Posted on 11/13/2005 10:09:55 AM PST by FairOpinion
Voters in some of California's most reliably Republican counties deserted Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in droves Tuesday, either sitting out the special election or working actively against the governor's political agenda.
While Schwarzenegger's supporters argue that the landslide defeat was a one-time reaction to an unpopular special election, it's a result that threatens the chances of Schwarzenegger -- and other Republican candidates -- in next November's statewide elections.
In addition to independents like Anderson rejecting the governor's agenda, Schwarzenegger suffered from low turnout in Republican strongholds around the state.
The people who did turn out, Republicans as well as Democrats, consistently rejected Schwarzenegger's initiatives, even in most areas friendly to the governor. Only Orange County, alone in supporting all the governor's initiatives, and the small Gold Country counties of Sutter, Placer and El Dorado supported both Prop. 76 and Prop. 77.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
That's not correct, according to the Secretary of State's website. El Dorado, Orange County, Placer County and Sutter County voted Yes on all the initiatives. But what to make of these results?(Disregarding the blue counties)
El Dorado County: Yes 73, 74, 75, 76, 77
Orange County: Yes 73, 74, 75, 76, 77
Placer County: Yes 73, 74, 75, 76, 77
Sutter County: Yes 73, 74, 75, 76, 77
Colusa County: Yes 73, 74, 75 and 76
Amador County: Yes 73, 74, 75
Calaveras County: Yes 73, 74, 75
Fresno County: Yes 73, 74, 75
Glenn County: Yes 73, 74, 75
Inyo County: Yes 73, 74, 75
Kern County: Yes 73, 74, 75
Madera County: Yes 73, 74, 75
Mariposa County: Yes 73, 74, 75
Modoc County: Yes 73, 74, 75
Plumas County: Yes 73, 74, 75
Riverside County: Yes, 73, 74, 75
San Diego: Yes 73, 74, 75
Shasta County: Yes 73, 74, 75
Sierra County: Yes 73, 74, 75
Siskiyou County: Yes 73, 74, 75
Tehama County: Yes 73, 74, 75
Tulare County: Yes 73, 74, 75
Tuolumne County: Yes 73, 74, 75
Ventura County: Yes 73, 74, 75
Yuba County: Yes 73, 74, 75
Nevada County: Yes 74, 75, 77
Butte County: Yes 73, 75
Kings County: Yes 73, 75
San Bernardino: Yes 73, 75
Stanislaus County: Yes 73, 75
San Luis Obispo: Yes 74, 75
Imperial County: Yes 73
Lassen County: Yes 73
Merced County: Yes 73
San Joaquin: Yes 73
Mono County: Yes 75
Santa Barbara: Yes 75
I hope someone more astute in politial science than I, will put forth an opinion on this. It looks to me like the public was uncertain, or wary or just plain fed-up with politics. The agenda was not sufficiently sold and was certainly outspent.
Somebody is missing a thoughtful reply.
I'll venture an opinion.
All the dems need for a CA win is to monitor Free Republic and incite the right to eat its own.
I think FR is that influential.
From your mouth to Republican ears.
Its time to can the litmus twaddle.
Huh?
I think your posts were very instructive.
The folks here claiming conservatives sat on their hands are simply not doing so based on any polling data that I've seen. Where are the self-id poli polling numbers to back up this claim? Should there not be some by now, somewhere, to show that conservatives sat out and Ahnold's massive moderate crowds did show up? I think that, notwithstanding the 'I'll never vote for Ahnold' whiners that posted, most GOP voters, even those who didn't support him in the Governatorial 8) primary did come out.
More sense to blunt this RINO/MSM spin--these numbers are actually PHENOMENAL for Cali conservatives. Remember, Feinswine got nearly 60% a year ago. To nearly get 50% of the Cali vote for abortion restrictions is just stunning. And this was AFTER a blitzkrieg of confusion sown by the left that was obviously intended to encourage NO voters.
I'm inclined to agree. These were not local school bond issues. They were far-reaching and even radical proposals submitted in an off-year election. It would be interesting to know how the voter turn-out compared with other special elections.
The Donner Party lives.
I have a new personal posting policy. As soon as I see the word "RINO" I quit reading.
Why waste brain cells? There's better stuff out there.
Your point is well-taken. I'm in California, and all I've seen are low turnouts for certain large counties that are (relatively): Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino. It does not prove a poor Republican turnout, though it does suggest it. It certainly does not prove a poor turnout among strong conservatives.
It does appear that the GOP volunteer effort was weak, due to poor participation. Republicans here need to think hard, and speak frankly, among themselves about what went wrong.
"counties that are (relatively) Republican," I meant.
The governor ultimately had no alternative than to bring this impasse to a head and appeal directly to the people. He could have maintained a façade of bipartisanship, contented himself to tinker at the margins, put forth pleasing half-measures while the state’s deficit continued to mount – but he chose finally to confront the state’s condition boldly and forthrightly. And he knew that to do so, he had to confront the government unions responsible for that condition."-your buddy Tom
Well, I'm no political activist in Cali, but one would think that there would be at least some partisan exit polling to tell us the numbers if it was actually bad news for the conservative turnout instead of just noisemaking on the left about how 'conservatives didn't show up.'
I know they won't show up for RINOs, and that doesn't necessarily break my heart. But these weren't RINO issues, and I think they DID show up, and I think this is spin to cover RINO votes and leftward shifts.
"It does not prove a poor Republican turnout, though it does suggest it. It certainly does not prove a poor turnout among strong conservatives."
---That would be likely in most special elections, though, would it not? What is the turnout like elsewhere? I bet it's low, too, but the MSM won't trumpet that.
"It does appear that the GOP volunteer effort was weak, due to poor participation. Republicans here need to think hard, and speak frankly, among themselves about what went wrong."
---If the conservatives in the GOP have learned anything from this, I hope it's that they can't depend on the get-out-the-vote coordination of the GOP hierarchy in California. Next time, it'll be done by voters' issue groups or CFG, I bet. And next time, there won't be a blizzard of issues to confuse voters into voting NO on everything, at least, not if the conservatives are smart.
I agree about bringing it to an impasse..
I am of the camp he needed to start 2 years ago and not give the dems a free ride for 2 years..
Now that he doesn't have these initiatives to attempt to lasso the unions and reliveve their stranglehold over the Capitol, how could he serve us any better if he is re-elected, regardless of how one feels about his policies and decisions one way or the other.
He could do the gracious thing and step aside for Tom , not Parsky or Issa at best and then campaign for him for a switch. ;-)
He had no answer to give, so he offered nonsense.
Some seem to lose track of the fact that it's their government, not the politicians...and that we as a whole get the government we deserve. Such as these are the political equivalent of New Orleans welfare recipients, shooting at those who seek to help and whining that someone has to come help them.
Oh Norm. Even you must know that's a non-starter.
just stirring the embers.. lol
The Rats beat us by being in lockstep. It's time that we were, too.
YES!!!
good plan ";^)
If the election were held today they would deserve it. They have been stunningly incompetent, indecisive and have lost touch with their principles.
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