According to the most recent Los Angeles Times Poll, the California Republican Party is in such a sorry state that:
- While GOP Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s approval rating has rebounded from the low 30s after his disastrous special elections last year to about 44 percent, only 32 percent of registered voters say they will probably or definitely vote for him, while 47 percent say they probably or definitely will not.
- In the race for lieutenant governor, three strong candidates for the Democratic nomination are facing off in the June 6 primary: Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi and state senators Jackie Speier and Liz Figueroa. The primary winner will face Sen. Tom McClintock, whose brand of heartless, moralizing conservativism may be all the rage in Idaho and Wyoming but it ain’t selling here.
- In the U.S. Senate race, Dianne Feinstein is virtually unopposed by a Republican in her quest for fourth term.
- In the race for attorney general, an astounding 94 percent of voters could not identify state Sen. Chuck Poochigian of Fresno. On the Democratic side, former governor and Oakland Mayor Jerry Brown is heavily favored over Los Angeles City Attorney Rockly Delgadillo.
UPDATE: Just saw a post at DKos saying the RNC is preparing for the loss of CA 50 in the run-off on Primary day. The seat has been in GOP hands for a while and was most recently held by Duke Cunningham, who is serving time for taking bribes. Looks like Democrat Francine Busby may have a chance.
The example given, of the DINO (Democrat in Name Only), Dianne Feinstein, is not a reason for celebration. While it is marginally better to have a Democrat than a Republican (at least Feinstein will not support Frist for Senate leadership), it would be considerably better to take advantage of the current Democratic Party strength in CA to replace her with someone who supports Democratic values.
Vote for the Green Party Candidate. Todd Chretien http://www.todd4senate.org/ will most likely win the primary for the Green Party nomination.
Dianne Feinstein voted for the inequity of the Bush tax cuts and voted for the disastrous Iraq war - just two of many decisions she has made during her tenure which demonstrate she does not possess the judgement to be returned for a fourth term.
Feinstein is a Democrat. She is moderate in SF, or was when I lived there.
I agree have with Dianne on a few things, but she really amazes me anymore.
First thing:
She was shocked by Bill Clinton’s lie about Lewinski.
Oh, puleeze, Dianne!
My dog even whined when Bill wagged his finger in your face and lied to you. Big damn deal, Girl!
I voted for Bill Clinton and was not surprised in the least.
I can just simply shake my head on that one. God, what an idiot.
But, now, Dianne!
What the hell are you doing?
This president has lied to you, to all of us, to the whole world, about life and death, and you aren’t just AS upset as you were with Mr. Blow-job?
See, this is what makes me crazy about my old friend, Dianne.
Dianne and Hilary Clinton are both too cozy with Bush-select and other bush cronies and crooks,need real Democrates to replace them both.Do not trust either.
Dianne Feinstein is a Democrate only when it does not offend her conservative husband. I have seen her back down on Democratic issues after the Repugs leaned on him. She needs to step aside and let a full-time Democrate take her seat.
What we need is a 4 party system not 2. We need a strong progressive party and a strong liberal party as the top 2 parties. This way, we can vote for which party has the best ideas and details.
We MUST ensure that conservatives are NEVER one of the top 3 choices for an electorate. That is why now is the time to create an alternative to Democrats that can at least finish 2nd and finish ahead of the republicans.
If you’re as unhappy about Dianne Feinstein as I am, by all means, let her know. It’s very easy to send an email form to her office via her Senate website. While I don’t delude myself that she actually ever reads any of the comments, I know one of her staffers has to. If she gets enough negative comments, perhaps a staffer will let her know.
I have despised Di Fi for years. She voted for the Medicare drug plan which is in shambles. She voted for the Iraq war. She voted to confirm former head of the NSA Michael Hayden to be the new head of the CIA. Every time we lose a vote, I look for how she voted, and more times than I care to remember, she was not on our side. She doesn’t represent the people of California, she represents the best financial interests of her husband and her rich friends.
It sure would be nice to have two REAL Democratic senators from California.
Don’t vote for DiFi. She’s only a Democrat because she’s from CA. If she were from Idaho, she’d be more comfortable, I think, in voting the right-wing way as a repug. However, should she lose the primary, ther’d be no end to repugs throwing their hats into the ring. So, I guess she’s got us. I can’t forgive her kind for turning on Pres Clinto in the Lewinsky affair but voting cozily with the Bushies for the killing in Iraq. I did not believe for one minute that there were WMD in Iraq. Am I smarter than she? I want someone leading our government who has more smarts than I have.
after we get rid of dino lieberman, feinstein can be next…
It’s well past time to jump ugly on Ahnold - find a Paula Jones to bring a bogus sexual harrasment suit like they did to Clinton. It shouldn’t be too difficult to drum up some bimbette he groped. Gloves off on this girlie man….
Big Dave from Queens:
Let’s get together and get that party started. This has been one of my pet peeves for many years.
Bob R.
What part of most votes takes all do people not understand. Join your local Democrats and work to get real people into the primaries.
Work to change the system so a losing candidate can throw ihis support somewhere after the election.
But if you want any movement in a progressive direction the only third party way is to throw all your support to a third party Ted Nugent or Michael Weiner cum Savage and get all the wingers to split their vote.
It sucks but that is how they wrote the Constitution, even if it was the one part they most regretted.
Dianne’s husband was deeply involved with billion dollar contracts in Iraq.
She has tainted the entire party because she ismarried to Bectel war profiteers.
Now perhaps third parties should have a chance. Todd Chretien is a serious candidate for Senator as are a number of Green Party Congressional and state and local office Candidates.
Dianne feinstein as well as Barbara Boxer have voted for some of the more onerous GOP legislation. They bend with the political wind and if it helps them financially. With an eye to campaigning this is a political fact of life. As the Senate changes hands in the next few years their voting will be more in line with that of “traditional Democratic values”.
P.Cohen:What you said. Happy to see others thinking exactly the same.
We will still have Diebold tabulators counting the votes, so don’t get your hopes up. And we still have way too many reservation Democrats who will just stand there and watch another election get stolen. What’s needed is rebellion at the precinct level or at least a temporary restraining order.
I just mailed off my absentee ballot and did not vote for Feinstein. She has lost me as a voter. She won’t lose, of course, and if the election were closer, I would have probably held my nose and voted for her, but in this cycle it is easy to vote a protest. We need someone, ANYONE, in Washington looking out for the rest of us. I feel absolutely unrepresented by my Senators and especially my congressman (Doolittle).