Tim Donnelly releases bilingual campaign video in gubernatorial bid

Republican Tim Donnelly, seen announcing his gubernatorial candidacy in November, is out with another campaign video, a bilingual message about returning prosperity to California.

By Seema Mehta

Jan. 13, 2014 2:41 PM PT

Republican gubernatorial candidate Tim Donnelly is out with another campaign video, a bilingual message about returning prosperity to California that features actress Maria Conchita Alonso and a tiny sweater-clad dog named Tequila.

“I love this state. I came here with 300 bucks in my pocket, married the sexiest woman in California, I raised five sons and started a business — that’s the California dream,” says Donnelly, an assemblyman from Twin Peaks and the founder of a Minuteman border-patrol chapter.

Alonso translates most of the message into Spanish, adding, “and apparently he believes he married me. Well, he can dream, right?” and pats Donnelly’s cheek.

“Politicians and big government are killing our prosperity,” continues Donnelly, a tea party sympathizer. “They’re driving business out of our state, pushing welfare costs through the roof and driving our schools into the ground.”

Alonso, clutching the dog and looking alarmed, translates these remarks as: “We’re screwed.”

Donnelly calls for increased energy production, citing the booming economy in North Dakota, as a path to prosperity and suggesting that California could do even better.

“We’re Californians. I want a gun in every Californian’s gun safe,” he says. “I want government out of our businesses and our bedrooms. I want to bring the film industry back where she belongs, Hollywood. I want to make California the sexiest place on the planet to do business. And I want us to do this together because we are all California.”

The video, released Monday, is the third of Donnelly’s campaign. Donnelly has struggled to raise money for his gubernatorial bid, and online videos can be a cheap way to reach voters if they go viral.

A political spokesman for Gov. Jerry Brown dismissed the video.

“What his videos lack in terms of logic and sanity, they make up for it in pure entertainment value,” said spokesman Dan Newman.

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