Thread: Rino Sellout Arnold backs Feinstein for reelection

Now there's a shocker, NOT!

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... e=politics

GOP candidate seeks Schwarzenegger 's backing
But governor may prefer Feinstein over conservative

John Wildermuth, Chronicle Political Writer

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is leaving open the possibility of backing Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein for re-election, despite an impassioned appeal from her GOP rival, former state Sen. Dick Mountjoy.

Schwarzenegger surprised his Republican backers shortly after the primary when he said he would have no problem endorsing a Democrat for office this year. "If I like someone, absolutely,'' he said at a June 8 campaign stop in Antioch.

While the governor didn't name any names, Steve Schmidt, his campaign manager, wasn't quite so circumspect.

"Like most Californians, (Schwarzenegger) thinks Dianne Feinstein is a great senator,'' Schmidt said.

While Schwarzenegger has made a blanket endorsement of the other Republicans on the statewide ticket, he has pointedly left the Senate seat out of the mix.

The governor "has not made an endorsement in the Senate race,'' Julie Soderlund, a spokeswoman for Schwarzenegger's campaign, said Friday. "We have nothing to announce at this time.''

The governor's reluctance to back Mountjoy has made a tough campaign even more of a longshot. The 74-year-old Monrovia (Los Angeles County) resident only jumped into the race after Republicans failed to recruit a better-known candidate and finds himself running far behind Feinstein in the polls and the quest for campaign cash.

"I realized this was an uphill battle from the start,'' Mountjoy said in an interview.

Mountjoy is unabashedly conservative and touts his opposition to abortion and years-long fight against illegal immigration as important issues in the race. He was the author of Proposition 187, the 1994 initiative that would have barred undocumented residents from receiving any state services beyond emergency medical care.

In a June 11 letter to Schwarzenegger, Mountjoy mentioned speculation that the governor might endorse Feinstein, but asked him to look at "who I am and where I stand.''

In 32 years in elected office "I remained steadfast to Republican principles. I believe we share these principles.''

While it's up to Schwarzenegger to decide who to endorse, Mountjoy said, "Rest assured, I intend to continue to fight the liberal policies of Dianne Feinstein, Phil Angelides and others of the far left.''

Mountjoy has yet to receive an answer to his letter. For Schwarzenegger, a pro-abortion rights Republican who is trying to appeal to moderate Democrats and independent voters, there's no political advantage in backing a campaign aimed almost exclusively at California conservatives.

That's not a problem for Mountjoy, who lists himself on the ballot as an immigration control consultant. He plans to attack the 72-year-old Feinstein on issues such as same-sex marriage and parental notice for abortion, along with slamming her stand on immigration.

"She's vulnerable in so many ways it's incredible,'' Mountjoy said. "If we can get our message out, she's gone. It's that simple.''

Getting that message out will be a problem. As of May 17, he had $11,314 in the bank, including a $5,000 loan he made to his campaign. Feinstein, who was first elected to the Senate in 1992, has more than $7 million available for her campaign.

A Field Poll taken in late May showed Feinstein with a 54 percent to 24 percent lead over Mountjoy and collecting 21 percent of the GOP support.

California business and agricultural interests, who typically back Republicans, have been generally pleased with Feinstein.

Despite a record of support for gay rights, Feinstein said after the 2004 election that Democrats had moved "too much, too fast, too soon'' in support of same-sex marriage. She voted to give President Bush authority to invade Iraq and pushed through the $389 million CalFed water bill, despite complaints from environmental groups.

In his unsuccessful 2004 campaign against California's other Democratic senator, Barbara Boxer, former GOP Secretary of State Bill Jones often sounded like the head of the "Republicans for Feinstein" committee as he promised to follow in her moderate footsteps if elected.

Even well-known conservatives like Sacramento talk radio host Eric Hogue have suggested Republicans would be better off by ignoring the Senate race and spending more to support state Sen. Tom McClintock's run for lieutenant governor.

None of this bothers Mountjoy, who is campaigning primarily near his Southern California home and serves as his own press spokesman.

"A lot of people say (Feinstein's) home free, but don't you believe it,'' he said.

E-mail John Wildermuth at jwildermuth@sfchronicle.com.

So from what I know of Feinstein we need to get her out of that Senate seat. Not sure if that is possible with her deep pocket backers.
So do we support Mountjoy for Senator of California? Should we donate to his campaign?

http://www.mountjoyforsenate.com/news.p ... &arcmonth=

Arnold has sealed his bid for not being re-elected. Unreal Arnie

The one thing I'll say is that McClintock winning the Lt. governorship is absolutely vital.

I would love to see Mountjoy unseat that illegal nanny-hiring, open borders, pro-Chicom nitwit, but it's probably not going to happen.

McClintock-on the other hand-needs to win this race if conservatives and immigration reform activists are ever going to beat back the rising red tide in the Golden State.

"Like most Californians, (Schwarzenegger) thinks Dianne Feinstein is a great senator,'' Schmidt said.

Schmidt must be looking under rocks to find folks with that opinion. I guess since I am here I run in different circles of friends. To me Senator Feinstein is a sanctimonious, hypoctitical, holier than thou old iceberg that needs to be put out to pasture with Specter, Byrd and Kennedy!

Come on, Defens, admit it.

She's the best Senator China has ever had.

Her, or James Sasser.

Count, Ya got me there, your 100% right. Of course then theres Barbara Boxhead (Head like a box of cornflakes). She hasn't had an original thought since 1907!

Well, we've only got a few days to work on this one....could really turn the apple cart upside down if Cannon get's defeated.

here's the ALIPAC ACTION link for the hot race in Utah
Jacob vs Cannon
We've only got a few days.......Tuesday's D-Day

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... ic&t=32246