsicker and Paul Clay got in too late to register any money in this quarter (sometimes the FEC shows residual candidates who have run in previous years, so I’m not certain they’re running.)

Mike Lumpkin, the Democrat in CA-52 trying to take Duncan Hunter’s open seat, raised $78,000 in 2007 and has $43,000 CoH.

There’s not much else to write home about here.

Thursday:

In a telephone interview Thursday morning, [KFBK radio host Tom] Sullivan said a number of Republicans are eying Doolittle’s seat, he among them.

“Vultures are circling,” Sullivan said. “They are all over the place. There are a number of people who would love to run.”

Among those frequently mentioned are Assemblyman Ted Gaines and former state Sen. Rico Oller, whom [Dan] Lungren beat in the Republican primary for Ose’s seat.

Friday:

Grass-roots conservatives are railing against House Republican leaders for tapping Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.) for the appropriations seat vacated by fellow California Republican Rep. John Doolittle after the FBI raided his home in Northern Virginia.

Today:

But I will tell you this — Jerry Lewis SHOULD NOT be in Congress anymore.  This is something that I have said to FR readers before — and I will say it again.  The Republican Party need only look in the mirror if we are unable to 'police ourselves' when it comes to understanding how we could have a majority in both Houses of Congress, and hold the Presidency, and still preside over unprecedented growth in federal government spending.

Is it any wonder the GOP is suffering from an excitement gap?