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Bill Jones is convinced he can become the next senator from California. "On national security, Barbara Boxer's record is dismal," he says. "She's voted six times not to increase military pay and five times to increase congressional pay." It sounds like the theme of a political ad — and California voters just may hear it this fall, as Jones tries to knockout Boxer, one of the Senate's most liberal Democrats. The fact that Jones must get past Tuesday's GOP primary before he has a clear shot at Boxer hasn't stopped him from jabbing at her anyway: His frontrunner's campaign is...

<p>From the moment the former secretary of state announced that he wanted to take on two-term incumbent Sen. Barbara Boxer, the veteran politician has been looking beyond Tuesday's primary.</p> <p>It's not that he's taking it for granted, he says. But he can't afford to spend too much money or let any chance go by to criticize his potential Democratic challenger. Besides, he's got the governor on his side.</p>

<p>The four top Republican candidates seeking to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer split Tuesday on whether they would immediately support President Bush's call for a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriages.</p> <p>Former Secretary of State Bill Jones and former Los Altos Hills Mayor Toni Casey said they opposed gay marriage. When pressed during a radio debate, however, they declined to unequivocally back an amendment.</p>

U.S. Senate, CA GOP Primary 2/24/2004 Jones 41% Casey 9% Kaloogian 9% Marin 8% Other/Undecided 32% Data Collected 2/21/04 - 2/23/04 Geography State of California Sample Population 426 Certain Voters Margin of Error 4.8% Client KABC-TV Los Angeles KPIX-TV San Francisco KXTV-TV Sacramento KGTV-TV San Diego

<p>Like his dad, the GOP Senate hopeful says he wants to make California 'a better place.'</p> <p>Last of four profiles of the front-running Republican candidates seeking the nomination for the U.S. Senate.</p> <p>FRESNO - By all appearances, life is good at Bill Jones' sprawling ranch-style home.</p>

Race For Boxer's U.S. Senate Seat Heats Up Fri Feb 13,12:10 PM ET TheKCRAChannel.com There was more sharp jousting Thursday between Republican hopefuls who want Barbara Boxer's U.S. Senate seat. Bill Jones and Rosario Marin each accused the other of failing to protect taxpayers. Her campaign calls a motor home the "Adios Boxer Express." But U.S. Senate candidate Rosario Marin's target Thursday during a Sacramento stop wasn't incumbent Barbara Boxer, it was fellow Republican Bill Jones. "He supported the biggest tax increase in the history of California -- over $7 billion. In fact, he voted for the largest tax increase...

Sen. Boxer Plans to Confound Republicans Thu Feb 19, 3:59 AM ET By ERICA WERNER, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON - Democrats across the country are fond of saying "anybody but Bush" for president. In the California race for the U.S. Senate, Republicans have a saying of their own: "anybody but Boxer." She's too liberal, they complain of Sen. Barbara Boxer. She's an extremist, they charge. In the words of California Republican Party Chairman Duf Sundheim, Boxer is "out of synch." Yet the GOP twice has failed to find that somebody who could defeat Boxer. This time, with Democrat Gray Davis...

Republican Senate Primary Jones 36% Marin 10% Casey 10% Kaloogian 9% Other/Undecided 36% Sample Population 476 Certain Voters Margin of Error 4.6%

<p>While California Republicans say they're optimistic about knocking off two-term Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer, campaign finance reports released Tuesday show the winner of the GOP primary faces a major fund-raising disadvantage.</p> <p>Even Rosario Marin, the Republican who's raised the most money, has collected just less than 10 percent of the $9.6 million Boxer has raised so far, according to the latest campaign finance reports.</p>

<p>AMONG THE Republican March 2 primary hopefuls vying for the seat occupied by Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., one candidate has a clear edge in experience and command of the issues -- former Secretary of State Bill Jones.</p> <p>Jones proved to be a coolly professional state officer during his two terms as California's elections chief. He revamped the office and brought modern technology to bear on many lingering elections problems in the state. He made voting issues accessible through the Internet and most important, showed a quick willingness to investigate accusations of election fraud independent of partisan politics.</p>

GOP (senate) race in state draws little cash, attention 4 candidates seek chance to replace Boxer in Senate SACRAMENTO – It's the Barbara Boxer paradox. No one seems to irritate California Republicans more than the liberal Democrat senator running for re-election. Yet the four candidates seeking the Republican nomination to challenge Boxer in November haven't been able to harness the GOP's antipathy toward the incumbent. They haven't generated public attention or significant campaign cash for major advertising in their own campaigns for the March 2 primary. The Republican Senate campaign has come and almost gone with little discussion of the...

