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CA: Inland Republicans stay home from the polls
Riverside Press-Enterprise ^ | 11/11/05 | Jim Miller

Posted on 11/11/2005 8:53:00 AM PST by NormsRevenge

The Inland area, a bastion of Republican votes that overwhelmingly supported Gov. Schwarzenegger in the recall election, didn't come through at the ballot box this week, party officials said Thursday.

Voter turnout in Riverside and San Bernardino counties was among the lowest in the state.

It fell several points below the statewide average, as well as turnout in Democratic coastal strongholds.

The results have local Republicans worried about 2006, when Schwarzenegger and seven other GOP candidates will need solid Inland victories if they hope to win statewide.

"I realize that we were not going to offset everything on the coast and in the north," said Barry Hartz, a member of the San Bernardino County Republican Central Committee. "But for being one of the most conservative areas of the state, I think we did a pretty stinkin' job countywide."

Of those Republicans who did show up Tuesday, some of them broke from the party line.

"I was optimistic that Schwarzenegger was going to do a good job. But frankly I've been disappointed," said Brian Novak, a registered Republican from Winchester who said he voted against all four of the governor's propositions. "He's managed to alienate virtually every segment of the electorate."

GOP bastion Orange County was the only place in Southern California where a majority of voters approved all of the governor's propositions.

"When your own people don't show up, you've got a heck of a problem," said Professor Jack Pitney, who teaches government at Claremont McKenna College.

Riverside and San Bernardino counties are among the fastest-growing in the state. The number of registered voters has increased by more than 260,000 since fall 2002, with Republicans outnumbering Democrats last month by more than 120,000.

In past elections, the Inland area was a cornerstone of GOP strategy.

Two years ago, more than 70 percent of Inland voters supported the recall of former Gov. Gray Davis -- some of the highest levels in the state. Majorities of voters also backed Schwarzenegger's election.

Last year, the region strongly backed President Bush's re-election. Support for Bush was up several points from both counties' 2000 totals, reducing Democrats' statewide margin of victory.

California Republican Party spokeswoman Karen Hanretty said officials will take a hard look at turnout in the Inland area.

The party particularly wants to know the Republican vote, data that will not be available until officials finish their canvass later this month.

Thursday in Sacramento, Schwarzenegger accepted responsibility for his propositions' defeat. "The buck stops with me," he said.

Inland GOP activists agreed, saying none of the governor's propositions seemed to motivate Republicans as much as the 2003 recall or Bush's re-election.

"Was there a lot of energy? I don't think there was," said Jan Manske of Murrieta, a Schwarzenegger supporter and donor. "I don't know why, but people didn't think (the propositions) were that important."

Kevin Jeffries, chairman of the Riverside County Republican Party, said it's easier to rally voters around a candidate than around complicated ballot propositions. Also, Tuesday's election marked the fourth fall ballot in a row.

Only half as many volunteers helped get out the vote for Tuesday' election as they did in last year's presidential contest, Jeffries said.

Hartz said San Bernardino County's GOP leadership should have done more.

"There was not a concerted effort to mobilize the 30 or 40 members of the central committee in their various communities," he said. "It's pretty obvious that the Dems kicked our butt up in getting the vote out."


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: california; inland; republicans; stayhome
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1 posted on 11/11/2005 8:53:01 AM PST by NormsRevenge
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To: NormsRevenge
They were probably only bushbots and not really wanted in the Republican Party! Not real Conservatives! Need to purge the movement you know.

Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters

2 posted on 11/11/2005 8:55:15 AM PST by bray (Iraq, freed from Saddamn now Pray for Freedom from Mohammad)
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To: NormsRevenge
Voter turnout in Riverside and San Bernardino counties was among the lowest in the state.

And there you have it. It's pretty obvious that the Pubbies take conservatives for granted, and are ignoring us to reach out to some mythical "center." Hope they've learned their lesson for '06.

3 posted on 11/11/2005 8:56:22 AM PST by T. Buzzard Trueblood ("(I've had) too many wives and taken too many drugs." -Ambassador Joe Wilson)
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To: NormsRevenge

Haven't all the Republicans moved from CA yet? Those voting with their feet ought to be noticed soon. They aren't like Democrats that vote in perpetuity, whether they've moved or died.


4 posted on 11/11/2005 8:57:39 AM PST by kittymyrib
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To: NormsRevenge

I'm not surprised. It was a mid week election. Republicans have jobs to go to and most Democrats don't.


5 posted on 11/11/2005 8:58:27 AM PST by DJ Taylor (Once again our country is at war, and once again the Democrats have sided with our enemy.)
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To: NormsRevenge

Its all the Meth in Riverside and San Berdoo. They were too busy tweaking to get to the polls.


