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SUPERVISORIAL SAMBA – The coast looks clear for Supervisors Jim Holmes and Kirk Uhler next year — not an opponent in sight for either of them. Not so for Supervisor Bruce Kranz, who just might have a toughie on his hands in the June primary election. In a roundabout way I’ve learned that Jennifer Montgomery, a Serene Lake resident for several years, will soon declare her candidacy for the board of supervisors’ District 5 seat and give incumbent Kranz a run for his money, which already includes substantial campaign donations from the outfit that wants to develop a humongous (and monstrously expensive) residential development near, you guessed it, Serene Lakes. Lest you think Jennifer Montgomery is some sort of tree-hugging NIMBY hippie, please know that she’s about 46 years old, a graduate of Mills College in Oakland, runs her own business and, bless her, is married to Dan Gomez, a veteran North Lake Tahoe firefighter. Ms. Montgomery will need plenty of walking-and driving-around money if she’s going to wage a viable campaign against Bruce. In case you forgot, District 5 extends from North Auburn all the way to Kings Beach at the Cal-Neva line and includes the Foresthill Divide — a lotta ground to cover.

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POLITICAL PLUMBING — Some words of advice: please don’t invite Bruce Kranz and Ted Gaines, the rookie state assemblyman and former District 4 supervisor, to the same cocktail party. Kranz’s eyes get fiery when he talks about Gaines these days, and the reason is obvious. Ted’s recent announcement that he’s formed one of those “exploratory committees” for a possible run for J.T. Doolittle’s 4th Congressional District seat — plus Ted’s accompanying unkind words about JTD — sent Bruce into orbit. Still a die-hard Doolittle disciple despite the myriad allegations of corruption that have been leveled against the nine-term congressman, Kranz now considers Gaines an ingrate who owes every ounce of his political success to the man he’s been badmouthing — JTD. In fact, Bruce is so ticked off at his former supervisorial colleague that he was expected to push a resolution censuring Gaines at this week’s meeting of the Placer County Republican Central Committee. The resolution calls for another Republican (nobody mentioned by name, but is Eric Hogue still lurking in the wings?) to challenge Gaines in the June 2008 primary in the event he awakens from this congressional dream of his and seeks re-election to the Assembly. A portion of the Kranz resolution goes like this: “Without the endorsement, financial and political assistance of Republican Congressman John Doolittle, Gaines would not have survived the (2006) Republican primary and won his Republican seat in the Assembly....” The GOP Central Committee’s meeting was Wednesday night, too late for this edition. But as of Tuesday morning, Kranz was still sticking to his guns and saying his resolution would be considered, at least, at the meeting...There also were reports that another resolution — a kinder, gentler one — was to be considered by the committee. Thanks to www.redcountyplacer.com, we see that the milder resolution, at least in draft form, would say something like, “Ted Gaines’s actions have caused a great deal of concern among his friends and supporters in Placer County,” and that “the Placer County Republican Central Committee calls on Ted Gaines to run for re-election to the State Assembly and to continue to serve us as an active advocate of our values at the State Capitol.” And, oh yes: it asks Ted to join the committee in supporting John Doolittle’s re-election to Congress. I’m still betting that Gaines backs down — hell, chickens out! — does a breast-beating mea maxima culpa, and runs for a second term in the Assembly....Blogster Jeff Flint picked up on Washington Post political analyst Chris Cillizza’s recent observation about JTD’s determination to run for another term: “If he holds firm, it’s a certainty that establishment Republicans will seek to line up behind a primary challenger and knock Doolittle out before he can put the seat in jeopardy. Democrat Charlie Brown, who nearly beat Doolittle in 2006, is back again. But given the Republican nature of this district, he needs Doolittle on the ballot to win.” True. Charlie Brown well knows that his only hope of representing this overwhelmingly GOP-registered district in the House of Representatives is to have J.T. Doolittle as his opponent on the November 2008 ballot.

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SHORT SHOTS – Candace Heidelberger, who practices law in North Auburn, is Nevada County’s newest superior court judge. She was appointed last week by Governor Schwarzenegger. I have no idea if Michael Colantuono, Auburn’s city attorney, was even in the running this time...The ARD Board has prolonged the dog park hassle by postponing its hearing on the matter until its November 29th meeting...Whoops! Almost forgot to mention that October 22 is the last day to register to vote in the November 6 special election on the proposed consolidation of the Loomis and Ophir school districts. County Election Chief Jim McCauley’s office will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the weekends of October 27-28 and November 3 and 4 to issue and process absentee ballots. Questions? Call (530) 886-5650.

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