California Tea Party Groups primary picks: The results
A surprising number made it to the general election.
I recently reviewed the June primary election choices from the California Tea Party Groups (CTPG); now, its time for me to analyze the results.
In terms of state-wide elected offices, the good news is that we placed half of our candidates. The CTPG’s choices for Secretary of State, Treasurer, Controller, and Insurance Commissioner will be campaigning for the November election with lots of grassroots support. Given the importance of the Secretary of State in addressing vote fraud issues and the Controller in administering the state’s public pension funds, CTPG will keep up their efforts during the next few months.
One aspect to note about this election was the dismal turnout. I can attest to that fact: When I went to my polling place at 11 am, it was completely empty and the workers indicated I was the third one they had seen that entire morning. The Los Angeles Times offers this rather humorous take on the reason for the low numbers.
The cause of California’s embarrassingly low voter turnout Tuesday can be easily summarized by a simple equation: Relative contentment + a sense of predestined outcome = little incentive to vote.
Relative contentment! Yeah, sure.
In November, Governor Jerry Brown will be facing Neel Kashkari. And while nobody believes Kashari will win, we anticipate that the GOP nominee will be taking a slightly more conservative message to Californians while hammering Brown’s “Crazy Train” (i.e. High Speed Choo-Choo.) This is a good thing.
It also looks like our current Lieutenant Governor and avid progressive/former San Francisco mayor, Gavin Newsom, will be keeping his spot as well. But, perhaps of more interest and concern to Legal Insurrection fans, feminist gadfly and birth control crusader Sandra Fluke managed to get enough votes for the state senate seat that she will be facing Ben Allen, a Democrat on the Santa Monica-Malibu school board who came in first in the polls, in the November election.
I think I have located at least one Democrat to promote this November, then. Go Allen!
Of all the races, perhaps the results for California’s 52nd congressional district seat may have the most impact. San Diego pundit B-daddy explains:
I live in the 52nd CA congressional district and it looks like a Peters (D) vs DeMaio (R) match up in November. Peters is only showing 43% of the vote in early returns, against the Republicans seeking to replace him. I don’t think that bodes well for his November odds.
…Right now I am listening to Scott Peters giving a pretty lame defense of the Bergdahl deal today, but he backtracked with “I wasn’t consulted and not sure if it was a good deal.”
It looks like the Bergdahl deal was so bad, Democratic congressional representatives are now joining their Senate counterparts in walking way from it.This is one race I will be following closely, as Peters’ challenger Carl DeMaio has worked hard on behalf of citizens during his political career and is a champion of crucial pension reform.
Finally, it looks like the Golden State’s bureaucrats have learned to game our proposition system, which has been the taxpayer’s last line of defense against Sacramento’s policies: They use arcane and misleading ballot language to confuse the voter into picking their policy of choice.
It’s the Jedi mind tick in electoral form.
So, Propositions 41 and 42 passed and citizens are going to end up paying for redundant services and the hiring of more state workers.
In conclusion, California’s results are a mixed bag showing a lot of growth potential for our citizen groups. American Tea Party activists have always known that this race was not a sprint but a marathon — in most states.
In California, it’s more like a climb to the top of Mt. Everest. Doable, but slow going and fraught with setbacks. But we are still belaying!
Additionally, the lack of “big ticket” races in this state means we will also be advocating to make a difference in other states…like Iowa and Mississippi!
DONATE
Donations tax deductible
to the full extent allowed by law.
Comments
The fact that Fluke made it this far shows me the state of politics in CA hasn’t changed much regardless of the level of satisfaction (or dissatisfaction) with the current state of affairs, especially finances. There is “nothing there, there” with her. She is purely symbolic and speaks almost purely in a crafted campaign mode, using only rhetoric and perhaps tested phrases. Her platform would likely be one of “restrict (freedoms) and spend (more tax dollars).”
Perhaps it is the Hollywood effect in full display. All wardrobe and makeup. Nothing of substance.
Most interesting I thought I read somewhere recently that Jerry Brown is claiming in speeches that the state’s two party system has never worked together better than under his watch. Is the truth that it has never been more one party dominated, and therefore the minority party has never been so useless?
If nothing else, I’m glad that Dems now have yet one more Obama screwup to run away from.
I strategically voted against Gavin Newsom and Barbara Lee. I’d vote against Kamala “The Kept Woman” Harris, too, but no Democrat challenged her.