6 posted on 11/11/2005 9:00:12 AM PST by Clemenza (In League with the Freemasons, The Bilderbergers, and the Learned Elders of Zion)
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To: bray
Not real Conservatives!

Maybe they were. I frequently hear from those on FR who claim to be the 'real conservatives' that they are going to withhold their votes to 'teach the Republicans a lesson.' Seems these voters did just that.

7 posted on 11/11/2005 9:05:59 AM PST by MEGoody (Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.)
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To: NormsRevenge

I heard that San Diego County also supported the Governator's propositions.


8 posted on 11/11/2005 9:08:42 AM PST by p. henry
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To: MEGoody
Real Conservatives would have a perfect Party w/o us that support our President and are now getting just that. If your party is small enough it will be perfect.

Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters

9 posted on 11/11/2005 9:10:30 AM PST by bray (Iraq, freed from Saddamn now Pray for Freedom from Mohammad)
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To: NormsRevenge
Don't look now, but this will spread like wildfire.


The democrats are piling the wood and the Republicans are tossing the matches.



10 posted on 11/11/2005 9:11:50 AM PST by G.Mason (The barbarians are at the gates ... the Democrats and Republicans will open it for them)
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To: NormsRevenge

I noticed. There was no one at the polls; you just walk in and walk out. I knew we were toast.


11 posted on 11/11/2005 9:13:40 AM PST by marron
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To: marron

I was in and out in 3 minutes..

The last general took over half an hour which is still not much.

Having this many initiatives on an off year election and the fact we have been voting like banshees every few months the last few years may also have had some bearing on turnout.


12 posted on 11/11/2005 9:17:28 AM PST by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi ... Monthly Donor spoken Here. Go to ... https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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To: MEGoody

"Not real Conservatives!
Maybe they were. I frequently hear from those on FR who claim to be the 'real conservatives' that they are going to withhold their votes to 'teach the Republicans a lesson.' Seems these voters did just that."

These are the true Rhinos-(Whinos).


13 posted on 11/11/2005 9:18:47 AM PST by tkathy (Ban the headscarf. (All religious headdress). The effect will creat a huge domino effect..)
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To: DJ Taylor
I'm not surprised. It was a mid week election. Republicans have jobs to go to and most Democrats don't.

So when isn't it a mid week election?

14 posted on 11/11/2005 9:22:04 AM PST by skip_intro
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To: kittymyrib
Haven't all the Republicans moved from CA yet? Those voting with their feet ought to be noticed soon. They aren't like Democrats that vote in perpetuity, whether they've moved or died.

Your ignorance of California is astounding. California gave George Bush his largest number of votes in the last election, the most political contributions, and the most contributions to FreeRepublic. Oh btw: You're aware this site is in California right?

15 posted on 11/11/2005 9:23:48 AM PST by Smogger
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To: marron

When I went to the polls there was a line out the door for the Democraps side. My friend who was working on the Republican side said they only had about forty voters show up so far. I knew then the propositions were doomed!


16 posted on 11/11/2005 9:53:56 AM PST by SweetCaroline (PARENTS & GRANDPARENTS IN CA JUST ABORTED THEIR FAMILY!!!)
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To: NormsRevenge
how about the constant pounding the Gov's props were getting for what 8 months before the election,If I had seen one more union commerical against I was going to shoot my TV. I think it all contributed to the low turnout and defeat.
17 posted on 11/11/2005 9:56:52 AM PST by markman46 (engage brain before using keyboard!!!)
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To: markman46

In that Leftist revolutionary book "The Monkey Wrench Gang" there is talk of torching billboards as some sort of anti capitalist expression. I must admit, I had more than one thought of torching some of the billboards bashing Arnie that were funded by the Communistic unions. Good thing for them I am a law abiding citizen.


18 posted on 11/11/2005 10:05:20 AM PST by GOP_1900AD (Stomping on "PC," destroying the Left, and smoking out faux "conservatives" - Take Back The GOP!)
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The other fact people are not considering. Republicans are moving out of the state in large numbers.

I grew up in San Bernardino co and lived in Riverside until 2 years ago. My wife and I packed up and crossed the CA border into AZ on June 1st, 2003. One of the best days of our lives.

San Bernadino and Riverside will be taken over by the influx of illegals and liberals leaving LA. It has already occured in north Orange County. The Orange curtain was destroyed by the votes of illegal aliens.


19 posted on 11/11/2005 10:11:34 AM PST by xusafflyer (Mexifornian by birth, Hoosier by choice)
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To: NormsRevenge

If this happenes in '08 Hillary Clinton will be our next president.


20 posted on 11/11/2005 10:11:37 AM PST by Arizona Carolyn
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