The Orange Curtain is alive and well, thankyouverymuch:
Prop 73:
Prop 74:
Prop 75:
Prop 76:
Prop 77:
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."
The Orange Curtain is alive and well, thankyouverymuch:
Prop 73:
Prop 74:
Prop 75:
Prop 76:
Prop 77:
Are you sure?
Orange County Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez - Friend of MeChA.
Rep. Loretta Sanchez, D-Calif., said she was never a member but supported the organization
She would never had been elected under the Orange Curtain. Her election with Dornan was littered with fraud.
The Orange Curtain is retreating south my friend. I do pray the good people of OC can turn it around but I'm afraid Mexico has you outnumbered.
Loretta Sanchez is the result of a gerrymandered district drawn up by the Dems in Sacramento with the help of the spineless GOP that wanted safe districts for themselves.
Note the percentages of the vote by OC on these props... among the highest percentages (if not THE highest) voting the "right" way of ANY county in the state.
Unfortunately, Prop 77 failed... so we'll be stuck with Sanchez or someone of her ilk in that district forever.
Exactly. Sadly they haven't nor will they learn their lesson until it's too late. Plan on 2008 being probably a Hillary presidency. How could this nation fall so low?
As for the Inland Empire, its always been something of a dump. In the past, it was white trash and biker gangs, now you have black and brown trash moving out of LA. You have some nice areas, but I would avoid Riverside and San Berdoo like the plague.
Thanks to gerrymandering, Florida's congressional delegation is overwhelmingly Republican. The key is to get higher turnout for state assembly and senate races.
"but I would avoid Riverside and San Berdoo like the plague."
Have you looked at Anaheim/Fullerton lately west of 57? I helped move a friend before leaving the state in 2003 and it was completely Hispanic.
Housing prices are not an indicator of lack of illegals. San Bernardino and Riverside have the highest housing price increases of the area. They are increasing because Hispanics buy in numbers and are willing use those creative loans more often to buy more.
Good luck Cali Republicans.
Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Irvine, etc. are all ritzier than they were in the past. Orange County has priced many people out of the market so they go to the hellholes that are Riverside and San Berdoo, to say nothing of the Antelope Valley.
BTW: Last time I was in Phoenix, I saw plenty of illegal aliens there. They go where the work is I guess.
"Uh, Orange County is one of the wealthiest counties in the U.S. "
Orange County declared bankruptcy in the 1990's.
2. That was after the early 90s economic bust. The county has recovered.
The only people who bash Orange County are those who can't afford to live there, so they move to Riverside, Arizona, or Utah.
You left out Oregon.
Well,
I'm on the coast, and I certainly voted. I should've known I was wasting my time when I saw all the "Kerry Edwards 2004" stickers in the parking lot. Unfortunately, the few Republicans on the coast can only help the many republicans inland IF THEY TOO GET OUT AND VOTE .
"
1. Overspending by government is nothing new.
2. That was after the early 90s economic bust. The county has recovered.
The only people who bash Orange County are those who can't afford to live there, so they move to Riverside, Arizona, or Utah. "
Orange County declared bankruptcy in 1994 as a result of bad investments and not as a result of excessive spending.
The point still remains, the OC is a rather affluent place, outside of the areas with large concentrations of rentals.
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