Republican hopefuls for Senate take aim at Boxer

Los Angeles Daily News ^ | 01/24/2004 | Rick Orlov

[Impeach98]

Go Howard Kaloogian!!!

www.HowardForSenate.com

[prognostigaator]

Senator Kaloogian has a nice ring to it......

[spokeshave]

Yeah...the sound of dead cat bounce

[Impeach98]

Yeah, Kaloogian's horrible. He's a solid conservative who stuck to the conservative issues he campaigned on during his three terms in the State Assembly. He was a terrific leader in the Recall Gray Davis effort. He helped marshall the forces to overwhelm CBS with protests over the anti-Reagan miniseries "The Reagans" causing them to cancel it.

And, he's the only Republican candidate with the fire and determination and aggressiveness to actually beat Barbara Boxer.

Wait... that all sounds like a wonderful opportunity for Republicans... a conservative candidate who CAN WIN!

The only dead cat I see is Bill Jones who last time he ran statewide couldn't even get 10% of the vote in San Diego and Los Angeles regions.

[RWGuy]

Howard Kaloogian has a compelling personal story as well as clear positions on the issues that contrast perfectly with Boxer.

That's what it takes to win in California. Two of the candidates think that being Boxer-Light is what works. Then Jones thinks that people are looking to reward long government service.

The truth is that people want a fighter who will stand up for them and stand up to that feisty and arrogant Boxer. Kaloogian is the only one that comes close.

Get with it people. Kaloogian is the best shot to get a great Senator for California. He won't be part of the crowd in Congress, Republican and Democrat, that is giving us higher spending every chance they can.

[Amerigomag]

Kaloogian = A viable conservative candidate

Jones = Would probably act moderately when elected. A distant second choice.

Casey = A recent Republican with a checkered background on issues. Not a good idea.

Marin = A conservative disaster. Welcome to Azatlan

[Impeach98]

You are very kind :)

Casey's not just a recent Republican - her recent Democrat activities included being the Bill Clinton coordinator in the SF Bay Area. She raised loads of $$$ for Clinton and was such good friends with the Clintons they had her spend weekends at the White House.

To me, Bill Jones would be tolerable in California statewide (although not ideal). His "sins" are pushing through the largest tax increase in history for Pete Wilson (Jones was Wilson's guy in the legislature to get the votes to pass it). Jones OPPOSED the GOP decision to support the recall before he later flip-flopped when Arnold entered the race. And Jones has been silent on the Bush Amnesty and Save 187 initiative. He's not a leader... a follower who on important occassions has sold out the conservative movement.

But I could still tolerate him in California statewide. What I can't tolerate is that he is a McCainiac who revoked his support for Bush to back McCain, then flew around California with McCain later to help him lobby support for McCain-Feingold.

Can you imagine having another John McCain in the Senate? Ugh :(

[ExSoldier]

"Welcome to Azatlan"

Azatlan or Azkaban? Boxer is a prison guard there! Yeah! What did they call those critters...when you got around them they drove you totally stark raving crazy......It's a Harry Potter universe where she can even exist.

[ExSoldier]

DEMENTORS....Boxer is a DEMENTOR! Obviously demented and making everyone around her into the same state of mind(lessness).

[Amerigomag]

What I can't tolerate is that he ... revoked his support for Bush

From my perspective the enemy of my enemy is my friend. I will support a senate candidate who I am reasonably certain will prevent Rove/Bush from going off the reservation.

Regardless of Bush's clearly adult, conservative principals that drive his foreign policy, his stance on illegal immigration will be a disaster to my state and eventually my nation. It will be little of consolation that Muslim extremists no longer represent a threat to my nation if Mexico gains defacto control of California.

All politics are local. I am not unusual when I prioritize by family, community, state and then nation. The damage Bush's immigration proposals can do to family, community and state before he leaves office may be irreversible since we are on the cusp of a major demographic/political change in California.

While not my first choice by a long way, I will support Jones if Kaloogian collapses, not trailing in the polls but a true collapse followed by issuing support for another candidate. When push comes to shove I don't believe Jones will desert his conservative roots in the Central Valley simply to go along to get along.

[lilylangtree]

Hopefully, Boxer is defeated. Then Feinstein next?

[wylenetheconservative]

Kaloogian cannot win that seat. There is a ZERO percent chance. Why can't you guys get it through your heads. California is a LIBERAL state. The people aren't being duped by the liberals, they are liberals. The only Republicans that can win are Jones or Marin, and they have maybe a 25% chance. If this race were in Mississippi, I would be for Kaloogian all the way, because he can win in Mississippi. But in CA, there is no way. The GOP must nominate a social moderate to have any chance of winning.

[RightWingMama]

Unfortunately, you are right. If the coastal regions and LA would drop into the sea then Kaloogian might have a chance.

[wylenetheconservative]

Kaloogian would be the favorite if that happened. Unfortunately, the coastal areas are 2/3 of the electorate and more Democrat that the inland is Republican. Marin is the best candidate if she can get adequate funding, and that is a big IF. Jones is the best otherwise because he has won statewide before, has a moderate profile, can raise adequate $, and has Arnold behind him. Kaloogian is just too socially conservative to win in a state where only 45% of the population are anglos.

[JohnnyZ]

The only dead cat I see is Bill Jones who last time he ran statewide couldn't even get 10% of the vote in San Diego and Los Angeles regions.

The last time Bill Jones ran statewide in a general election

HE WON

I thought winning the general election was the goal here?

[JohnnyZ]

Can you imagine having another John McCain in the Senate? Ugh :(

There are already at least three: McCain, Chuck Hagel and Lindsey Graham.

[JohnnyZ]

California is a LIBERAL state.

A lot of people see it as a moderate state. There's a big left wing, but a HUGE, dominating middle, folks who will vote for all those conservative referendums but are inclined to elect Democrats.

If they vote for the person, Bill Jones has strong centrist appeal vs. freaky Boxer.

If they vote like it's an issue referendum, Kaloogian (if he had money) would have appeal based on those issues.

I believe voters vote for People to represent them, not issues, and thus Kaloogian has no chance while Jones has a decent (30%)chance.

[nickcarraway]

Excuse me, but what do you know about California? Have you ever even been here? You telling me what Californian are and aren't makes about as much sense as me saying all Mississipians are communists. Fortunately, most Mississipians aren't know-it-alls, who go around shooting their mouths off about something they don't know anything about.

You probably can't explain to me why, in the last regular statewide election, the two most conservative Republicans got far, far more votes then the other moderate Republicans. And you probably can't explain why the most conservative Republican got the most votes of any Republican, and only lost by a few votes, even though he got no support and no money from the state GOP. Hmmm.

[nickcarraway]

Kaloogian needs a lot of help just to have a shot. But I don't know if Jones has the personality or if he is conservative enough to appeal to California voters.