Opinion: California’s striking it rich.
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Looks like I’m not the only one who thinks California’s a pretty big deal this election season. With Iowa and New Hampshire out of the way, papers from around the state (and even one in the U.K.) are looking hopefully for a starring role on Super Tuesday. Here’s a roundup:
‘California mail-in voters a primary target,’ The Times punned yesterday.
The Sacramento Bee eyes Golden State independents, who could make or break the Democrats this year:
A twist in California this year will allow the state’s ‘decline-to-state’ voters to cast ballots for Democratic Party candidates in the state’s Feb. 5 primary – but not for Republicans. This could make a difference. In New Hampshire on Tuesday, analysts said nonpartisan voters significantly boosted the tallies of Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain. There, independents can vote for candidates of either party.
‘But,’ today’s L.A Times reports, ‘some strategists believe California’s Latino voters could boost Clinton, who is more popular in that group than Obama.’
That’s good news for Clinton, who may have to place a lot of her eggs in California’s basket. According to the Huffington Post:
A panicked and cash-short Clinton campaign is seriously considering giving up on the Nevada caucuses and on the South Carolina primary in order to regroup and to save resources for the massive 19-state mega-primary on February 5. At the same time, some top independent expenditure groups supporting Clinton have been exploring the creation of an anti-Obama ‘527 committee’ that would take unlimited contributions from a few of Clinton’s super-rich backers and from a handful of unions to finance television ads and direct mail designed to tarnish the Illinois Senator’s image.
Panicking about Obama’s head start with the mail-in crowd?
The San Francisco Chronicle remarks on how the GOP race is shaping up:
At this rate, California Republicans - and only Republicans because those not registered with the GOP are forbidden from voting in the state’s primary - will have the chance to cast the decisive vote to crown the party’s nominee. ‘California will be voting before the nominee is decided,’ said California Republican Party chair Ron Nehring. Only two Republican campaigns - Giuliani’s and Romney’s - have organizations of any size in California. And analysts said McCain had to win New Hampshire to generate enough buzz - and the ensuing campaign donations - to allow him to continue. [...] McCain won’t be able to attract independent voters, or those who register as ‘decline-to-state’ in California. They’re not allowed to cast Republican ballots in the state.
Even Britain’s Guardian weighs in on the Golden State:
For many Californians, the unusually early date for the primary corrects what they see as a historical wrong: the clout of the ‘pipsqueak states’ over the might of California. While California has the largest population and the highest number of delegates of any state, it has in the recent past been reduced to the role of bystander as smaller, early-voting states have decided the destiny of the presidency. To make matters worse, California is also the bankroller of the campaigns, the place where chequebooks are open and supporters ready to endorse with money, not just kind words. But not this time.
Damn right.