The following bit of, well, foolishness, comes from Doug Gamble on California Republic:
Whether Arnold Schwarzenegger loses because of a split GOP vote or wins because enough McClintock supporters come to his rescue in the voting booth for the sake of the party, McClintock's political career is most likely finished.
The Republican Party of California will almost certainly attempt to deny his re-nomination to defend his state Senate seat in the next election, hoping to be rid of the maverick once and for all. The party, remember, punished him for his different-drummer positions when he ran for state controller last year, denying him all but paltry financial support. Outspent by his Democratic opponent five to one, McClintock came within a fraction of a percentage point of winning anyway.
This is amazing. The last time that the Republican Party punished McClintock, it cost itself the State Controller's office. Now that was a really stupid thing to do, IMHO, but Gamble cites it as a victory for the Party, and promises more of the same. If this is indeed the thinking in the Inner Party, they deserve to lose.
By the way, considering that McClintock has consistantly outpolled every other Republican on the ballot with him (including all sorts of "moderates"), how do they expect to deny Tom the renomination for State Senate? Empty threats do no one any good.
Posted by Kevin Murphy at September 29, 2003 09:00 AM | TrackBack