GREAT find. Thanks for sharing. As a former Californian, (and my heart is still there plus most of my relatives) the State is fortunate to have someone of Arnold's stature running for Governor. Personally, Simon and McClintock are closer to my personal views, but they are not winnable candidates at this time. IMO, a "liberal" type Republican can encourage people to come back to the party, so that in time they will feel more comfortable voting R. I call it... one step at a time.
Thanks again.
Horowitz wrote an excellent analysis, making that verypoint, that Arnold can be the first step towards a Republican takeover of CA.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/962345/posts Excerpt:
Arnold's is a dream candidacy for the Republican Party, which he alone can rescue from the dead. He has already made Republicans more user friendly to the public at large. He will make it easier for media talent in the state to relate to the Republican Party, which has ramifications for campaigns beyond California. He will inspire significant numbers of independents to vote for his party. And if he is elected -- unlike the conservatives biting at his heels -- he will be a formidable counter-balance to the Democratic legislature, which means he could actually improve the financial condition of the state.
Even more important, Governor Schwarzenegger would change the political equation for the next presidential contest in 2004. A Bush 2004 campaign with Arnold as the President's point man in the state would unquestionably turn it into a competitive affair. This means that even if Bush does not ultimately win the state, the Democrats will have to pour big dollars into the state to contest the election. The drain of money and resources will impact close races across the country.
For all these reasons Republicans of all factions should rejoice at the Schwarzenegger candidacy. It offers the only possibility of a win for state Republicans or for the Bush campaign in California. It will help to revive the California Republican Party. And it could reshape the politics of the nation.