Tony Strickland Brings The Republican Party's War On Women To Santa Clarita Valley

Right-wing ideologue and career politician Tony Strickland-- likely to continue making horrible hiring decisions

I wonder if Tony Strickland wishes he had stayed in Ventura County's congressional race against Julia Brownley instead of hopping into the crowded field to replace Buck McKeon in the district next door. As soon as it was announced that it had been decided that he would be McKeon's handpicked successor, local Republicans recruited state Senator Steve Knight to run against him. On top of that, two other Republicans, Troy Castagna and Navraj Singh, and a Libertarian, David Bruce, are aiming whatever artillery they can muster his way. And then there's Democrat Lee Rogers, who nearly beat McKeon in 2012 and who McKeon was afraid to face in a rematch this year. The debates have gone poorly for Strickland, who has trouble remembering which district he's running in now.

Strickland and has wife, another right-wing career politician, have long been plagued with an endless series of corruption and ethics scandals, haven't moved to CA-25 yet… just in case he loses there the way he lost in CA-26 last cycle. But things have gotten worse for him in the new district. In March he appointed far right crackpot Bill Reynolds chairman of the so-called "Veterans for Strickland coalition." At the time, he told the media, “I’m proud to have a hero and local leader like Bill Reynolds representing me in the veterans community.” 

A month later, Reynolds was on the job, spreading his hatred and bigotry for Strickland on Facebook:  

“The biggest challenges women face today is being brainwashed by progressive ideology that has them thinking it’s fine to be a single mom, free contraceptives, abortion on demand, indiscriminate frequent sex, forget marriage, BIG gov’t is daddy, womb to tomb entitlements, etc….”

Friday, Strickland was freaking out and apologizing to the women of the district he's trying to run in. The Ventura County Star, which isn't in the district but has covered Strickland's long, sordid career, reported on the whole mess yesterday. Strickland called his chairman's disgusting statements about women "objectionable." He told the media that Reynolds’ comments "in no way represent my views," and asserted that if elected to Congress, he would be an advocate for women’s rights. He's been in the state legislature and in local government for years and years and no one has ever thought of him as being "an advocate for women’s rights." He's a primitive, anti-Choice fanatic who has a long, ugly record of voting to hold women back. Like most right-wing Republicans, he does not support equal pay for equal work. At last night's debate at the Larry Chimbole Center in Palmdale, Strickland went on about-- surprise, surprise-- repealing the Affordable Care Act. That's the one that doesn't penalize womanhood as a "preexisting condition" and that's the one that made it illegal to charge women more than men for health insurance.

Democratic opponent Lee Rogers on Friday said Strickland showed poor judgment in selecting someone who holds such views to a leadership position in his campaign.

“It boils down to the judgment of Tony Strickland’s campaign and what their views are on women’s issues,” said Rogers, a Simi Valley podiatrist.

…Strickland’s campaign did not respond Friday afternoon when asked whether Reynolds will be kept on as chairman of its veterans’ coalition.

At a candidates’ debate earlier this week on the campus of College of the Canyons, a woman student asked the eight candidates-- all men-- to give their views on women’s issues.

The following day, on a Facebook forum page called 25th Congressional District Election Watch, Reynolds posted what he suggested would have been "the perfect answer" for any candidate to have provided: "The biggest challenge women face today is being brainwashed by progressive ideology that has them thinking it’s fine to be a single mom, free contraceptives, abortion on demand, indiscriminate frequent sex, forget marriage, BIG gov’t is daddy, womb to tomb entitlements, etc."

Rogers noted that Reynolds’ remarks were reminiscent of comments made by radio personality Rush Limbaugh during the 2012 election cycle, when he referred to Georgetown University law student Sandra Fluke as "a slut" after she testified before Congress in support of including contraceptive coverage as a mandatory benefit in health insurance policies.

Limbaugh said a woman who seeks to have contraceptives covered by her insurance plan "wants to be paid for having sex."

Strickland, Rogers and Republican state Sen. Steve Knight, of Palmdale, are the only three candidates who have raised substantial amounts of campaign funds and are widely seen as the favorites who will be competing for the top two spots in the June 3 primary. The top two finishers, regardless of party, will advance to the November election.

Knight said candidates cannot be held responsible for things supporters might say in public forums, but in this case Reynolds is much more than just a supporter.

"Tony put out a press release saying Bill Reynolds was his guy, so I think this becomes an issue," Knight said. "I certainly wouldn’t want someone from my campaign coming out and saying these ludicrous things."

Strickland says he has an 8 year old daughter so he's not a sexist pig or a misogynyst. Oh. At the Palmdale debate last night he reiterated that his top priority in Congress is to "repeal Obamacare." Rogers responded, "then you've already failed before you ever step foot in Washington, because even if the Senate changes control, the President will never sign a repeal bill. Instead, I'm concentrated on stopping the Cemex mine, improving the economic standing of middle class families, and ensuring Medicare and Social Security are here for the next generation." The Antelope Valley Press reported:

Throughout the debate, Rogers continued his assault on Strickland's residency (he doesn't live in the district). After the debate, two Strickland staffers approached Rogers, said, "are you voting for Tony [Strickland], you sure like to talk about him." Rogers replied, "Someone might have to, he can't vote for himself."

Like Republican Steve Knight, Rogers questions Strickland’s judgment and decision-making as demonstrated by the Reynold's episode. “More importantly, it demonstrates the danger of putting people into office who will turn back the clock on women’s rights. I support equal pay for women, access to contraception and family planning, paid maternity leave, and I will preserve the advances women have worked so hard to achieve in society.”

As you have probably read, Congresswoman Barbara Lee has endorsed Rogers for the House seat. "Lee is a doctor," she told us, "and so he sees in his day-to-day life how important it is to ensure that all of our citizens have access to quality medical services-- and how bad things can get when people don't have coverage. In Congress, he will stand against those who have voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act, and he will stand with those who want to make the ACA better… He wants to invest in science and technology, in infrastructure and education-- all of the things that will keep our country moving forward and ensure our children a bright and prosperous future."

Is this what Strickland meant when he said his old Ventura district "is a world away" from Los Angeles County, where the new district he's running in is? And is this how he defines caring about his neighbors and lending a hand when they need help? I don't think he'll be running this ad again: