After Schwarzenegger's win, GOP shifts focus to ousting Boxer

After Schwarzenegger's win, GOP shifts focus to ousting Boxer

BETH FOUHY, Associated Press Writer Wednesday, November 12, 2003


(11-12) 22:58 PST SAN FRANCISCO (AP) --

Emboldened by their ability to oust a Democratic governor, California Republicans have set their sights on the next big prize -- the 2004 Senate race and the chance to unseat two-term liberal Sen. Barbara Boxer.

But while many Republicans would like nothing more than to topple Boxer, the magic formula of star power and GOP unity that recalled Gov. Gray Davis and elected Arnold Schwarzenegger has so far eluded Republicans in the Senate race. Just three little-known Republicans have announced their candidacy and top party strategists are hoping to persuade some bigger names.

"Barbara Boxer is America's worst senator. She's just a loud nuisance," said Jonathan Wilcox, a strategist for Republican Rep. Darrell Issa. "But her political skills are not inconsiderable, and anyone who thinks she'll go down without the fight of her life is wrong."

First elected to the Senate in 1992, Boxer's passionate support for liberal causes has made her a polarizing figure. Most recently, she was the Senate's most visible opponent of a bill to ban a procedure that critics call partial birth abortion. (snip/...)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2003/11/12/national0158EST0422.DTL

that they can take down Boxer, they are dead wrong. They are right to believe that taking down Boxer ain't no cakewalk.

Boxer will sweep any Republican candidate in a single swoop.

Remember the touchscreen machines are coming.. What's to say that a "fix" goes into the software that turns every 4th Boxer vote into a minus 1 for her instead of a plus (net two loss) and converts it into a plus 2 for her conservo opponent....

Multiply that , statewide and combine it with a media "lead up of "oooh how close the race will be",,,and a post election media spin of "low voter turn out in the heavily dem areas", and PRESTO CHANGE-O, we have a Boxer upset in the making..

Do NOT underestimate these folks.. Ahhnold was their battering ram into the innerworkings of the government here..

Now they have an inside track..

It seems impossible for me to believe that they wouldn't know (or at least suspect) if the voting machines were being rigged. On the other hand, its not exactly something you hear them talk about a lot.

As long as her husband doesn't mind or helps serve.

Boxer is here to stay and she can do what you said (gently) for me if that is what she wants. Just clear it with my SO first.

Why not?

If they can find another Schwarzenegger-like candididate -- mega-rich, good looking, and socially moderate -- they do have a chance. Like the article said, moderates usually fare well in statewide races, and Boxer isn't really moderate. She's one of the last true liberals in the Senate. Not surprisingly, she has won re-election by narrow margins. But then, that was also true of Paul Wellstone. He was narrowly leading Norm Coleman in the latest polls before his tragic death, having apparently closed a gap after voting against the Iraq war resolution.

Boxer's communications Director expects the California GOP to revert to its old (read die-hard conservative) ways and nominate a hard right-winger to oppose her. I hope he's right, because in California, in a contest of extremists, the left-wing liberal wins hands down. I'm not so sure, though. Their rabid support of Ah-nold in the recall campaign suggests that they have finallly learned something about political pragmatism. I expect they're at least looking for another rich moderate. Let's hope they can't find one.

the of California would ever put Schwarzenegger in the Governship.

Who are these Californians?

gin

after he voted no on the Iraq War. He and Coleman had been in a virtual tie and by Wellstone's death I think he was ahead by something like 9 points. Of course, he must have had the BFEE pretty scared because if he had been re-elected BECAUSE of voting no for the Iraq war, he could have been the figurehead of the peace movement (that lacked only a figurehead).

with someone who has an original thought of his own.

