Dr. Richard A Nichols

Last night, at the Republican Party of Orange County Central Committee meeting, I had the pleasure of seeing the infamous, and newly elected to the OCGOP Central Committee member, former Newport Beach City Council member Dick Nichols and his very nice wife Sandy. It had been too long, probably since before the November elections. In Republican (partisan) politics, it has always been a fascinating study of how people who are involved in National Republican politics usually don't know Statewide Republican politics/politicians who don't know anyone/anything about County wide Republican politics who in turn don't know City politicians/politics (mostly Republican in OC) and vice versa. Before they are elected (or appointed) there are always a rare few who cut across the regional lines who are prominent Statewide/OC politicos (the New Majority or the Lincoln Club members) or National/Statewide politicos, but very rarely do you find City politicians who know anyone "connected" outside of their City, or in rarer instances, the State. But, Dick Nichols was one of those people, again BEFORE he was elected to the City Council. Inside of Newport Beach, his reputation wasn't good, and that is why, as one of the few elected incumbents, he lost his City Council seat, which typically NEVER happens. But curiously, he has a completely different reputation OUTSIDE of the City. He is a rare politico activist who is very well known and liked in Statewide Republican politics, and with his election into the Republican Party of Orange County Central Committee, he'll be well known, and liked, within the Orange County level politics. The best example of this was his endorsement list. Senator Tom McClintock, Congressman Dana Rohrabacher, Assemblyman Ray Haynes, Former State Senator Dick Mountjoy. These are VERY prominent, very conservative players. All of them who truly know (and didn't get the endorsement through their political consultant) and respect Dick, but none of them knew anything about his Newport Beach activities. Like many of us, he didn't want to endorse Arnold for Governor. Like many of us, he is a true conservative. But...in local politics, that stuff doesn't matter. In local politics, Dick's thought process never translated into the right words and the press and the Newport Beach residents crucified him (deservedly so). And honestly, he didn't belong up there on the dais. The issues that made Dick passionate don't belong in the City. His strengths helped make him the District 35 Director for the very reputable California Republican Assembly, the most influential Conservative group in the State. His passion in the fight against Illegal Immigration didn't serve him in Newport Beach. The Newport Beach City Council is somewhere Dick didn't belong. Dick belongs with and will accomplish much more with like minds in Statewide Republican activist politics and now in Orange County Republican activist politics. Dick could never get anything done in Newport Beach because he was that square peg. Nancy Gardner will do a MUCH better job than Dick ever could on the Newport Beach City Council, and it's quite possible that Dick knows it. Nancy belongs up there and Dick never fit. I look forward to working with Dick, as a fellow Conservative activist, with County-wide and State Republican politics.