At the Republican convention this weekend, people are asking whether Meg Whitman will undermine the GOP hard liners because she is refusing to endorse Prop. 23 or Arizona’s immigration law in California.
The better question is whether the hard liners are undermining Meg.
Whether the GOP faithful like it or not, California leans to the left. The election will be decided by “decline to state” voters, who swing both ways.
On Friday, Meg said she would defend Prop. 8, the same-sex marriage initiative that is being challenged in the courts.
Her statement no doubt will please some GOP hard liners, including the “social conservatives.”
But it also will cost her plenty of “decline to state” votes. Many people voted against Prop. 8.
Meg’s campaign is largely self financed. The voters on the right will vote for her anyway.
It’s the ones in the middle Meg has to worry about. And most of us are in the middle.
Her statement about Prop. 8 has got to please Jerry Brown.
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Once again, those of you in the middle want it both ways: Yesterday Carly was “bad” for not telling the Sacramento Bee how she would vote on Prop 23.
Now Meg tells what her position is on Prop 8 and that is bad even though her position is supported by the majority of California voters.
I think it is Jerry Brown who is worried about how to handle this third rail.
John
John,
Nobody said Carly was “bad” for not endorsing Prop. 23, except maybe folks like you. From a political perspective, it was probably good, hanging on to some people in the “middle” who oppose the initiative.
When it comes to supporting Prop. 8, Meg is taking a calculated risk with the “middle.” I think she’ll lose votes that she otherwise might have kept. The people who solidly support Prop. 8 will vote for her anyway.
To quote Steve as an example from yesterday: “If you run for high level office you must let the voters know your position on key issues… that’s basic!”
So yesterday not taking a firm position was bad and today stating a position is bad.
Of course Democrats don’t have to worry much about that because no one pins them down.
John
John, you are mixing apples and oranges dude.
Hey, they are both fruit and in this case both examples are propositions so I think I am on solid ground.
John
Seems to me Fiorina’s non-position is indicative of her campaign thus far. She has said a little about a lot of things (including her catty, and revealing comment about Boxer’s hair) but not much of substance about anything, think hoping to please all, alienate none. Not much of a campaign strategy, not much of a campaign. Whitman, conversely, after a bruising, expensive battle against ultra Right Poizner, appears on solid ground for selling her “moderate” stance to California DTS and Democratic voters. Her support of Prop.8 is likely a bid to appease the Republican Right, and would lose her little ground overall since 52% of voters approved it. I must concede one to John Stoos on this call. Although for other reasons having nothing to do with prop. 8, I support Brown, oppose Whitman, think Democrats have a battle on their hands, will likely avoid dealing with prop. 8 when possible. As an added note, Charlie Brown’s campaign directer told local Democrats after Brown’s defeat by McClintock that he considered the Brown anti-prop. 8 position a factor in the loss. Of course, that is No. CA Congressional District 4, not the state.
Pat,
I like to find points of agreement so yes, the hair comment was “catty.”
But Steve Poizner as an “ultra-right” candidate??? What would that make me?
The other interesting fact about Prop 8 that I may have mentioned, is that the homosexual activist blame the presidential race for their loss: President Obama brought out a massive black vote that voted overwhelmingly in favor of Prop 8.
The lesson is that voters are often “single issue voters” but sometimes different issues override their choices.
john
Barry Pruett reports on his blog:
“The CRP Resolutions Committee tabled a resolution until the next convention a resolution in support of the Arizona Immigration aw. The CRA is pissed that the CRP will not take a position.”
That’s a big blow to the hard right. Thanks for the update Barry!