Sunday, Jul. 06, 2008

GOP political consultant busy working a hot streak

He helped Chiesa defeat former Sheriff Weidman

Carl Fogliani's political campaigns tend to face uneven odds that tilt in the opponents' favor.

That comes with the job when you're hired to get Republicans elected in the deep blue states of California and Pennsylvania.

"One of these days, I'll try to do a race in Mississippi," Fogliani, 38, joked. "Here, it's a heavily Democratic state where we're consistently outspent and party registration doesn't favor you.

"That makes you work extremely hard and try to be a step ahead of the other side."

Fogliani's on a hot streak in the San Joaquin Valley, fresh off two successful races he helped coordinate for Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors candidates Vito Chiesa and Jim DeMartini.

He's leading Assemblyman Greg Aghazarian's bid for a state Senate seat. He's also advising Ceres farmer Bill Berryhill on his run for Aghazarian's spot in the Assembly.

Fogliani's "one of the up and coming bright stars of Republican consulting," said Modesto attorney George Petrulakis, a leader in Stanislaus County Republican politics. "He's a very creative guy who sizes up the races and finds the opportunity to win."

What does a candidate get with Fogliani?

Start with an acerbic sense of humor.

"I'm a little bit eccentric," he said. "I don't like working for stiffs. I'll throw people stuff that's just crazy, like to military or hockey strategy."

Add a drive to "make a difference."

"You see things before you read about them, and that's always a neat thing. As you get older, you think about your kids and what kind of government you want to leave them."

Mix in the expertise accumulated through 18 years of political races from city council to Congress.

And finish it off with a tough competitive streak that aims to make sure his candidate ends the race on top.

"I love the intensity level," Fogliani said.

Democrats took note of those attributes, too.

"He's a first-rate pro. I would not hesitate to hire him," said Mike Lynch, who was chief of staff to former Democratic Rep. Gary Condit of Ceres.

Fogliani and Lynch were on opposite sides of the June county supervisor's race between farmer Vito Chiesa and former Sheriff Les Weidman.

Fogliani worked for Chiesa and Lynch advised Weidman. Chiesa won in what was considered an upset.

Petrulakis, likewise, got a look at Fogliani's work during a 2006 race for a supervisor's seat between former state Sen. Dick Monteith and Modesto City Councilwoman Janice Keating.

Fogliani worked for Monteith; Petrulakis helped Keating as a fund-raiser and informal adviser. Monteith beat Keating in an exceptionally close race.

"He's not going to be short of work here in the future," Chiesa said, adding that Fogliani focused the campaign's message, coached the candidate and opened doors to other political contacts.

Started with Santorum

Fogliani caught a bug for politics in 1990 when he walked precincts in a congressional race that launched the career of U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa. Fogliani wound up dropping out of college and focusing on helping conservative candidates win seats in Pennsylvania's Legislature.

He arrived in Southern California in 1998, when he helped a friend coordinate a campaign.

"We got slaughtered," Fogliani said.

The visit opened his eyes to the West Coast.

"Growing up on the other side of the country, and then all of a sudden seeing Manhattan Beach, it was like, 'Wait a minute,' " he said.

He started working for the California Assembly Republican Caucus and landed the break that set him up for a career in the Central Valley in 2001.

That's when Aghazarian hired him to guide his bid for the Assembly.

Aghazarian won, and Fogliani stayed on as his chief of staff.

Fogliani lives in Stockton and says he enjoys working in the valley.

"Just little things, how you say 'almond' versus 'ammond.' I love it," he said. "It's close to the coast, which is nice. The people are very laid back and tend to be values-oriented and that's something I like."

In 2006, Fogliani landed in the center of national politics when he worked as former U.S. Rep. Richard Pombo's campaign manager. Pombo, a Republican from Tracy and the incumbent, lost to Democrat Jerry McNerney of Pleasanton.

It was considered a swing seat that both parties wanted desperately.

"It wasn't successful, but it was one heck of an experience for somebody in politics," Fogliani said.

"It's in the control of the voters," he said. "We don't tell them how to vote; we just do what we can to the best of our ability."

Bee staff writer Adam Ashton can be reached at aashton@modbee.com or 578-2366.