Free Republic

WESTCalifornia. Rosario Marin stepped down Monday as the 41st treasurer of the United States, paving the way for a possible challenge in 2004 to Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer. Marin, a Republican, formerly served in GOP Gov. Pete Wilson's administration as legislative analyst for the Department of Developmental Services. She was also mayor of Huntington Park. California political consultant Kevin Spillane said Marin would make an announcement this month about running against Boxer, whose lukewarm fundraising and liberal voting record have made her a prime Republican target in 2004. Toni Casey, the Republican mayor of Los Altos Hills, already has announced...

Michael Benjamin has all the makings of a first-rate Senate candidate. The New York Republican is sharp, aggressive and perfectly at home talking tax cuts, welfare reform or judicial nominees. He speaks Spanish (good for reaching out to Latinos), he's spent years combating domestic violence (should help with women), and he says the voters he's met like him. The only obstacle facing the 33-year-old Wall Street equities trader is his opponent, Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer. With $15 million in the bank and Democrats far outnumbering Republicans in the Empire State, Schumer should be nearly impossible to beat -- as GOP...