Kevin Kiley and I have had a love-hate relationship over the years. I blew him to pieces in 2019 when he ran for State Senate against Brian Dahle. I worked for Bill Halldin against him in 2016 when Kiley was first elected to the assembly.
I endorsed Kevin Kiley for governor in the failed recall election of 2021 because I wanted to support my friends and political brothers who think highly of the man.
I have also made a personal decision to forgive the man for the incident that happened with my wife and the church several years ago. That was the actions of a couple of men (one Kiley’s brother) who have several defects of the character themselves. God will settle the score on that, and it is time to move on.
Kiley is quirky, brilliant, and talented. I’ve written this many times. As is typical for eccentric people, especially those of high IQ, they tend to be erratic. Kiley has had several moments where he makes confounding blunders, such as the timing of his announcement for the #CA03 race.
I have written about Kiley’s potential and high ceiling. I believe that Congress is a much better fit for Kevin Kiley than a state-level office. His quirks and tendency to hose up interpersonal relationships will be much less of a drawback with him in Congress. (look at McClintock as a prime example of this dynamic)
The main negatives of Kiley are his personality quirks. Who cares. We are electing a congressman, not our buddy.
Kiley was also bashed on Right on Daily for supporting John Kasich. I’d bet today that Kiley would never support someone that liberal or moronic again.
Kiley was bashed on Right on Daily for lack of a resume. The man has been in the Assembly for six years and has a statewide following. There goes that attack.
Kiley’s adherence to Republican principles was questioned on this blog as well. You’d have to be completely asleep at the switch to miss this guy representing the Republican wing of the Republican party for the last several years. Many so-called Republicans have been utterly absent from the debate when our shrinking party has needed them the most. In fact, most of the time, it has been James Gallagher and Kevin Kiley fighting alone in Sacramento.
Sacramento does not deserve James Gallagher or Kevin Kiley.
I like Scott Jones, but unfortunately, he represents everything in the GOP your intrepid blogger has railed against for years. His campaign crew reads like a who’s who of the swamp. His moves are those of a big-money establishment guy. I can’t countenance that and be consistent with the 25 years of political experience in the game and the long-standing record of Conservative political advocacy I have established.
As I was watching the swamp bubble behind Scott Jones, I had to sit down and list out the facts that exist in the #CA03 race. For your intrepid blogger, I was faced with a clear choice. When I am faced with such a dilemma, I always revert back to my roots in sobriety. Quoting from a well-known recovery blog:
Perhaps the best way to put principles before personalities is to consider another famous recovery phrase, pulled from Don Miguel Ruiz’s The Four Agreements: don’t take anything personally.
Ruiz’s point is that even when a situation seems geared to push your buttons, that is rarely the case. Even if someone directly insults you, that has nothing to do with you; instead, those actions say everything about them. Over time, as you practice detaching from others’ opinions and choices, you’ll come to understand that:
- You are never responsible for others’ actions, and
- You are only responsible for yourself.
This disconnection can be freeing. It gives us permission to focus on our own work – to tend our own gardens. When you stop spending your time on what others think, do and decide, you may be surprised by the rapid progress that you are able to make.
I sincerely hope Kevin Kiley smokes Scott Jones.
