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August 25, 2011· scvtalk.com · WordPress (SCVTalk 3.0) · Wayback capture

Patricia McKeon to run for Smyth’s Assembly Seat

By Jeff — Jeff Wilson

In the SCV, government jobs are a family business. WRB:

According to local sources, the West Ranch Beacon has learned that Patricia McKeon, wife of Congressman Buck McKeon, is planning to run for the 38th State Assembly District. The seat is currently held by Cameron Smyth who is termed out of office in 2012. According to one source, the plan is for Patricia McKeon to get elected to the State Assembly seat in 2012. Patricia McKeon has been quietly meeting with potential supporter in SCV, some of whom are feeling pressured to support her.

Patricia McKeon has never held public office but has been a driving force behind the political career of her husband Buck McKeon. She has had a lot of support from her husband already with his local political operative and Deputy Chief of Staff Bob Haueter working behind the scenes.

Haueter has been making calls and visiting individuals to help build or shore up support for Patricia.

FlashReportCA, a conservative blog, adds this:

Patricia McKeon will come out of the gate with two of the most prominent endorsements in the area for a GOPer — her husband, who is immensely popular in the area — and also longtime Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich.

Flash Report adds that it is “unusual” “to have the spouse of a Member of Congress run for (let alone serve) in the State Legislature.” But they must not be familiar with SCV politics where we have not one, not two, but now potentially three husband/wife legislative teams that have or are currently serving. George Runner, former 17th District State Senator, is now on the Board of Equalization. His wife Sharon took over for him in 2010. Tony Strickland, also a State Senator, has a wife who was in the Assembly. And now the McKeons are getting in on the fun.

Do you think Patricia can win? The WRB post makes it sounds like she has a rather prickly personality. FlashReport says the other alternative is COC Board Member & SCV political impresario Scott Wilk – who used to work for Buck McKeon!

From my standpoint, I like Cameron Smyth. I always have. He seems more moderate than other GOP members and I like that. If it wasn’t for our lame term limits -which forces good legislators out of office and empowers lobbyists- I’d just as soon keep Smyth in there.

Patricia McKeon doesn’t strike me as a good replacement and I bet other local Republicans agree. We’ll see an exciting Republican primary over this one!

Comments (31)