THE WISH LIST ENDORSES TONI CASEY (Sunnyvale, CA) - February 13, 2004 - Republican Senate candidate Toni Casey is please [sic] to accept the endorsement of the WISH List, the nation's largest political fundraising network for Republican women. "I'm very excited to have the support of such a prestigious organization as the WISH List," said Casey. "It is another sign of the growing momentum behind my campaign, another sign that my message of real immigration reform and fiscal responsibility is taking root." "Toni Casey is a highly-qualified, impressive candidate who offers California Republicans an excellent choice for US Senate," said...

IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 11, 2004 Bill Jones Runs From His Record and the DebatesToni Casey Outraged at his Refusal to Debate (Sunnyvale, CA) - February 11, 2004 - Republican U.S. Senate candidate Toni Casey today says, "Bill Jones is running from his record on taxes and keeping Republican primary voters from making an informed choice for a candidate to oppose Barbara Boxer.""Over 45% of the Republican primary voters are still undecided and we candidates have a responsibility to debate our positions, as often and in front of as many voters as possible," said Casey. "Apparently, Bill Jones believes that he...

<p>In the wake of California's recall election, there is one clear path to political success for state Republicans: Be Arnold -- or as much like him as possible.</p> <p>And boy, are the four top Republican contenders for U.S. Senate trying. For good reason: The winner of the party's March 2 primary may have the best shot ever at toppling two-term Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer.</p>

<p>BUDGET AND TAXES -- Casey opposes raising any taxes and wants to permanently cut some taxes, including the marriage and death taxes. For California, Casey said she also wants to bring federal tax dollars back to California to pay for more research facilities, education and port and border protection.</p>

LOS ALTOS HILLS, Calif. - Most people wouldn't have the gusto to challenge a two-term U.S. senator if the last elected office they held was in a small suburb. But this virtual unknown is Republican Toni Casey, three-time mayor of Los Altos Hills, located outside San Jose and home to many high-tech executives who are used to getting their way. Some around town remember Casey - who is running in the March 2 primary for a chance to campaign against U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer - as "egomaniacal" during her 12 years on the city council. Others call her a "stalwart,"...

DANVILLE - Declaring herself to be the only candidate who can topple U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, Republican Toni Casey sharply criticized President Bush's immigration plan Tuesday. The former Los Altos Hills mayor, attempting to distinguish herself among a crowded field of GOP contenders, called Bush's proposal for a three-year temporary worker system "fatally flawed." "His solution rings of amnesty and I do not support amnesty," Casey told 50 members of the San Ramon Valley Republican Women during a luncheon speech. "It will do nothing to stem the tide of illegal immigration." Casey offered her own plan for a temporary guest-worker...

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Barbara Boxer had over $5 million cash-on-hand as of Dec. 31, her campaign said Friday, as she raises money for a re-election race that could cost her as much as $20 million. The Democrat said she raised $1.5 million during the final quarter of 2003 for a total of $8.8 million raised so far in the campaign. Full reports for the quarter are due to federal election officials by Jan. 31. Boxer's announcement came on the same day that her top Republican competitor in the race, former Secretary of State Bill Jones, picked up a key endorsement...

Former local lawmaker Howard Kaloogian, who played a leading role in last year's recall of former Gov. Gray Davis, is running second in the race for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate, according to a poll released today. But Kaloogian, a San Marcos conservative who formerly served in the state Assembly, is running well behind front-runner and former Secretary of State Bill Jones, who has the support of 17 percent of Republican voters. Trailing Jones, in order, were Kaloogian (5 percent), former Los Altos Hills Mayor Toni Casey (3 percent) and former Huntington Park Mayor Rosario Marin (2 percent). However,...

<p>The three leading Republican candidates for the U.S. Senate held competing news conferences Thursday to tackle what each says is the main issue of 2004 campaign -- ousting "extremist" and "ideologue" incumbent Democrat Barbara Boxer.</p> <p>The candidates -- former California Secretary of State Bill Jones, former U.S. Treasurer Rosario Marin and former Bush administration official Toni Casey -- denounced Boxer for opposing military spending increases, President Bush's tax cuts and increased spending on homeland security.</p>