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It's different. Simon demonstrated in 2002 that we could take California if we had the right candidate with the right message. Unfortunately Simon was the wrong candidate (too inexperienced) with the right message. Even then, he got very close.

Al Gore has a better chance of winning the 2000 election via court fiat right now than Tom has of winning the governor's seat in two weeks. Ignore the calls of baby steps, of whatever Arnold's positions are, and whatnot. If Davis defeats the recall or if Bustamante wins, that's it. Shows over. There will never be another Republican governor of the state of California.

Doomsday fertilizer? Perhaps. When Simon was campaigning and a boat load of us Republicans held our noses and voted for him, we did it under protest. We listened to the anti-RINO camp and we gave to Simon's campaign, even putting bumper stickers on our car. What did we get? Davis, the most hated governor in the history of polling.

It is going to be legal for immigrant criminals to get driver's licenses using a form that has a simple check off for registering to vote. It is now illegal to fire a cross-dresser. Virtually every civil benefit of marriage is now available to gays. Explicit sex-education is going to be in our classrooms. The state finances are bankrupt. Worker's compensation insurance is 50% higher. Republicans are moving out of the state in droves, and if this election goes poorly, many more will follow before 2006 comes around.

We've tried it with the social conservative, and LOST. We've lost on each and every supposed goal of a social conservative. We've lost on each and every goal of a fiscal conservative. We've lost on any measure of any form of conservative viewpoint because we followed the call of the conservative cause and voted for Simon.

Our state is a hell hole because we didn't get rid of Davis ten months ago, and I think it's only fair to demand that social conservatives hold THEIR collective noses and vote for Arnold. We tried it your way ten months ago, LOST, and have kept losing ever since. Toss Tom up on the shelf and VOTE REPUBLICAN, and vote for a winner...

All good points, except that I think the anti-Simon sentiment expressed is a bit more emotional than logical. He failed not because he was a social conservative, but because as a political newbie he strayed off point during the off-the-cuff remarks to reporters about the "campaign funds" photo. He displayed his naiivete and willingness to believe an unproven conjecture and attempt to use it to his benefit, accusing Davis of doing something Davis easily proved was false. Remember? Or you think that had nothing to do with it at all? I thought you were a realist.

As to the demographic trend, I hear you there. In that sense, even Arnold (presuming he is some kind of conservative under the skin) at best only a finger in a dike holding off the inevitable flood. I thought Arnold has drifted towards illegal immigrant amnesty (round 2?) and does not seem to want to take on SB60 head-on, so again, why the fervent devotion to a guy who really doesn't seem to get it anyway, when it would count?