  1. Timothy Myers SR.August 25, 2011 at 10:27 am
    People need to read the entire WRB post to see that it is definitely NOT in favor of the candidacy, including a rather bizarre comment that local Repubs will support Patricia McKeon in public but then actually vote for her (potentially Democratic) opponent.
  2. AlpinerAugust 25, 2011 at 10:45 am
    To truly fit the SCV family dynamic, Cam’s wife would have to run…
  3. AlpinerAugust 25, 2011 at 10:46 am
    Am I the only one or do others see some sort of “payoff” coming in from this arrangement, like say Cameron getting Buck’s endorsement for Congress when Buck retires?
  4. mikeAugust 25, 2011 at 11:10 am
    Smyth’s endorsement will be a big deal here. I don’t think you’re far off in your hunch. It’s hard to imagine a more interesting race for this seat. The McKeon endorsement, much less the name, moves tons of votes in the SCV. Wilk is a far more adept operator than Hauteur, but a lot of SCV VIPs will have a very hard time saying no to a request from Buck to endorse his wife. I know little about Mrs. McKeon, apart from chatter and a couple of controversies regarding some excessive salaries she got for running his campaigns. I don’t know if she’s politically inclined. Political spouses have a mixed track record in office, and some improbable spouses went on to have long careers.
  5. Coastal SageAugust 25, 2011 at 5:48 pm
    It’s been said, for about 10 years, that Buck’s wife has been the person who actually ran BuckPAC, a secretive PAC which finances local political campaigns’ target mailers and phone banks (including Marsha McLean’s first successful run with her team mate Jan Heidt…where the mailers and phone banking were designed to keep an intelligent attorney, John Grannis, off the City Council. I like Cameron and am sorry he’s termed out. However, I think Santa Claritans would be better served by an Assembly Republican contest involving people they have physically seen and heard in action: Ferry, Kellar, Weste, Braly, Wilk. You might not love them but at least you know how their minds work. Mrs. McKeon? Nobody but a small circle of Republicans and LDS members know her. What has she ever done for Santa Clarita? Personally, I doubt there’s a “deal” between Buck McKeon and Cameron Smyth. Why in the world would Buck give up his Chairmanship of the Armed Services Committee, with all its perks, all of the free lunches with lobbyists, and all of the work being done by a huge Committee staff on top of his Washington District staff. Does anyone honestly expect him to come home to Santa Clarita and sit around doing nothing, or “retire” to become a lobbyist who has to hustle clients and deliver results. Buck’s so ineffective that in the 9 years he has been allegedly trying to get the “Cemex Mine” bill supported by both parties in Santa Clarita, he’s accomplished nothing. Who in their right mind would hire him as a lobbyist? I expect Congressman Buck McKeon will die of old age, with his boots on, in Washington, feeding at the Congressional trough.
  6. MikeAugust 26, 2011 at 10:48 am
    McKeon’s term as Chairman is up in 2016 and the Republicans could always lose the House in 2012 (stranger things have happened), either of which could hasten his retirement. Smyth would be waiting about as long for any other attractive job (state sen, county supe), never mind is isn’t really trading anything in the process. There’s a lot of upside to his endorsing McKeon, but little downside. I say that with regret, of course. I agree with your sentiment that I’d much rather see a Republican I know than one I don’t. I know people that know Mrs. McK, and I’ve never heard a kind word.
  7. mikecAugust 25, 2011 at 10:48 am
    Remember this is an open primary, so the top two vote getters, will battle it out in the general election in November
  8. Capt. GeneAugust 25, 2011 at 10:53 am
    This stinks as bad as when Hillary ran for the Senate in NY.
  9. RemStarAugust 25, 2011 at 11:26 am
    It figures that someone had to run against Wilk rather than give him a free shot at the open seat. Besides you have to wonder about a grown man who actually uses his middle name (Scott THOMAS Wilk). In a Steel Cage Death Match between Haueter and Wilk, Haueter’s brute strength and force of will would always prevail over Wilk’s agility and cunning.
  10. trickledownAugust 25, 2011 at 11:52 am
    HAHA!! Hauter vs. Wilk? The term “assholes to elbows” comes to mind. Buck is an emtpy suit and the local republican party is a wholesale disaster. They can all endorse each other but the public sees more and more that they have lost their way through in their self-generated morass. Kinda like Pat Mckeon running. More ass.
  11. RemStarAugust 25, 2011 at 12:44 pm
    While there may have been some drama with the CRA, and one can question Buck’s intellectual depth and his accomplishments while in Congress, he is still the strongest and most well respected Republican elected officials in the SCV. And while some people may “say” they would support his wife but actually vote for another, it is quite a different matter for local Republican activists to overtly work against Buck’s wife. If she runs, Pat McKeon clears the field of Republican canndidates from the SCV. On the question of “why” I suggest people peruse Buck’s Federal persoanl financial filing. In doing so you will find he is one of the least wealth members of Congress, with meager amounts of cash and investments. Buck likely lives like most Americans – paycheck to paycheck.
  12. MikeAugust 25, 2011 at 12:57 pm
    I thought the same thing right when I heard this. Twice now we’ve seen stories of McKeon’s wife getting extraordinary sums for working on his staff and campaign. The story has always been that they need the money. Not sure what to further conclude except to assume that they will take this race very seriously. Howard & Phil’s went bankrupt soon after Buck got to Congress. He didn’t have much to fall back on, at least compared to most in Congress.
  13. trickledownAugust 25, 2011 at 1:23 pm
    Paycheck to paycheck…… better than he did in boot sales but now that Pat’s expenses have gone up (what with hair, nails, country clubs, etc to save face in DC and make sure SCV residents realize her elevated status), it’ll be much easier once they’re both on the taxpayer dole. With their brand of Republicanism, there is no more “paycheck to paycheck” ……. just put it on the tab and make sure we keep the insiders’ party going. You mention financial filings…… are you referring to the personal trips Mckeon took with wife and Hauter on the private business jets of local businessmen? This and so many other laws broken…. so much ammo in 2012. Sure you want to do this Patricia? Bring it!
  14. NateAugust 25, 2011 at 11:51 am
    “If it wasn’t for our lame term limits -which forces good legislators out of office and empowers lobbyists” I could not disagree more. Everything with the exception of judges should have a term limit.
  15. mikeAugust 25, 2011 at 12:07 pm
    Term limits has been the worst thing to happen to Sacramento since the Kings came to town.
  16. VenturanAugust 25, 2011 at 12:47 pm
    Nate, We have term limits – it’s called voting. Listen .
  17. From the cheap seatsAugust 25, 2011 at 12:02 pm
    When I first heard about this, I went over to Right On SCV, the SCV’s #1 conservative blog. You’d think they’d be all over this story, indeed, you’d think they’d have broken it before WRB did. They have some serious heavy hitters writing over there, some real intellectual firepower. And yet….not a peep from the SCV’s premeire tea party blog. Sucks that we have to depend on the looney left sites for this.
  18. Timothy Myers SR.August 25, 2011 at 12:19 pm
    Right on SCV cuts and pastes Rush talking points!
  19. trickledownAugust 25, 2011 at 12:55 pm
    FYI: the RightOnSCV blog has nothing to do with the tea party and it is certainly not “SCV’s premiere tea party blog.” There are more party insiders at that blog than there are at a John Boehner house party or a local Mckeon fundraiser……. all of which require an immediate shower after contact!
  20. From the cheap seatsAugust 25, 2011 at 12:56 pm
    oh ok thx. I wish they would write about this story and password protect it or something. We shouldn’t air our dirty laundry in front of the loons.
  21. Sterling KingAugust 25, 2011 at 12:55 pm
    I know her well and I think she would be great at it.
  22. Timothy Myers SR.August 25, 2011 at 1:15 pm
    Sterling!!! Great to hear from you. We were worried that you had been “rendered” after getting “boisterous” at a City Council meeting!
  23. Sterling KingAugust 25, 2011 at 6:23 pm
    Well, I did see the futility in caring about anything related to our Majestic city council that day. Just can’t figure who fits the Doug Wilson character best. I figure time is much better spent with my family. I need to be an elected official before I step up to the mic again. Thanks for the concern though Tim.
  24. JeffAugust 25, 2011 at 12:58 pm
    Paging Angelo Candelbra
  25. PetzAugust 25, 2011 at 1:47 pm
    What is it that Colonel Klink used to say?
  26. Mr PerezAugust 25, 2011 at 4:47 pm
    HOGAN!!!!!!
  27. mikecAugust 25, 2011 at 7:31 pm
    Sgt. Schultz I KNOW NOTHIN!!!!!!
  28. Mr PerezAugust 25, 2011 at 7:48 pm
    No prisoner escapes from Stalag 13? Heil Hitler?
  29. 4eyedsueAugust 26, 2011 at 7:09 am
    “When I looked out the window I thought I saw a chimpanzee raking in the garden” ???
  30. trickledownAugust 26, 2011 at 11:56 am
    “Your story is very interesting…… but STUPID!”
  31. Timothy Myers SRAugust 26, 2011 at 2:24 pm
    Artie Johnson from Laugh In. Don’t mix your cultural references.

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