Republican National Convention

MANTECA - California Republican Party chairman Ron Nehring called the Central Valley "ground zero" in the party's efforts to improve its lot in the left-leaning state.

Speaking at a South San Joaquin Republicans meeting, Nehring said that the GOP could do well on the national and local level if party members worked for it.

"We know we are right on the issues, but being right on the issues is not enough," Nehring said to the 70 or so who attended the meeting. Effort and widespread support by the party activists is what's more critical, he said.

SACRAMENTO -- California Insurance Commissioner and Golden State uber Republican Steve Poizner said Friday that he thought the recently concluded Republican National Convention in St. Paul was just boffo.

In an e-mail sent statewide, Poizner, who is likely to run to succeed Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2010, said:

Party officials from the self-proclaimed "most Republican county in the country" have seen a jolt of energy stemming from McCain's vice presidential pick, and hope to channel it towards voter turnout and party fundraising.

Meg WhitmanST. PAUL, Minn. -- Former eBay CEO and potential 2010 gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman was spotted on the convention floor of the Xcel Energy Center when the balloons began to drop following John McCain's acceptance speech.

When asked by PolitickerCA.com if McCain's speech was effective, Whitman said: "I think so. ... It was specific, inspiring, and terrific."

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. -California Republicans have uniformly said this week that they're focused for now on helping U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) win the presidency with the state's help.

But that's not to say that the delegation attending this week's Republican National Convention isn't also looking both internally and ahead, for the top up-and-coming party members who could someday be the party's representative in the governor's house or the U.S. Senate.

When asked, here are some of the names party insiders mention as possible future GOP stalwarts from California:

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. - Delegate Greg Conlon is frank about his status as a Republican congressional candidate on the Bay Area peninsula, the heart of Democratic territory: "It's lonely."

Conlon, an Atherton resident who's attending this week's Republican National Convention as a guest, is hoping to run a credible challenge in California's 12th Congressional District against recently-elected U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Hillsborough).

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. - The California delegation to the Republican National Convention hopes some of the energy generated this week by the presidential ticket can be used to boost chances for U.S. Sen. John McCain in the state, as well as lower offices back home, said state party chairman Ron Nehring.

"We'll cover more precincts and we'll raise more money," said Nehring, an at-large delegate to the convention who lives in San Diego.

Nehring said he believes state residents will vote for a Republican with strong leadership and character qualities, pointing to both Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner as examples.

U.S. Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Gold River)BLOOMINGTON, Minn. - The Republican Party is energized, and that could translate into a more competitive situation in California, U.S Rep. Dan Lungren (R-Gold River) said on Thursday.

Lungren, a member of the California delegation, said that Wednesday's events at the Republican National Convention showed a Republican Party united and jazzed for November.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin at the Republican National Convention: Getty Images PhotoBLAINE, Minn. - Praise came down from many circles for the speech Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin gave in accepting the Republican vice presidential nomination Wednesday night.

Turns out she might have done some of it on the fly.

State Sen. Dick Ackerman (R-Tustin) told fellow California delegates Thursday that McCain campaign adviser Steve Schmidt told him there was a problem with the teleprompter during her speech.