Longshot's bid underscores Boxer's tight race

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | 5/17/10 | Carla Marinucci, Chronicle Political Writer

[SmithL]

In a year when Tea Party activists and the GOP are getting a lot of attention, self-described "common sense Democrat" Mickey Kaus is stirring up a little party of his own - challenging U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer in the Democratic primary over illegal immigration and public employee unions' pensions.

"It's clear that the unions own the Democratic party - and it's going to be a disaster unless that changes," says Kaus, 58, a longtime blogger for online magazine Slate.com and author of "The End of Equality," which urges a rethinking of liberalism.

Instead of "chasing after the Latino vote" and pushing for public "card check" elections intended to make it easier for workers to join labor unions, he said his party and Boxer - whom he calls an "old-style pol, through and through" - should deal with issues that affect the everyday lives of working Californians.

"Do the vast majority of Californians want to do away with the secret ballot in union elections? No," he said. "And the huge number of voters here don't want immediate amnesty for undocumented immigrants - until the border is secure."

Kaus' campaign against Boxer, who has been called one of the Senate's most liberal members, is a longshot in blue California. But his bid underscores challenges for California's junior senator.

Poll shows dead heat

With three weeks until the June 8 primary, the latest Rasmussen poll showed Boxer in a 42-41 percent dead heat with GOP challenger Tom Campbell, the former South Bay Congressman. In the poll released Friday, Boxer does only slightly better against two other GOP challengers, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina and Assemblyman Chuck DeVore of Irvine.

[bray]

42% is a bad number for Box-a-Rocks.

Pray for America

[MuttTheHoople]

“common sense Democrat”- oxymoron, with emphasis on “moron”

[WOSG]

I agree...
she’s inbig trouble and deservedly so.

I think we need to get Chuck DeVore nominated ... this is the one year a conservative could take out Boxer.