[goldstategop]

Ronald Brownstein raises the issue of whose political judgment sets California in play in 2004? The White House headed by Karl Rove who pushed the liberal Dick Riordan or the GOP conservative base, which preferred Bill Simon? Brownstein overlooks the fact that Riordan was out of touch with the GOP base and that he ran a poor campaign and didn't succeed in even carrying a majority of the votes in his own home county! The argument is a liberal Republican might have had a better chance to beat Gray Davis in November. Contra Brownstein, the weight of CA political history is against the notion. Since Bruce Herschensohn lost the U.S Senate contest to liberal Barbara Boxer in 1992, the state GOP party establishment ran a succession of liberal RINO candidates against their Rat opponents. All had their clocks cleaned at the polls. And while Brownstein does cite Bret Schundler's loss in New Jersey last year as evidence a conservative can't win in a socially liberal state, the truth is Schundler was running in a state where the RINO party establishment having been in power for a decade, turned against him rather than see a conservative Republican win and even in defeat he did better than any RINO would have done. Its by no means the clear that in the struggle for the Republican Party's soul the future of conservatism in Blue America is over. After all we've just seen the conventional wisdom regarding the identity of the putative winner in the CA GOP primary up-ended and in November we may yet see another conventional wisdom of the sort Brownstein and other liberal political analysts hold overturned too. Despite everything you may see, hear and read conservatism is still alive and well even in the most unlikeliest of places. And as Simon himself noted in the aftermath of his victory on March 5th, as Mark Twain would have said, "the rumors of the death of the Republican Party in California are greatly exaggerrated." This conservative thinks the judgment of the conservative base is a better predictor of what happens in November than all that the White House's Rove has demonstrated to date. And we will find out then who is right about the future of California.

[anniegetyourgun]

The headline should read:

If Davis wins, CA gets what it deserves.

[RnMomof7]

One liberal is the same as another..Party means nothing..If the Republicans want to act like liberals (like with this illegal immigrants bill or increasing welfare) why should I vote for them? I may as well get a rep that knows how to get what he wants rather that than the bumbling likes of Trent Lott

Twiddle dumb and Tweedle Dee run Washington!

[boomop1]

California might as well have Gray Out Davis then a RINO, at least your expectations won't be dashed by a phoney.

[Toidylop]

Got to take anything from Ronald Brownstein in a proper perspective. This guy is the RAT partisan hack disguised as journalist. Why believe anything from this presshole is beyond me. What a joke!!!

[Canticle_of_Deborah]

We're in for a lot more of this liberal garbage thinking between now and November. I am bracing myself.......

[RightOnTheLeftCoast]

"GOP Conservatives Could Rethink Riordan Snub"

Um... just who snubbed who?

[BJungNan]

Not sure this will give any satisfaction to the Freepers out there but the LA Times called to offer 14 weeks of free delivery to our home.

I told them no thanks, the paper was so biased it was not worth the read - even for free.

Glad I missed the article posted (but not posted)here. Next time may I suggest that instead of the words "Barf Alert" you instead use "LA Times alert." Then I won't have to open the thread either.

[Commander8]

If Davis wins the election, maybe we'll have Loretta Brixey to thank. If Dick Montieth loses the 18th Congressional District Race maybe the Republicans in my neck of the woods will think twice about snubbing real conservatives like Bill Conrad and going for tax hiking RINOs with a history of serving up beans at Gary Condit fundraisers.

[who_would_fardels_bear]

Liberal policies are bad and always cause things to get worse.

It would be better in the long run for such policies to be associated with the Democrat party rather than the Republican party.

The best thing would be if Simon wins. The worst would have been if Riordan would have won. Then all the misery that would have rained down upon California would have been blamed on the Republican party!

[Sigarmed]

What a dumb writer. I'm always hearing how Riordan would of made a better candidate, but what the liberals don't realize is that there isn't a big difference between Greyout Davis or Riordan from a conservative standpoint. We'll most likely have distaste with, and get screwed by either so if Simon were to loose at least it was worth the try. Simon might very well win the governorship. Remember Ronald Reagan? Vote for Simon!

[Gophack]

You made some excellent points. One thing that we have facing us is Monday morning quarterbacking IF Simon loses in November. EVERYONE will say Riordan would have won. However, I think that Riordan would DEFINITELY have lost and, if Simon does lose, Riordan would have lost by a greater percentage. Worse, we would lose legislative seats up and down the state because Republicans wouldn't get excited about electing Riordan; they would stay home; if they did vote, they wouldn't be volunteering for someone they don't agree with, and local legislative races usually have a core of 10-20 volunteers to count on ... it's the top of the ticket that brings in more. Simon will help bring in the volunteers to elect the Republican team that Simon leads; Riordan couldn't and wouldn't do that. He would probably have sent Democrat operatives into our Republican base of operations, who would be spies for Assembly and Senate Democrats.

Riordan could never have won in the General; Simon is our single best hope of defeating Gray Davis. He received nearly 50% of the Republican vote ... 18 points over Riordan ... and has the support of Riordan AND Jones ... he has solid fundraising abilities around the country, and he has his own money if he needs it. Gray Davis should be shaking in his boots ... but he's too arrogant and cocky, and thinks that he actually solved the energy crisis, instead of practically bankrupting the state when he panicked and locked California into paying above market rates for the next ten years.

Bill Simon can defeat Gray Davis; Riordan couldn't have. It's as simple as that.

Go Super Simon!

[big bad easter bunny]

If Simon wins then Simon wins!

[tubebender]

My barber gave me hell for voting for Simon until I explained to him that 70% of Repubs voted against RHINOdan. Simon was here in Humboldt County y esterday. The Times-Standard had a photo but no story. He was at the Humboldt Creamery for the dedication of their new $750,000 back up generator. It was a slam at greyout Doofus.

[Zathras]

Its funny, no one talks about "Expanding the DemocRAT base by voting pro-gun or pro-defense"