[randita]

The "best" candidate is always the one that's not running. Remember when Dubya hadn't yet announced he was running? He was pulling down 60+% in all the polls, but when push came to shove, he barely eked out a victory. And no wonder--the media spent months telling us that only McCain (the candidate that wasn't running) could beat Gore. Bush was way too extreme, they said.

CA conservatives are knocking themselves out for Simon. I doubt they'd have lifted a finger for Riordan.

[frmrda]

The CA conservatives maybe would not have "lifted a finger" for Riordan, but they would have held their nose because they hate Davis. Further, those conservatives who sat it out would in all likliehood be outweighed by the "moderates" and Dems who would have chosen him over Davis.