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The Republican race to replace Rep. John Doolittle could grow more interesting Friday if former Sacramento-area congressman Doug Ose throws his hat into the ring.
Ose has been widely expected to enter the race and could make it official with a campaign event on Friday, a Republican official told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
"I cannot confirm that," said Douglas Elmets, a communications consultant and former lobbyist who has worked with Ose for many years.
But Elmets added, "Doug Ose has received an enormous amount of encouragement from people throughout the district to run for the 4th District seat, and obviously, he's very gratified by the outpouring of support."
Ose, a former representative from the Sacramento area's 3rd Congressional District, also donated $4,000 to Doolittle's legal defense fund during the fourth quarter of 2007, according to an AP report from Washington, D.C. Doolittle collected nearly $35,000 for the quarter.
Doolittle, who's under investigation in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal, announced this month that he would retire at the end of the year rather than seek a 10th term in the House of Representatives.
Ose donated $2,000 to Doolittle's legal fund, according to a filing Wednesday, and another $2,000 from his family business, Enlow Ose & Associates. The filing period covered in Wednesday's report ended before Doolittle announced his retirement plans.
Ose's potential addition to the race to succeed Doolittle would likely spark political excitement in the 4th District, Nevada County Republican Committee Chairman Bill Neuharth said.
"I think there's ... some excitement among people that there's new names," said Neuharth, who added he had heard about Ose's possible declaration at a meeting Tuesday that included a representative from Doolittle's staff. "It'll be up to (the candidates) to tell us their stories and campaign up here."
Nearly four years of FBI investigation, but no charges yet filed, have created substantial sympathy for Doolittle and the desire to help him defend himself, Neuharth added.
Doolittle also received $5,000 from House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio.
Ose will face fierce competition in the Republican primary from another Sacramento-area politician, former State Sen. Rico Oller. He already is in the race and has received endorsements from area Republicans including State Sen. Sam Aanestad, R-Grass Valley.
Also in the GOP contest is political newcomer Eric Egland, a military intelligence specialist. Cedar Ridge resident, Web page designer and musician Ted Terbolizard, who calls himself "a paleo-conservative," has said he would run and is raising money.
The winner of the Republican congressional primary in June will face Democrat Charlie Brown, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and political newcomer who never stopped campaigning after closing in on Doolittle in the 2006 election.
Brown raised nearly $200,000 during the fourth quarter of 2007, his campaign announced Wednesday. That brings his total fundraising for the year "to nearly $700,000, with $483,000 left in cash on hand," campaign manager Todd Stenhouse said.
The money comes from 10,000 donors, Stenhouse added.
Brown's campaign "has been a grassroots campaign from the beginning, (and it) is being fueled by local people, not by politicians," Stenhouse said.
That support "far exceeds any of his GOP rivals at this point in the campaign," Stenhouse added. The campaign report will be filed Friday, he said.
Brown won 45 percent of the vote districtwide in the November 2006 election, pulling Doolittle's victory to just under 50 percent of the vote. But Brown carried Nevada County by a wide margin, with nearly 55 percent of the vote to Doolittle's 40 percent.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report. To contact City Editor Trina Kleist, e-mail tkleist@theunion.com or call 477-4230.
Ose has been widely expected to enter the race and could make it official with a campaign event on Friday, a Republican official told the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.
"I cannot confirm that," said Douglas Elmets, a communications consultant and former lobbyist who has worked with Ose for many years.
But Elmets added, "Doug Ose has received an enormous amount of encouragement from people throughout the district to run for the 4th District seat, and obviously, he's very gratified by the outpouring of support."
Ose, a former representative from the Sacramento area's 3rd Congressional District, also donated $4,000 to Doolittle's legal defense fund during the fourth quarter of 2007, according to an AP report from Washington, D.C. Doolittle collected nearly $35,000 for the quarter.
Doolittle, who's under investigation in the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal, announced this month that he would retire at the end of the year rather than seek a 10th term in the House of Representatives.
Ose donated $2,000 to Doolittle's legal fund, according to a filing Wednesday, and another $2,000 from his family business, Enlow Ose & Associates. The filing period covered in Wednesday's report ended before Doolittle announced his retirement plans.
Ose's potential addition to the race to succeed Doolittle would likely spark political excitement in the 4th District, Nevada County Republican Committee Chairman Bill Neuharth said.
"I think there's ... some excitement among people that there's new names," said Neuharth, who added he had heard about Ose's possible declaration at a meeting Tuesday that included a representative from Doolittle's staff. "It'll be up to (the candidates) to tell us their stories and campaign up here."
Nearly four years of FBI investigation, but no charges yet filed, have created substantial sympathy for Doolittle and the desire to help him defend himself, Neuharth added.
Doolittle also received $5,000 from House Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio.
Ose will face fierce competition in the Republican primary from another Sacramento-area politician, former State Sen. Rico Oller. He already is in the race and has received endorsements from area Republicans including State Sen. Sam Aanestad, R-Grass Valley.
Also in the GOP contest is political newcomer Eric Egland, a military intelligence specialist. Cedar Ridge resident, Web page designer and musician Ted Terbolizard, who calls himself "a paleo-conservative," has said he would run and is raising money.
The winner of the Republican congressional primary in June will face Democrat Charlie Brown, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and political newcomer who never stopped campaigning after closing in on Doolittle in the 2006 election.
Brown raised nearly $200,000 during the fourth quarter of 2007, his campaign announced Wednesday. That brings his total fundraising for the year "to nearly $700,000, with $483,000 left in cash on hand," campaign manager Todd Stenhouse said.
The money comes from 10,000 donors, Stenhouse added.
Brown's campaign "has been a grassroots campaign from the beginning, (and it) is being fueled by local people, not by politicians," Stenhouse said.
That support "far exceeds any of his GOP rivals at this point in the campaign," Stenhouse added. The campaign report will be filed Friday, he said.
Brown won 45 percent of the vote districtwide in the November 2006 election, pulling Doolittle's victory to just under 50 percent of the vote. But Brown carried Nevada County by a wide margin, with nearly 55 percent of the vote to Doolittle's 40 percent.
ooo
The Associated Press contributed to this report. To contact City Editor Trina Kleist, e-mail tkleist@theunion.com or call 477-4230.
