Border activist a wild card in Calif. election

Yahoo News/Reuters ^ | October 1, 2005 | Dan Whitcomb

[SC33]

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - When voters in one of California's most conservative congressional districts go to the polls on Tuesday, they will find a wild card on the ballot: The founder of the Minuteman movement, who has become a lightning rod in the furor over America's borders.

[NormsRevenge]

23 seconds.. wow

Im gonna ask admin to blow my thread up, Thanks!

[SC33]

That was a close one!

[NormsRevenge]

whewwwiieee.. I'll say.. lol

[NormsRevenge]

Petitions ARE Available NOW!!!

Click the badge below FoR more info

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Thanks!

[11th_VA]

In before its pulled !!!

[crazyhorse691]

Hey, I was going to post "already posted 23 seconds before". Now I have to settle for just telling you that I was:-)
I am not in California, but, Gilchrist sounds like a winner to me.

[11th_VA]

LOL !!! Anyone know the story behind that "Stick it to Soros photo?"

[truth_seeker]

Article is WRONG.

Brewer is ALSO a Republican.

Real sloppy journalism; worse editing.

[Clintonfatigued]

It's highly unusual for a third-party candidate for anything to get national press. Gilchrest is a serious candidate.

[The Westerner]

What happens if Gilchrist splits the Republican vote?

[FairOpinion]

We don't need to excerpt Reuters and Yahoo News.

Here is the full text:

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Border activist a wild card in Calif. election
By Dan Whitcomb

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - When voters in one of California's most conservative congressional districts go to the polls on Tuesday, they will find a wild card on the ballot: The founder of the Minuteman movement, who has become a lightning rod in the furor over America's borders.

While Jim Gilchrist -- leader of a volunteer border patrol group once slammed as "vigilantes" by President George W. Bush -- is considered a long shot to win the special election to fill a seat vacated by Republican Christopher Cox, he has mined a deep vein of voter anger over illegal immigration.

"I have struck the mother lode of patriotism," Gilchrist told Reuters, referring to polls showing 80 percent of Californians were concerned about immigration.

Experts say that if Gilchrist is a one-issue candidate he has picked the right issue in California -- where immigration has long been the third rail of politics. Democrats have long been unwilling to alienate Hispanics and Republicans are seen as determined to appease businesses that depend on cheap immigrant labor.

"Gilchrist has the most emotional issue. A lot of people hate illegal immigration. And on that issue alone he is going to be able to motivate (voters)," said Republican political strategist Allan Hoffenblum. "There's a lot of frustration and nobody is coming up with any answers."

Gilchrist insists he is not a single-issue candidate: He says the latest wave of illegal immigrants has had a ruinous impact on every facet of life in California, overwhelming schools, bankrupting hospitals and threatening national security.

ONE-ISSUE RACE?

"I'm running for office to do the job that our Congress has deliberately refused to do: Protect our borders, our communities, our families and our pocketbooks," he said. "This is not one issue."

What makes the special election for the 48th District seat intriguing for Gilchrist is that -- with 17 names on an open primary-style ballot -- no candidate is expected to win more than 50 percent of the vote, setting up a runoff that would include the top candidate from each party.

That means that Gilchrist, an American Independent Party candidate, would make it into any runoff, presumably against the favorite, former Republican state Sen. John Campbell, and former Democratic state Assemblywoman Marilyn Brewer.

Brewer would hope that, in a runoff, Gilchrist and Campbell

would split the Republican vote.

"If its a runoff with Campbell, Gilchrist and Brewer then Gilchrist gets very interesting because he's the most conservative candidate (in a very conservative district)," Hoffenblum said. "But for him to win it would have to be in a runoff and even then it would be a major, major upset."

Gilchrist faces a formidable foe in Campbell, a conservative Republican who, as a wealthy entrepreneur from Newport Beach, is an easy fit in the mostly affluent neighborhoods of the Orange County district that tend to turn out for elections.

Campbell won the endorsement of California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and has also taken a strong stance against illegal immigration -- coming out against Bush's controversial "guest worker" program.

"We're on par to win the nomination with flying colors," Campbell campaign manager Jim Terry said. "It remains to be seen what kind of showing Jim Gilchrist is going to make. ... He's talked about one issue and this is a fairly sophisticated district."

[FairOpinion]

Yeah, Gilchrist is great, if you want to get a Democrat elected.

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"That means that Gilchrist, an American Independent Party candidate, would make it into any runoff, presumably against the favorite, former Republican state Sen. John Campbell, and former Democratic state Assemblywoman Marilyn Brewer.

Brewer would hope that, in a runoff, Gilchrist and Campbell
would split the Republican vote."

[Regulator]

What happens if Gilchrist splits the Republican vote?

Then the Republican Party will get the message that they are out of step with their base and they need to get on the right side of the issue, which means NO AMNESTIES, NO GUEST WORKER programs, and illegal immigration cut to NEAR ZERO.

Either that, or they suffer bitter primary races, split tickets with popular right wing independents, and conservative voters who stay home when another "go along to get along" RINO is up for a vote.

[cripplecreek]

I call voting for a RINO trying to "out democrat the democrats"

[FairOpinion]

If Gilchirst splits the R vote, a DEMOCRAT will get elected.

You can't rationalize away from that, unless you admit that you prefer an open border Democrat to a Republican -- and BTW Campbell is also against illegal immigration.

So I guess you do prefer a Democrat.

[FairOpinion]

The media is playing up Gilchirest, so he splits the R vote and get another Dem in.

[crazyhorse691]

I like Gilchrist because he actually did something before he got elected. And I very well understand what you are saying and I end up voting republican. Let me cheer the underdog knowing that I have no vote to cast in this race. Maybe if this happened more a few Rhinos might actually get back to their conservative roots(hear me Sen. Gordon Smith R-oregon??)

[cripplecreek]

Personally I don't think any of our elected officials should feel so secure in their power that can ignore the consituents and attempt to threaten us with the other guy.

[Once-Ler]

Then the Republican Party will get the message that they are out of step with their base and they need to get on the right side of the issue.

The message sent is that the GOP can't rely on the voters you mistakenly call the base. It is really just a small one issue portion of the base who would vote for Hiltlery if she promised to close the border. I hope CARepublican Party enjoys another rat representing them. I guess the CA GOP still has not gottten rid of enough RINOs. LOL.