This is a blatantly false statement whose purpose is to twist perceptions to support your position. One does not have to be appealing or pleasing to win. Here's the truth:
Anyone running for statewide office in CA has to be PREFERABLE TO SOCIALISTS to get elected, which is not nearly so hard to achieve as is popularity in today's media climate. McClintock's near victory in the controller's race despite being outspent 5:1 clearly so attests.
They don't have to like us, they just have to fear the left more, which isn't THAT hard to do. Of course, if there isn't much of a contrast with the left, then you DO have to appeal to voters, which falls to a pandering contest Republicans seldom win.
All RINOs have to sell is lower taxes, or (more accurately) the appearance of lower taxes. Unfortunately, the concessions RINOs havt to offer in order to be "appealing" inevitably raise costs. Hence our current dilemma.
Interestingly, voters like the results of conservative governance as Reagan's and Deukmejian's landslides easily attest.
Who's getting your vote for Gov?
Dilemma?
You consider having the choice between Arnold and Angelides a DILEMMA?!
You can't make up your mind, whether to vote for Angelides or Arnold?!
You sir, are completely and exactly CORRECT!!!
Certainly nothing being served up by Arnold can pass for 'conservative governance,' so I suspect that his bright prospects for reelection stem from the sheer dread of the thought of Pill Angelides as governor. That hateful little gargoyle has become concentrated Rino-power.