CA-04: Doolittle to Retire?

That’s the word from the Stockton Record’s political reporter, Hank Shaw:

I reported last week that former state Sen. Rico Oller of Calaveras County was standing with embattled U.S. Rep. John Doolittle, R-Roseville, at a GOP event. I also mentioned in that piece that Rico (who lost a nasty Republican primary contest to now-Rep. Dan Lungren in 2004) was being talked about as a possible successor to Doolittle, but that Oller wouldn’t jump in without Doolittle’s blessing.

That appears likely to happen soon. I am hearing from my Sacramento Valley friends that John Doolittle is about to step down and will ultimately endorse Rico Oller, who apparently owns lots of property in Doolittle’s 4th District. Oller would still have to get past Assemblyman Ted Gaines of Roseville and Eric Egland of Rocklin. Rico is definitely conservative, and if he has the blessing of the NorCal GOP machine that Doolittle has created, he should immediately become the favorite in that primary.

UPDATE: Jeff Flint over at Red County Placer cross-posted this item over there, and brought up a good point: The word I am hearing is NOT that Doolittle will step down, it’s that he won’t run again.

This is a deep red Bush district with a PVI of R+10.9.  Without the scandal-plagued Doolittle to run against, this race would become an uphill climb and fast.  However, if this Rico Oller character gets the nod, perhaps he might turn into the second coming of Joy Padgett (the handpicked successor of imprisoned Ohio Rep. Bob Ney).  Doolittle’s endorsement and ties with Oller would definitely give Democrat Charlie Brown something to work with were they to go head-to-head.

Stay tuned.

(H/T: babaloo)