Tim Donnelly
Tim Donnelly presented the California Republican Party with one of very few surprises this past June. A recent convert to the Republican Party, the self-described political outsider topped five other candidates, including two current or former councilmen, to earn the Republican nomination for the 59th Assembly District. Normally, that would not be considered such a feat except that Donnelly had no previous political experience and was outspent by a wide margin.
The 59th Assembly District seat is currently held by Anthony Adams, who survived a well-financed recall effort, after voting to raise taxes last year. Adams chose not to run for a third term.
Because Adams garnered so much state-wide attention with his pro-tax vote, highly rated Los Angeles-based radio station KFI 640 talk show hosts John and Ken took an active interest in this race, providing publicity to their candidate of choice, Tim Donnelly. It was that support that took Donnelly from the bottom of the heap to eeking out a first-place finish with a 631-vote lead.
Donnelly is a businessman from the Twin Peaks area. His claim to fame is forming a successful Minuteman group that patrolled the California-Mexico border, garnering interest from national media groups. It was during that period that he met John and Ken.
Donnelly ran a grassroots campaign, ingratiating himself with Tea Party supporters, promoting himself as an outsider and a man of integrity. He was able to beat out well-funded opponents while only spending $25,000 on his campaign.
However, Donnelly forgot to mention to his Tea Party supporters that he is so much of a political outsider that he did not vote in most elections he was eligible for. He cast a ballot in only 13 of the last 30 elections, including skipping out on both statewide and federal elections, according to records from the county registrar’s office. Donnelly has not explained how he can market himself as a patriot but not vote.
In the meantime, outsider Donnelly has been enjoying his newly found celebrity, hobnobbing with all of the dreaded Republican elite he rebuked so harshly during the election. He is now basking in the afterglow of their acceptance.
Donnelly proved his lack of integrity during the primary with his tacit approval of bigoted hate speech by his supporters and volunteers. His claim that he himself did not participate does not hold water as he did not request they cease but instead personally spread the lies via his email list.
Donnelly is lucky the 59th Assembly District is considered to be a safe Republican District. He will have no problem winning the seat. That could all change two years from now with redistricting. That will give him time to get is story straight about his voting record and perhaps a lesson or two in what integrity really means.
Donnelly is a sleazy little bigoted weasel.