(sarcasm)We wanted an actor to be governor because he looked better--he looked stronger... he always killed the bad guys at the end of his movies; surely he can vanquish a hemmoraging state budget with no relief in site!!!!!! Oh! I'm thinking of MacGuyver...(/sarcasm)

The rainy season hasn't even begun and it's supposedly heading into another of the El Nino winters. It'll be interesting to see how the actor handles the drop of the other shoe after fire has swept through Southern California without raising taxes to pay the overtime to rescue personnel or laying them off after the first of the year..

and he ended up a big loser, I don't remember it being as close as you imply. They are, however, ratcheting up the daiy attacks here in Riverside Co., using the senate standoff as their attack point.Now, find us a good looking rich hispanic who wants to take on Mary Bono.

She is far too popular to be taken down in a clean election. We aren't talking about another Gray Davis here.

as well as liberal here in cali.
she also has celebrity. what i think is true though, is a campaign to drive up negatives with wedge issues.
if the repukes can paste her with simpelton soundbites and a somewhat charismatic candidate then it could be very close. combine that with a pension of repukes to actually steal votes and i could get nervous.

filibuster that was or wasn't--which is it?

She was very eloquent and passionate about her distaste for being there because the Republicans can't take what they dish out. I watched CSPAN2 for about 4 hours of it and she was by far the most interesting person up there making sense and not being totally ignorant the fact that they need to be there talking about the jobs of 3 million Americans instead of 4 who already have jobs.

She certainly made Kay Hutchison, tx, look stupid, course I think Kay is like Bush, she needs a script at all times. Box was impressive.

it was a fluke. The Schwartz didn't even get 50% of the vote. And, let's see how popular Schwartz is a year from now when nothing has changed and probably gotten worse.

as I'm working for the Dean campaign. An earlier poster had it right, she's one of the last few TRUE liberal Democrats in the Senate and we desperately need to keep her there. I'm pretty confident that supporters of all presidential candidates will get behind her. I'm praying that the Greens don't run a candidate against her as there's really no need. They don't get any more liberal than Boxer. She's also go the support of the state party and unions. It won't be a cakewalk by any means but I think there's going to be a backlash here from the recall and, because it's a presidential election year there will be more Democrats voting.

Don't let the recall fool you, folks, it was an anomaly. Davis was upopular even with Democrats (myself included, though I still voted against the recall) and Ahnold had the celebrity status and stupid people voted for him just because of that status. The repukes have no such candidate against Boxer and they're not likely to find one. Boxer is VERY popular with liberal and moderate Democrats alike. I'm SO looking forward to working for her campaign.

A rightwing Hollywood star. Who do you think they'll find?

has made noises that he would like to run for Senator in CA. Sickening, isn't it? If that happens I'm definitely looking to outsource myself for the next four years. O Canada, land of sanity to the north....

It would be a landslide against him. Even many Republicans wouldn't vote for him.

He seems like one of the most confused individuals on television...

:mad:

The connotation of "nuisance" is of being someone who doesn't really have a right to be heard: a woman. The "loud" part is that she's violating some sacred covenant of the tolerated token.

Issa is such a chump. She is the BEST senator out there, you asshole. God, I hate republicans.

Watching him in any forum is watching a rat choking on its own bile.

I can tell you he ain't no freaking "moderate." He's extreme right wing, and buddy-buddy with the Bushshit himself. Of course those who don't know him might think he's moderate, because many voters are too f**king lazy to check on congressional records and find out the truth. So if the GOP is trying to get Dreier in for Boxer, it's going to be one royal battle.

As far as Schwarzennegger is concerned, he got in only because of his actor appeal, and nothing else. When the term ends, he will be unlikely to be re-elected. At least not by people who really give a shit about California.

If she has anymore brain farts like the co-sponsorship of the Syrian bill with Santorum recently, which I have serious reservations on whether she even read it, the consideration of a third party will start to creep in.

I think she lets the DLC convince her she has to vote a certain way so as to not turn off the right leaning moderates.

She was on fire last night when I was watching the debate.
Fucking GOP can kiss her ass!

women vote 4 her - an easier target will B Feinstein. We need a good dem woman 2 take her place.