GO SIMON
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Tom McClintock for CA State Controller
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Dick Ackerman for CA Attorney General
Posted on 10/16/2002 8:58:49 AM PDT by dpwiener
Edited on 04/13/2004 2:41:10 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]
THE CONTROLLER'S job may not be the most glamorous elective office, but it is one of the most important in terms of guarding the state treasury. It's a wonk's paradise. The controller sits on 52 boards and commissions and has broad powers to audit state agencies.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Is he formerly wealthy? Formerly an Ebay executive? Both?
Writing this poor belongs in the San Jose Murky News.
Unfortunately Westly is very wealthy. He cashed out of eBay with an estimated $100 million fortune. And he intends to spend several million of that during the next three weeks to promote his candidacy.
Go Tom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
True, but Tom has been around for a long time and has huge name ID, especially in L.A. where he's from ... it'll take a lot of money to build the name ID as well as credibility.
I give Tom the edge ... provided Republicans vote and don't stay home like they did in 1998!
I agree -- I also give Tom the edge, but I think Westly's expected advertising blitz will make it close. Simon is going to drag down the Republican ticket, but Davis will also drag down the Democrat side. If overall voter turnout is low due to disenchantment with both gubernatorial candidates, it probably represents a net Republican advantage. Tom will need every advantage he can get.
Simon and McClintock ... what a great team!
Go Simon! Go Tom!
The thread you are referring to said that "The main drive, it appears, isn't that Simon is gaining in popularity -- but rather Davis' continued decline in voters' eyes."
So yes, Simon will drag down the Republican ticket, but it's quite possible that Davis will drag down the Democrat ticket even worse.
Of all the statewide Republican candidates who are running, I think Tom McClintock has the greatest likelihood of winning. And if he does win, he could also have the greatest long-term positive impact on the State of California.
Very few people realize just how important and potentially powerful the position of State Controller is in the scheme of California government. If Tom McClintock wins, he will utilize the office to its fullest potential, like has never happened before. And even if Davis is re-elected, having Tom in office as Controller would provide an enormous counterweight to the governor.
Oh please. Simon was the result of wishful thinking on the part of Republicans, who convinced themselves that an amateur who had never before been elected to any public office would be a good candidate to take on Gray Davis.
Simon and the campaign staff he hired are directly responsible for his string of blunders. The fact that polls still show Simon within striking distance of Davis is merely a reflection of my "potted plant" theory. Namely, a potted plant ought to be able to defeat Gray Davis this year, given Davis' massive corruption and bad judgement and managerial incompetence.
It remains to be seen whether Simon will collect more votes than a potted plant would have.
Mine too! Go Tom!
They were scheduled to debate on Monday afternoon on Roger Hedgecock's radio show, but Westly backed out at the last minute. The Field Poll reported at the beginning of September had Tom McClintock leading by 12 points, 42 to 30, over Westly.
What happens to his State Senate seat when Tom becomes Controller? Is it empty until a special election? Does someone fill it temporarily?
A special election would have to be called to fill the vacancy (probably held in March, 2003). The district is heavily Republican, and the frontrunners to fill it would be Assemblyman Tony Strickland and Assemblyman Keith Richman, whose Assembly districts overlap Tom's State Senate district. Other candidates may also jump into the race, including County Supervisor Judy Mikels, Thousand Oaks Mayor Ed Massry (of "Erin Brockovich" fame and fortune), and other lesser names.
My guess is that Tony Strickland would win. There would then have to be a special election to fill Tony's Assembly seat. That would be a free-for-all, with many city council members from several cities having a chance to move up.
I think Mr. Strickland had an excellent chance for what will be Mr. McClintock's former state Senate seat. I'm a little worried about who might fill the Assembly seat.
In the meantime between elections, will the seat simply be vacant? If the state Senate maintains the current partisan makeup (26 Democrats, 14 Republicans) after November 5th, losing Tom McClintock for a few months would make it exactly 1/3 : 2/3, and the Democrats could terrorize us since the Republicans would have no power in the state Senate.
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