Free Republic

After clearing California's primary election alongside Gov. Gavin Newsom, state Sen. Brian Dahle is now the latest Republican being sent to the figurative sacrificial alter — a statewide general election contest in deep-blue California against a Democratic incumbent. Unofficial primary results show that Newsom and Dahle earned more votes than any of the other 24 candidates for governor in Tuesday’s election, which means they’ll compete head-to-head in November. As of 9 p.m. Tuesday night, Newsom had 61% of the vote, while Dahle had 15%. Tuesday’s results mean Newsom is all-but-assured to win re-election in November. It's true that 2022 is...

According to a new poll, California's two biggest statewide races in 2018 are tightening, as the leads for front-runners Gavin Newsom and Dianne Feinstein have been cut to single digits. The poll, conducted by Probolsky Research between Aug. 29 and Sept. 2, found that Lt. Gov. Newsom leads Republican businessman John Cox 44 percent to 39, with 17 percent of the poll's participants saying that they are undecided. Additionally, the poll found that Sen. Feinstein leads progressive challenger Kevin de León 37 percent to 29, with a whopping 34 percent of participants undecided.

Paul Rodriguez, a comedian and political activist with strong ties to the Latino community, endorsed Meg Whitman's gubernatorial bid today. Rodriguez, whose political activity is centered in the Central Valley, chairs the California Latino Water Coalition, a group closely aligned with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger that was active during last year's water policy debates. The endorsement comes one day after a poll conducted for the Los Angeles Times and the University of Southern California showed Democratic nominee Jerry Brown leading Whitman among Latinos by 19 points. Rodriguez called Whitman an "independent thinking candidate who is committed to what we care about...

Poizner's latest web video tries to tie Whitman to the porn industry (via Ebay)...

Former South Bay lawmaker considers run at governorship SACRAMENTO - Former South Bay Republican congressman Tom Campbell - a fiscal conservative, social moderate and respected academic who twice before unsuccessfully sought statewide office, is eyeing a possible run in 2010 to replace Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Campbell, 55, filed papers last week to form an "exploratory committee" for governor, which allows him to begin raising money for a potential bid. He joins two other GOP moderates from Silicon Valley - state Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner and former eBay chief Meg Whitman - among Republicans who have expressed interest in running. On...

If California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger hasn't made up his mind about running for re-election, why will he be in Dallas, Texas raising money for his campaign account? According to the San Jose Mercury News, Schwarzenegger will be in Dallas next Tuesday to accept an award for public service from former President George H.W. Bush. While he's at it he'll show up at a small breakfast Wednesday morning where he is expected to pocket $150,000 for his 2006 re-election campaign kitty. This despite his repeated insistence that he won't make up his mind about running until sometime next spring. "I have...

<p>The rule-busting California gubernatorial recall election took a turn for the bizarre Friday as author-columnist Arianna Huffington appeared ready to kick off an independent run to replace Democratic Gov. Gray Davis, and her ex-husband, former Rep. Michael Huffington, prepared to run as a Republican.</p>

<p>The recall of Gov. Gray Davis is heading for a fall election. "It'll be covered like a mini-presidential race," says GOP consultant Joe Shumate -- and watched like a thriller movie. Part of the reason will be Arnold Schwarzenegger, who, his campaign advisers believe, will be running -- or starring, to put it in Hollywood idiom, in a political sequel to his "Total Recall."</p>