You have seen discussion of the California Governor's race on other places on this web site. Today we want to discuss the candidates and campaign for the U.S. Senate nomination to replace Barbara Boxer.
Months ago we were in an enviable position, both candidates were pro-life. Pro-life Assemblyman Chuck DeVore was running and Carly Fiorina, who had made public statements of being pro-life. What remained was assertaining just how real those commitments were.
Fiorina is the former Chairman of Hewlett-Packard and her pro-life comments were in contrast to the typical Silicon Valley 'culture' of monied Republicans. Her pro-life commitment meant she would be risking the alienation of some of her 'pro-choice' Rockerfeller Republican friends. It turned out that Fiorina was indeed genuine and has been endorsed by the Susan B. Anthony List which only endorses 100% pro-life candidates.
Fiorina has since met with National Right to Life Committee leadership and committed to very specific issues of pro-life public policy. Board members of California ProLife also met with her and all have been impressed by her genuine and heartfelt commitment to the cause of Life.
All of the election's dynamic changed when pro-abortion candidate Tom Campbell moved from the Governor's race to the U.S. Senate Race. Would this create a scenario we've seen too many times before? The pro-life candidates split the vote between them allowing the pro-abortion candidate to become the nominee. We hope not.
The Board of California ProLife has been watching this race carefully and hoping that Campbell would not pose a threat, but now the scenario is requiring incisive action. DeVore has been attacking Fiorina for not being conservative 'enough' because she is seen as competing for his conservative base. And Campbell has continued to gain in the polls posing as a conservative.
Perhaps most importantly, though all of CPLC's Board knows Chuck, all were equally concerned about his actual ability to break out beyond 'our base' to reach the wider electorate (which is how elections work.) Chuck has had a very hard time demonstrating the ability to raise the funds necessary to compete in a state the size of California, and this has been frustrating to many involved.
At the last reporting DeVore had $300,000 on hand; Fiorina $2,800,000; and Campbell $800,000. Perhpas more importantly, like other statewide candidates of note, Fiorina also has substantial, personal financial resources she has still not drawn on.
Who will have the resources to close the gap on Campbell and then turn around and do the same to Boxer?
While DeVore is indeed pro-life and familiar to us all, Fiorina is clearly better situated to fight an incredibly expensive campaign in the most costly state of the union.
Carly Fiorina has shown a genuine personal commitment to life, as well as clearly articulated policy commitments. Her husband's mother was told to abort him, but as Carly has said, it is his presence that is 'the rock of my life.' And as a recent cancer survivor she knows the threats posed by euthanasia and rationing. She is assertively opposed to both, in addition to opposing the Obama plan for Healthcare. She is outspoken against the 'climate mongering' which appears to have as a goal the reduction of human population.
She has been endorsed by the national pro-life women's group, Susan B. Anthony List and pro-life Senators Kyl, Graham, Coburn, McCain, and Inhofe.
California ProLife Council PAC has added its endorsement as well. CPLC's endorsement of Carly is not a repudiation of Chuck DeVore as much as it is an earnest desire to defeat both Tom Campbell and Barbara Boxer. In our considered opinion, Carly Fiorina is the pro-life candidate that can do that.