Yes on Obama, No To Liberalism

November 5, 2008 by Jonathan C. Movroydis | Filed Under Democratic Party, Election 2008, Orange County, Republican Party | Leave a Comment 

Sen. Obama ran the table in Southern California Republican strongholds (which Pres. Bush won overwhelmingly in 2004) San Diego (53-44), Riverside (50-47), and San Bernadino Counties (51-46), while Sen. McCain barely held on to Orange County (50 -47).

As Rush Limbaugh noted this morning, this doesn’t mean conservativism is dead in America, pols were just invariably lacking a consistent and clear message. In California, where language was unambiguous and immutable, conservatives scored a victory in Proposition 8 (even in Los Angeles County), and maintained an effective status quo in state and congressional seats.

California Assemblyman Chuck Devore (R-Irvine) lists what Republicans can look forward to:

1) At the Congressional level, we maintained the status quo – the power of the 2002 gerrymander remains intact – State Sen. Tom McClintock remains ahead in the 4th district by 50.1 to 49.9 with a 451 vote margin saying he’ll go to Washington.

2) The State Senate, at this writing, may get a little bluer by one, with former GOP Assemblyman Tony Strickland down by 108 votes to former Assemblywoman Hannah-Beth Jackson, 50.1 to 49.9. Based on the late returns, it is better than 50-50 that Strickland can win this, but I’m sure a brigade of lawyers will be deployed to ensure all the rules are followed. This district is McClintock’s district out by Santa Barbara and it has trended strongly Democrat in the past few years.

3) The State Assembly this morning appears to favor a net Democrat gain of two seats, with the Democrats apparently picking up all three of the seats that they gerrymandered for their party in 2002, but the Republicans picked off that year, however, Republicans added a seat in the Bakersfield area. Two other seats were in play too due to the massive amounts of money the Democrats and the unions had at their disposal – the seat vacated by the term-limited Alan Nakanishi and the seat held by Audra Strickland. Republicans held both seats.

4) In a race having national implications, Prop. 8, which provides constitutional protections to traditional marriage, passed by a little more than four percent with a 415,839 vote margin. Generally speaking, Prop. 8 passed in all but coastal counties with even Los Angeles County supporting it. There is 4.2 percent of the vote outstanding, but it is largely from counties that heavily supported Prop. 8. With Hollywood, the media, Gov. Schwarzenegger and every Democrat politician in the state opposing this measure, with Obama beating McCain by 24.3 percent in the state and opposing Prop. 8, as well as the “No on 8” side outspending the “Yes on 8” side, it is a remarkable victory that should give pundits pause when they seek to write off California as indelibly “blue.” Especially interesting is the huge disconnect between traditional liberal areas that massively opposed 8 and regions where working Californians lived who gave heavy support to Pres.-elect Obama AND big margins to Prop. 8. There is a powerful internal inconsistency there that can harm the Democrats if they do not adjust to it with politicians such as Sen. Barbara Boxer calling Prop. 8, “unfair, unnecessary, and wrong” with the “Yes on 8” campaign being “mean-spirited” while practicing “the politics of fear and division.” The only other big proposition that had major implications which apparently passed is Prop. 11, the redistricting initiative which I supported and most Democrats opposed. It was ahead by 50.6 to 49.4 as of Wednesday morning. Should it pass, California may finally see competitive legislative districts by 2012.

Light Sabers Out Of Darkness

July 23, 2008 by John H. Taylor | Filed Under Orange County | Leave a Comment 

Children at play Tuesday night at the Orange County Fair