JMO, but any "victory" will always be a shallow victory to you.
To me a victory is a victory, and you work from there.
But how could you work from "there" since you it seems you are so hell bent in burning the bridges.
You sound like one of those women who, desperate for a husband, marry the wrong man and think they'll "change him".
McClintock seems to be a fairly sound conservative. I'd think he would get some support, if only to pull Arnie a little right. Seems to be a lot of room on that side of him.
But go ahead and take the lowest common denominator route, it's worked so well the last 50 years. Kalifornia probably does need stricter gun laws.