Thread: In California Boxer has a fight on her hands

SAN FRANCISCO—California Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer comfortably sailed to re-election in 2004, thanks to her state's reliable liberal voter bloc, but she faces headwinds this year as Republicans seek to tap the kind of voter sentiment in California that was behind the GOP's upset win in another left-leaning state.

The three major Republican candidates vying to unseat Ms. Boxer have been buoyed by Republican Scott Brown's surprise victory in Massachusetts last month, when he captured the Senate seat held for decades by Edward M. Kennedy. Mr. Brown defeated Democrat Martha Coakley, despite trailing her by a double-digit margin in the polls in the weeks before the Jan. 19 election in a state that, like California, usually leans Democratic.

"I think what Massachusetts demonstrates is it is possible for a Republican to win in a deep blue state," said Carly Fiorina, the former Hewlett-Packard Co. chief executive who is running in a June 8 GOP primary for a chance to face Ms. Boxer. The two other Republican challengers are former U.S. Rep. Tom Campbell and state Assemblyman Chuck DeVore.

Polls show Ms. Boxer is likely to have a fight on her hands to win a fourth term in November. Like other Democrats nationally, political observers said, the senator could face the wrath of voters concerned about the economy and government-spending initiatives that Ms. Boxer and others on Capitol Hill have championed. California also remains mired in an economic malaise, with an unemployment rate of 12.4%.

Ms. Boxer leads Mr. Campbell by four percentage points—45% to 41%—while holding an eight-point lead over both Ms. Fiorina and Mr. DeVore, according to a Jan. 27 poll by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California. The poll, based on a telephone survey of 1,223 likely voters, has a margin of error of three percentage points. The survey also showed a rise in Ms. Boxer's disapproval rating to 44% among likely voters, from 39% in September.

"What we see this year in the California electorate is growing impatience with the California economy and unemployment," said Mark Baldassare, president of the San Francisco-based institute. "It has people in a very grouchy mood about incumbents."

The 69-year-old Ms. Boxer said she was taking nothing for granted. "Before Massachusetts, I was saying it would be a very tough election," she said, "and after Massachusetts, I am saying the same thing."

One fresh challenge for Ms. Boxer is from a new political force, the Tea Party movement. Comprising fierce fiscal conservatives who tend to side with GOP candidates, Tea Partiers generally detest the kind of government intervention that President Barack Obama and the Democrat-led Congress have embraced. They were instrumental in helping Mr. Brown get elected in Massachusetts, and leaders of the movement said another prime target was Ms. Boxer.

"I think the grass roots will determine what happens in this election," said Mark Meckler, cofounder of the National Tea Party Patriots and a resident of Grass Valley, Calif. "And Boxer does not share my values, which is fiscal responsibility."

Ms. Boxer said she was taking the Tea Partiers seriously, but disputed the assertion that she was a reckless spender. She added that many Tea Partiers embraced conservative ideals, including opposition to abortion, that she and most Californians reject. "Those people have been trying to get me out of office forever," she said.

Of the Republican candidates, Mr. DeVore, a staunch conservative from Orange County, is a favorite among the Tea Partiers, and said he can ride their support to victory—even though he polls a distant third in the primary. "This is one of those moments in American politics that is a populist moment," the 47-year-old Mr. DeVore said.

His rivals from Silicon Valley—Mr. Campbell, 57, and Ms. Fiorina, 55—said they expect to garner the support of the Tea Partiers, too. "I share values which are important to primary voters, such as the fact I am not a professional politician," Ms. Fiorina said. Mr. Campbell, who holds a doctorate in economics, said, "What really benefits me is the focus on economics. It's the economy, stupid."

Republican strategists said toppling Ms. Boxer won't be easy. In 2004, she received about seven million votes—a record for a statewide contested office in the U.S. She is also a prodigious fund-raiser, already having amassed about $7 million in a campaign war chest her advisers say they expect will grow to $20 million. And as chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee and close ally of Mr. Obama, she can count on top Democrats from around the country to stump for her.

"It's doable, but she is a very determined and committed candidate who wants to protect the power she has accumulated," said Ken Khachigian, an attorney and Republican strategist in San Clemente, Calif.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000142 ... lenews_wsj

Buh-Bye, Ma'am Marxist Boxer!!!! You should be packing your bags for El Salvador where you can live amongst your "supporters" quite comfortably there!!!!!!

Ms. Boxer said she was taking the Tea Partiers seriously

Sure all the Liberal pukes are taking them seriously now after a YEAR! I guess thay didn't notice the somewhere under a million that went to Washington huh? BUT the POS media sure did good reporting on 4 people having a rally for illegals, didn't they?
Liberals HATE Sarah Palin and they hate the Tea Party people too.
BUT now the Liberal media is pretending they don't hate them. BULL *** they do!

