Just shows the power of Gray Davis and his 10 million dollars worth of advertising. It shows Davis can destroy a liberal Republican any day he choses to do so.
We will soon see how much easier it is for Davis to destroy a Conservative Republican.
That is apparent from Simon begging for help from Bush and the National Republicans. When Davis was spending 10 million dollars to nominate Simon, Simon told the national party to butt out. He didn't need them to get active in the nomination process. He said he could win on his own with the active opposition of Bush and the RNC. And of course Simon did win.... with a little help from his friend Gray Davis.
But Simon has to figure out a way to win with out the help of Gray Davis. You know he doesn't think he can do it or he would not be begging to everyone for help. Simon has been down on his knees beggin Rush and Gerry Falwell to pressure Bush to help him.
Simon is on his way to a Goldwater style defeat. Like Goldwater he wears his conservative opinions on his sleeve. Simon did not learn that the conservative path to success is a veiled pitch. He things Barry Goldwater won.
All he has to do to figure it out is look at the first Campaign of Ronald Reagan for Governor. Reagan must have said a million times that he was a former democrat whose views had not changed. Reagan claimed the Democrats had changed not him. Reagan constantly reminded voters that he was a Card Carrying union Member who had been elected twice as president of his Union.
Reagan structured his campaign to appeal on economic issues, he never mentioned social or moral issues unless the press really leaned on him.