News: American Bookeristas

California: Campaign Neophyte Aims High For Secretary Of State Job

In November 2008, Damon Dunn was a wealthy real estate executive who hadn't voted even once. Now Mr. Dunn, 33, is crisscrossing the state while billing himself as a "truly conservative" Republican candidate for secretary of state, California's top elections officer.

Mr. Dunn answers doubts about why he is running for such a high office in his first political run by pointing out that he's overcome similarly long odds since growing up poor in Mansfield, Texas, near Fort Worth, and winning a football scholarship to Stanford University. After two unremarkable seasons in the NFL, Mr. Dunn became a multimillionaire real estate developer. Mr. Dunn has sought to turn that rags-to-riches life story, including his long absence from the polls, into the narrative of his political campaign. He argues that the lack of voting, in particular, gives him special insight into why so many Californians stay away from the ballot box. Mr. Dunn said he woke up to his political potential after spending years doing community service work, including in a Santa Ana-based program that teaches parents advocacy skills. He is also a Baptist minister and occasional motivational speaker.

New Jersey: Newark’s Mayor Challenges Jews, Blacks To Stand Together For Shared Values

Newark Mayor Cory Booker’s introduction to Judaism came during the 1990s at the hands of a “meshugena” Chabad rabbi at Oxford University who convinced the moderate-liberal Democrat (pictured, in orange tie) to become president of the university’s Chabad student club. The mayor used his experiences with Rabbi Schmuley Boteach and his subsequent exploration of Judaism to challenge the 300+ Jewish and black audience members. “This is the question — more important than race relations,” he said. “Will we stand up for our highest ideals and our highest values?” People of all religions and races have an obligation to speak out for social justice and make the world better. This transcends religious and racial differences, he said. “We are all in this room tied together by something deeper than race or religion,” he said. “Our nation is not finished yet; there is still pain, there is still injustice. We are so critical to the completion of this story.”

Scott Touts South Carolina's Right-To-Work Status

State Rep. Tim Scott wants South Carolina to do more to protect what he sees as the state's biggest job recruitment tool, its right-to-work laws, from any possible federal encroachment. Mr. Scott, a conservative Republican who wants to be lieutenant governor, will introduce a resolution intended to encourage local and state government to emphasize the state's low union presence as a selling point in economic development efforts.

South Carolina's labor practices have been credited as a top recruitment tool in landing Boeing Co.'s second Dreamliner jet production line. He wants to promote that so Boeing's suppliers follow the aeronautics giant to North Charleston. "Our strategic advantage is our right-to-work status," he said. "It is part of our DNA."

Labor laws in South Carolina allow employees to be fired with or without cause. The right-to-work status also prevents unions from denying individuals the ability to work for a company if he or she is not a member of the union.

Joe Watkins: Lieutenant Governor Of Pennsylvania?

Joe Watkins, pastor of Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, in North Philly, and a frequent political commentator on MSNBC, filed paperwork last week to launch a campaign committee (hat tip: Hip Hop Republican). Mr. Watkins, who is Republican, has also been a commentator on CNN and NPR. He is the former associate director of government relations at Buchanan Ingersoll and Rooney, one of the nation’s largest law firms. A non-attorney professional, he is the former director of the government relations boutique Hill Solutions, which merged with Buchanan Ingersoll in the fall of 2005. Previously he was a managing director at two capital management firms.