I wish they were not let into the Tea Party rallies either. All they do is look for bad stuff and don't report he good. They all need to be in the breadline.

I watched the interview of Mr. DeVore with Glenn Beck. He was very impressive.

As American-ized said, I am for Barbara Boxer going to El Salvador or Mexico or wherever her supporters are citizens.

Americans standing for Americans, standing for the Constitution.

Psalm 91

I am a member of the Democratic Party. There is a reason by a large majority of Americsans are anti amnesty. Many Dems are on the side of the rule of law. In fact, a post election Zogby poll of Obama voters.. found 67% do NOT support a pathway to citizenship.

No question that Barbara Boxer is vulnerable. She is left wing Dem, and CA has moved towards the middle. Sen. Feinstein, as much as I dislike most of her votes, is actually closer to the values of the electorate.

But both are for amnesty, which they call Comprehensive Immigration Reform.

So in Tom Campbell. He is doing a nice little two step to pull the wool over voters eyes. He claims he is for strong enforcement of our laws, is anti amnesty, in fact he trumpets it. He even claims he is for E Verify.

But check out all his conditions and you will find what he is proposing is Slight-of Hand Amnesty. How?

He claims that children brought in illegally by their parents are basically innocent so should receive amensty. He adds that E Verify must be put in place too.

What he doesn't point out is the kids brought here illegally, once legal, will then have the right to sponsor their illegal parents.

What he also doesn't point out is that anchor babies of illegal aliens will also have the right to sponsor their illegal parents.

The real kicker is that his proposal for E Verify only applies to new hires, NOT FOR CURRENT EMPLOYEES. Therefore the illegal aliens parents can stay here while waiting for their kids, whether amnesty kids or anchor kdis, to make them legal.

In other words, illegal aliens parents currently here become legal in "by following the rules" as Obama so sucinctly put it.

Watch out. I bet this is going to be the basis of "Comprehensive Immigration Refore". Give the illegal aliens temporary or guest work visas, refuse to use E Verify for existing employees, give amnesty to illegal alien kids brought here by their parents, and let the kids sponsor their parents in.

Everyone gets to stay!

There is a reason why both the GOP and Dem establishments are pushing Campbell.

Bettybb wrote:

He claims that children brought in illegally by their parents are basically innocent so should receive amensty.

Innocent or not, children under age, with illegal alien parents, are not the responsibility of the United States, or the responsibility of tax payers. They should be taken care of by their parents, and by their nations. Taxpayers should not be forced to pay for free education, free meals, free housing, free health care, etc. Million and billions of dollars are spent on the free services. Those dollars belong to the American people and the United States.

Psalm 91

There are some issues most Americans can find common ground on.

One is the battle against amnesty.

Another is the battle against the deficit and the out of control borrowing and spending by the Repub and Dem "elite".

The left wing media is trying to demonize the Tea Partiers.

But do not presume that the left wing media, or the Democratic Party elite represent the view of Democrats any more than the Republican Party elite represents the views of Republicans.

It is time we all got together to fight the forces of the establishment who are only acting on behalf of special interests, and refusing to do the people's will.

Sure there are a lot of issue we will not agree on. But that does not mean we cannot join forces on the issues where we see eye to eye.

Right you are.

One question that needs to be raised, repeatedly, is whose taxes are going to go up to pay for the unfunded social entitlements that 12 million illegal aliens will get right along with amnesty. We are talking billions upon billions of dollars!

Originally Posted by GeorgiaPeach

Bettybb wrote:

He claims that children brought in illegally by their parents are basically innocent so should receive amensty.

Innocent or not, children under age, with illegal alien parents, are not the responsibility of the United States, or the responsibility of tax payers. They should be taken care of by their parents, and by their nations. Taxpayers should not be forced to pay for free education, free meals, free housing, free health care, etc. Million and billions of dollars are spent on the free services. Those dollars belong to the American people and the United States.

Psalm 91

Right on Bettybb!

prodigious fund-raiser, already having amassed about $7 million in a campaign war chest her advisers say they expect will grow to $20 million. And as chairman of the Environment and Public Works Committee and close ally of Mr. Obama, she can count on top Democrats from around the country to stump for her.

.

Of course she has raised that much money but I will bet it is not from the grass roots gang.

She is the biggest pusher of "Cap n trade" in congress and I just hope it brings her down.

I do believe she is worried because she is being awful quiet

Send her down the road with McCAIN....and while we are in SF can we take Pelosi down please!!