Thread: Boxer: Get ready for tough re-election fight

Boxer: Get ready for tough re-election fight

By JUDY LIN, The Associated Press
2:33 p.m. April 25, 2009

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer is warning Democratic supporters to get ready for a tough re-election campaign next year.

Boxer announced her bid for a fourth term during the California Democratic Party convention Saturday. She told party delegates to anticipate attacks by special interest groups.

Boxer, who easily won re-election in 1998 and 2004, has been a consistent target of Republicans because of her relatively liberal views.

She says she's an easy target because she's not afraid to stand up to anybody, including former Vice President Dick Cheney.

Boxer says she will be ready for what could be her toughest race yet if former Hewlett-Packard Co. chief executive Carly Fiorina joins the race on the Republican ticket.

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/stories/ ... ndex=88724

California needs an effective amnesty opponent.

What's Carly Fiorina position on immigration, specifically illegal immigration?

Originally Posted by MW

What's Carly Fiorina position on immigration, specifically illegal immigration?

Haven't heard anything about her position on any issue yet.

Originally Posted by Richard

California needs an effective amnesty opponent.

We would love to have Trancredo move here and run for congress.

JohnDoe2 wrote:

Since immigration, legal and illegal, is a Federal responsibility there is no OFFICIAL STATE POSITION.

What are you talking about? I didn't ask what the states position was. I asked what Carly Fiorina's position was.

Furthermore, the individual states can do a heck of a lot to fight illegal immigration. Whether you want to believe it or not, the individual states can do things to make the state less hospitable for illegals.

We would love to have Trancredo move here and run for congress.

You don't need Tancredo, you've got Duncan Hunter! IMO, Hunter needs to run for Governor of California.

Originally Posted by MW

JohnDoe2 wrote:

Since immigration, legal and illegal, is a Federal responsibility there is no OFFICIAL STATE POSITION.

What are you talking about? I didn't ask what the states position was. I asked what Carly Fiorina's position was. :?

[quote:2xvg67h9]We would love to have Trancredo move here and run for congress.

You don't need Tancredo, you've got Duncan Hunter! IMO, Hunter needs to run for Governor of California. :)[/quote:2xvg67h9]
Oooops, I miss read what you posted. Must not of had my glasses on. I though that you were being funny by miss-spelling California, like Cali Fornia.

We can't seem to get Trancredo, Hunter and Bilbray to do it all, Senate, House, Governor, etc.

Must be time to clone so good people.

This is all I can find for now:

Sen. Boxer, looking over shoulder at Fiorina, has raised $4.6 million for re-election

By Frank Davies

Mercury News Washington Bureau

Posted: 04/20/2009 05:59:21 PM PDT
Updated: 04/21/2009 06:59:38 AM PDT

WASHINGTON — Facing the threat of a challenge from a Silicon Valley heavyweight, Sen. Barbara Boxer, a California Democrat first elected in 1992, has already raised $4.6 million for her re-election campaign next year.

And while that puts her in the middle of the fundraising pack among senators facing re-election next year, she could be facing a very expensive campaign if Republican Carly Fiorina, the wealthy ex-CEO of Hewlett-Packard, jumps into the race.

Boxer's fundraising haul, which includes $887,583 in the first quarter of the year, "gives Boxer a significant head start in her campaign," said Jennifer Duffy, who analyzes Senate races for the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. But while Boxer is the clear favorite 19 months before the election, "she could be in a competitive race" if Fiorina decides to challenge her, Duffy said Monday.

Fiorina is "seriously considering" entering the race, and Republican operatives in Washington said she would bring a high profile and her own wealth to the campaign. Fiorina had breast cancer surgery in early March and said she will make a decision soon.

An aggressive fundraiser, Boxer has benefited from Democrats' fear that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger might jump in the race, Duffy said.

When the Mercury News reported on March 31 that Fiorina might enter the race, the Boxer campaign e-mailed a fundraising appeal within hours warning that Fiorina had received a $21 million severance package
from HP and could pay for much of her own campaign.

Tech companies and entertainment figures have been big contributors to Boxer's campaign. About three-quarters of the money she raised this year came from individuals, including donations from producer Rob Reiner, actor Kevin Nealon, HBO producer Pat Tourk Lee, director Craig Zisk and Amy Sherman-Palladino, creator of TV's "Gilmore Girls."

Her fundraising totals show that Boxer raised $203,345 from political action committees, including those of Cisco, eBay, Google, Hewlett-Packard, Intel, Microsoft, Oracle, Sony, Disney, Time Warner, Viacom and the Motion Picture Association of America.

Boxer, who chairs the Environment and Public Works Committee and will help shape climate change legislation, received contributions from a variety of energy-related businesses, including General Electric, PG&E, Calpine, Entergy and the Propane Gas Association.

Boxer also received contributions from two other Senate Democrats — Carl Levin of Michigan ($4,000) and Herbert Kohl of Wisconsin ($2,000) — and Rep. Jackie Speier, a San Mateo Democrat ($2,000).

So far, Boxer has one announced opponent: Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, R-Irvine, who had raised about $50,000 by the end of 2008. His first-quarter totals were not immediately available.

While early polling shows Boxer with a sizable lead over Fiorina, the three-term senator is an outspoken liberal who attracts passionate support and opposition. A Field Poll conducted in February showed state voters almost evenly divided when asked if they were inclined to re-elect her: 43 percent said yes, 44 percent no.

Amber Wilkerson, spokeswoman for the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said Boxer "has lost touch with voters, and we're confident we will have the resources we need to make this a competitive race."

Contact Frank Davies at fdavies@mercurynews.com or 202-662-8921.

http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_12186358