To Invade GOP Strongholds, Tap Bay Area (Liberal activists flooding Pombo and Doolittle districts)

BERKELEY — The congressional fundraiser was at a pub in the heart of this liberal political stronghold. A local band, The Flux, entertained with a tune titled "Impeach the President."

The focus of attention: two candidates vying for seats in bedrock conservative districts to the east, currently occupied by Republicans John T. Doolittle of Granite Bay and Richard W. Pombo of Tracy.

Although most experts still give them a narrow edge, Doolittle, 55, seeking his ninth term, and Pombo, 45, pursuing his eighth, are in the toughest fights of their political careers going into the Nov. 7 election.

Their Northern California races are considered the most competitive in the state. President Bush demonstrated his concern by showing up at fundraisers for the duo last week, garnering more than $1 million for their campaigns.

But the prospect of upset victories contributing to a Democratic takeover of Congress — potentially installing San Francisco's Nancy Pelosi as speaker — has added another dimension to the Doolittle and Pombo races. Hundreds of volunteers and activists in Berkeley and other Bay Area communities have mobilized on the Democratic side, raising money, manning phone banks and carpooling into the districts to canvass neighborhoods for votes.

The Berkeley event at the Albatross Pub was preceded Sept. 27 by a rally at Oakland's Grand Lake Theater at which former San Francisco mayor and state Assembly Speaker Willie Brown urged the crowd to fan out into the Doolittle and Pombo districts.

"There is a concerted effort to nationalize the elections," complained Doolittle, interviewed after the Bush fundraiser at the Serrano Country Club in suburban Sacramento. "You've got a lot of them being bused in here from the Bay Area — left-wing, antiwar activists."

A Red cancer spreading. We ought to just cede that entire section of California to North Korea.

2 posted on 10/14/2006 1:19:04 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (Cheney X -- Destroying the Liberal Democrat Traitors By Any Means Necessary -- Ya Dig ? Sho 'Nuff.)

I love it. Waste their resources on these liberal lost causes. Better the money is spent here than a truly close race in PA, FL, or OH.

Pombo and Doolittle are going to win handily. Though I think I'm going to go walk a couple of precincts for Pombo in the closing weeks anyway.

3 posted on 10/14/2006 1:22:48 PM PDT by ElkGroveDan (The California Republican Party needs Arnold the way a drowning man needs an anvil.)

I've seen articles lately saying that Pombo and McNerney are in a "dead heat" based on Dem polls. I hope that is just Dem hype.

4 posted on 10/14/2006 1:28:41 PM PDT by calcowgirl ("Liberalism is just Communism sold by the drink." P. J. O'Rourke)

I'm sure if they skewed the turnout model higher in the East Bay and lower in the Valley they could easily come up with convincing numbers so their client could go back to DC and beg for more money. But I know this district. I actually used to live in it before the last reapportionment.

It's not even close.

5 posted on 10/14/2006 1:32:43 PM PDT by ElkGroveDan (The California Republican Party needs Arnold the way a drowning man needs an anvil.)

Good! I hope both Doolittle and Pombo slaughter their opponents.

6 posted on 10/14/2006 1:34:24 PM PDT by calcowgirl ("Liberalism is just Communism sold by the drink." P. J. O'Rourke)

LOL! The Left thinks it can oust Republicans in GOP strongholds when their own gubernatorial candidate of all things... has to campaign in the Bay Area! Nice try but no cigar for them.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

7 posted on 10/14/2006 2:50:11 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)

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