Four Republicans Who Want to Challenge Boxer

Sacramento Bee ^ | 12/18/2003 | Daniel Weintraub

[Impeach98]

Lost between Arnold Schwarzenegger's victory in the Gray Davis recall and preparations for the upcoming Democratic presidential contest, the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate in California isn't likely to get much attention any time soon.

But the prize -- the right to face off against two-term Democrat Barbara Boxer next November -- is looking a little bit more attractive to Republican candidates these days. While formidable, Boxer has never been as popular as the state's other senator, Dianne Feinstein. And with a Republican suddenly in the governor's office and President Bush looking stronger on the national scene, the potential Boxer challengers are beginning to think they might just catch a wave and knock her off.

[Impeach98]

www.HowardForSenate.com

Go Howard!!!

[FairOpinion]

"While she is relatively unknown, Marin has secured the help of an impressive circle of Republican fund-raisers, including Los Angeles area auto dealer Bert Boeckmann and Stockton developer Alex Spanos.

Casey, another former Bush appointee, at the Small Business Administration, is trying to position herself as the high-tech candidate. She boasts two advanced degrees from Stanford University, is the former mayor of Los Altos Hills and for 10 years served as a lobbyist for the biotech industry. She has the support of a long list of California business leaders, including venture capitalist Tim Draper, Intuit co-founder Tom LeFevre and Charles Schwab, founder of the stock brokerage that bears his name.
"

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Marin and Casey sound like interesting candidates too.

The major question is who can beat Boxer?

[ElkGroveDan]

BTTT! Howard is THE conservative in this race.

Go Howard!

[ElkGroveDan]

I hear the Republican Liberty Caucus just endorsed him today!

[Impeach98]

Toni Casey is indeed interesting if you want a heavier Clinton influence in the party:

"It was Mr. Stone and Toni Casey who held Bill Clinton's first reception in Silicon Valley back in 1990, when Mr. Clinton was governor of Arkansas and headed the Democratic Leadership Council, the organization Mr. Clinton used to move the party toward the political center. They also helped Mr. Clinton line up the crucial support of high-tech executives in his 1992 presidential run. "

[Impeach98]

Ahh you saw our press release :)

Yeah, on top of that Howard got the National Tax Limitation Committee and the Gann Taxpayer Organization endorsements earlier in the week!

[Impeach98]

The San Jose Metro Weekly

Pajama Party Politics

A decade ago, Los Altos Hills Councilwoman Toni Casey was an early backer of then-Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton. In fact, she co-hosted a Democratic Leadership Council event featuring Clinton in 1990, a year before Slick Willie allegedly asked Paula Jones to "kiss it." For all his faults, Clinton can't be accused of forgetting his buddies. Bill kindly invited Casey--along with seven other old friends including Santa Clara County Assessor Larry Stone and his wife, Carmen--to spend a night at the White House a few days before Christmas. ... Of course, a lot of things have changed since Casey co-hosted that 1990 Clinton event--like her party registration.

Casey's now a Republican. And not just a low-profile one. She served as a delegate at the party's national convention earlier this year, assuming a sound-byte-friendly role challenging the GOP's anti-abortion platform. Oh, and she was an enthusiastic, oft-quoted backer of George W. Bush. But Casey says her conversion didn't cause any discomfort between herself and the Clintons. "The nature of the visit was not political at all," snaps Casey, who knows Clinton assistant Betty Currie on a first-name basis. ...

Stone, meanwhile, recalls that during a post-midnight conversation, Clinton didn't let Casey's politics stop him from criticizing the Supreme Court decision that gave Dubya the presidency. "From the way he [Clinton] talked," Stone says, "I didn't think he knew Toni was a Republican."

[CdMGuy]

Other, than Jones, I don't really know much about the others. What I do know, is that it takes a good campaigner to win a state-wide race in CA. Arnold definitely, showed how to campaign. Hopefully, one of these people knows how to get down and dirty with Boxer, and hopefully that person is not some left wing Republican.

[ElkGroveDan]

Marin and Casey sound like interesting candidates too.

Since Marin and Casey have not starred in Hollywood action movies, expect either of them to go the way of other statewide liberal GOP nominees. The most recent one that comes to mind was Tom Campbell whose so-called fiscal conservatism appealed to a mere 34% of Californians.

[thoughtomator]

Are you sure he's a GOP conservative? Where's the knife that should be in his back?

[MinuteGal]

There'll be lots and lots of Pubbie candidates surfacing for the primaries across the country. Why?

If all goes well for President Bush, his coattails are going to be very loooooooooooong.

Leni

[Impeach98]

Howard will surely get knives in the back from some - at some point. There's already a few FReepers who have expressed disappointment that Howard's publicly acknowledged that he is a "conservative" LOL!

I didn't know that was a dirty word again!?!

[pogo101]

I'm keeping an open mind. Let's see what they say and how they'll "play" (to voters).

Jones clearly is solid and better than Boxer. But Weintraub rightly points out his weakspots.

Kaloogian is still a cipher with me. So are Marin and Casey.

But only Kaloogian will be running as a strong conservative. I wonder if he's ready to be proclaimed an "anti-woman," racist Nazi, by the California Left?

[RWGuy]

Howard Kaloogian is the only candidate who has the kind of fight we need to take it to Barbara Boxer.

Boxer is definitely a fighter. The other Republicans, while they have their pluses and minuses, just don't have the combativeness to take on someone like Boxer.

Kaloogian proved during the Recall campaign that he can take on the Republican establishment and push forward with the recall when they were cowering. He took on the Secretary of State when Kevin Shelley was stalling on the count.

If we go with Kaloogian, who is a solid conservative, we are also guaranteed someone who will take Boxer on and make her left-wing record the issue.

GO HOWARD

[Impeach98]

If you ever went to www.RecallGrayDavis.com then you would know who Kaloogian was - just maybe not realize it.

Howard Kaloogian was Chairman of the Recall Gray Davis Committee. He was also the organizer and leader of all of the big pro-recall rallies... the kickoff one on Feb. 22nd, the one in July after qualification and the final push rally in Long Beach at the Queen Mary.

He was the voice of the recall on talk radio, it's mugshot on most of the cable TV appearances and other aspects.

Go to the RecallGrayDavis.com website to learn more. Howard was also a three-term Republican State Assemblyman and Chairman of the Defend Reagan Committee which went after CBS for the airing of "The Reagans."

[Impeach98]

Ah yeah, the guy's faced the Democrats for many years. The strength of Kaloogian is that he is the most able to get up in Boxer's face and give it right back.

Only Howard will be able to hold his own against Boxer. I can't wait to see them debate.

[Impeach98]

You always go for the wingers and always post in the Kaloogian threads. Mega thanks!

[mac_truck]

does Kaloogian have any elective experience?

[Impeach98]

Kaloogian was a Republican State Assemblyman from 1994-2000.

He was elected with over 60% of the vote and continued to serve for three terms until term limited in 2000.

He was Assistant Republican Leader in the State Assembly, was the 1999 California Chairman for the American Legislative Exchange Counsel - ALEC.

He is a member of the Reagan Legacy Project and of course most recently served as Chairman of the Defend Reagan Committee.

Still - he is best known as Chairman of the Recall Gray Davis Committee... this is where most of the enthusiasm amongst Republicans for his candidacy comes.