[FairOpinion]

Riordan wouldn't have needed the ultraconservative vote in the general election. Just the way he got elected Mayor in overwhelmingly Democrat Los Angeles, with the support of real Republicans, independents and moderate Democrats, he would have beaten Davis easily.

But the Independents and Dems, couldn't bring themselves to vote for Simon and wouldn't vote for McClintock, even if it were only McC running against Bustamante.

People can ignore reality, play ostrich, but ultimately realisty wins.

As long as CA has the current demographics of 45% Dems, 35% R and the rest Independents of various types, most of whom hate the Republicans, no conservative Republican can get elected dogcatcher for statewide office.

[ElkGroveDan]

Riordan wouldn't have needed the ultraconservative vote

No, but he would have needed the mainstream Republican prolife, profamily Second Ammendment voters that make up the party base.

He couldn't do again what he did last time in LA. He fooled us all into thinking he was a Republican and we all campaigned and walked precincts for him. Then he fired all his Republican staff, endorsed Diane Feinstein and called Bill Clinton the greatest leader in the free world.