Bill Simon was a conservative candidate. Had Carl Rove not fprced out Shawn Steel, the GOP leadership would not have sabotaged the Simon campaign. That he came within 325,000 votes of winning after the most apparently incompetent campaign in ages, with 1.6 million registered Republicans staying home should be proof enough for a logical person, but allow me to provide you a little more background to support that contention.
Mr. Rove hand picked Gerald Parsky for the post on the promise that he would raise money. Parsky had a vendetta against Bill Simon Sr, the candidate's father. When Simon, a virtual unknown, won the primary by 14 points over Dick Riordan, Parsky took over the campaign by virtue of his control of the money.
He started by refusing to fund GOTV efforts. Then he stipulated that Simon endorse the Log Cabin Republicans before releasing funds. Simon's consultant signed the endorsement. That event was widely ballyhooed, even here on FR, and it had the precise effect intended: it de-energized the base. It got worse. Parsky stipulated that Simon change consultants who produced a horrid ad campaign. He also stipulated that Simon hire Ed Rollins. It was Rollins who produced the famous photo supposedly showing Davis taking cash illegally, which later proved to be false. It was the final straw.
If Simon only lost by 325,000 votes, with that many Republicans staying home, after all that backstabbing, it should be proof enough for you that a conservative can win.
But I'm not done!
| Candidate | Votes | Pct. | Spent ($MM) |
| Steve Westly | Moderate Democrat | 45.4 | $10.6 |
| Tom McClintock | Conservative Republican | 45.1 | $2.0 |
| Result? The conservative got no support from the GOP, was outspent 5:1 by a moderate Democrat, and nearly won anyway, despite the disaster of the Simon campaign. | |||
| Candidate | Votes | Vote Pct. | Spent ($MM) |
| Cruz M. Bustamante | Leftist Democrat | 49.5 | $4.6 |
| Bruce Mc Pherson | Moderate Republican | 41.8 | $2.8 |
| Result? The “moderate” Republican darling of the GOP got lots of support, was outspent only 1.6:1 by an extreme leftist with no credibility, the "electable" GOP "moderate" LOST by a margin NINE TIMES larger than the unsupported conservative in the same election. So much for "moderates are more electable in California." |
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Sources: vote2002.ss.ca.gov
SOS Campaign Finance Page
But wait, there's more!
Despite having the second lowest Republican registration of any senate Republican seat up for election this year, McClintock's campaign ran more than 19 points ahead of party registration - the largest margin of any senate Republican:
Candidate Party Votes Percent
* Tom McClintock Republican 226,225 61.0%
Paul Joseph Graber Democratic 144,800 39.0%
Here is the last USA Today/CNN/GALLUP poll before the recall.
"6. If the choice were between Cruz Bustamante, the Democrat and Tom McClintock, the Republican, who would you be more likely to vote for: Cruz Bustamante or Tom McClintock?"
September 25-27
Registered Voters
McClintock 49%
Bustamante 42%
Probable Voters
McClintock 56%
Bustamante 37%
So California won't vote conservative? As things stand right now, Tom McClintock has the highest approval rating of any politician in California.
Consider the spate of recent ballot propositions:
| Prop 227 | English only education in public schools | Passed |
| Prop 209 | No more affirmative action in State hiring or education | Passed |
| Prop 22 | Heterosexual marriage only | Passed |
| Prop 187 | No benefits for illegal aliens | Passed |
If you have any integrity, you'll make a donation of $50 to the Salvation Army with my thanks.
You have posted that so many time now and it has done no good when it comes to the Kool Aide drinkers. Hopefully those reading it get the message though.