Jones wouldn’t have won, either (witness his disastrous run in 2004 against Sen. Boxer). As it was, he barely beat (and by a plurality) the flaky moonbat leftist Michela Alioto in 1998.
Simon shouldn’t have rested on his laurels after the primary victory. The fact that CA holds its primary a shocking 8 months before the general is ludicrous. The time from primary to general should be no longer than 2, 3 months tops. It’s difficult to be in perpetual campaign mode like that for so long (especially when it’s non-Presidential). Had the primary been held in August (2002), I think Simon could’ve pulled it off, and he’d have been a better Governor than the Austrian Socialist.
It WAS ludicrous, yes. The CA “primary” is in May now.
We have an early primary here in IL.