Daily Kos

WHO? In CA Dem Primary?

by David in Burbank

Tue Mar 07, 2006 at 06:48:12 PM PDT

I can't figure out who to vote for in the California Democratic Primary for govenor.  I know it's a ways off yet, but it seems that we have two decent candidates.  They are both CA Dem machine candidates, that's for sure.  Angelides seems to be getting all the endorsements.  Westly has money.  Neither of those things really makes me comfortable.  

I may end up going for the one that doesn't go negative first....

Poll

CA Govenor, who would you pick?

73%50 votes
22%15 votes
4%3 votes

| 68 votes | Vote | Results

Tags: California, Primaries, CA-Gov (all tags) :: Previous Tag Versions

Permalink | 31 comments

  •  Either will do to put the ... (none / 1)

    ...Gropenator, Enronator, Flipflopenator back full time into the movie biz.

    I am an anti-imperialist. I am opposed to having the eagle put its talons on any other land. -- Mark Twain

    by Meteor Blades on Tue Mar 07, 2006 at 06:59:32 PM PDT

    •  I am with Meteor Blades (none / 1)

      on this one.  Eye on the prize.

      There are plusses and minuses for each of them.  Angelides is more liberal and has the backing of the big Dems, unions etc.  Westly is more fiscally responsibly, but socially liberal (in favor of marriage equality etc).  Angelides made his money as a developer in Sacramento, paving over some environmentally sensitive areas and encouraging suburban sprawl.  Westly had some shady stock deals as an eBay exec.  Westly worked with the governor when he was actually working on balancing the budget.  Angelides has been consistently anti-Schwarzenegger all along.  Most polls show that Westly does a bit better than Angelides facing Schwarzenegger.

      I know a lot about the two of them so if you have any questions just ask.

      by juls on Tue Mar 07, 2006 at 07:04:26 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  Which one would you work for? (none / 0)

        I know very little about either.  I've got google alerts on both of them and most of the news seems to denegrate both of them (a sort of anti-dem establishement CA press thing happening?)  Westly sems to be the underdog.  Latest polls I've read show they are both losing ground to the undecideds, which might be a good thing - but also that Arnold is gaining.  I don't doubt Arnold's ability to smear either of these guys and make it stick in the minds of just enough dems/indies to win it again.  I doubt enough Republicans will sit it out no matter how much Arnold panders to the left.

        REJECT FEAR!

        by David in Burbank on Tue Mar 07, 2006 at 07:27:56 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

        •  Well (none / 0)

          for me it was a little more practical.  I had interest from Angelides camp and I have connections to Westly's.  Instead I have opted to take shots at the governor and work hard to elect whomever comes out of the primary. (I work for the Alliance for a Better California)

          Arnold gained and then fell back a bit.  Voters are more receptive to the possibilty of voting for him, but haven't gone over to his side.  Polls show this with an increase to undecides and a drop from those who dissaprove.

          Some Republicans will sit out.  Others will grudgingly vote for him.  It will be difficult to get them to donate and volunteer for the guy.  Arnold is relying on his business friends to see him through with donations.  He has Matthew Dowd and his marketing targeting to help him spend his resources on those he might be able to persuade.

          As for the press, it has been uneven.  They have brought attention to each of their negatives and given a general background.  So far I have not seen a noticable bias towards either of them.  They have stepped up their heat on the governor, well cause he has been screwing around.

          by juls on Tue Mar 07, 2006 at 07:50:56 PM PDT

          [ Parent ]

          •  ok but... (none / 0)

            so then how are they different?

            Maybe this primary will be decided before the voting happens...Angelides is getting all the major endorsements...Westly will become the annoying gnat...will he drop out?  Should he?  

            Thanks!

            REJECT FEAR!

            by David in Burbank on Tue Mar 07, 2006 at 08:28:22 PM PDT

            [ Parent ]

            •  Westly (none / 0)

              has the ability to self-finance and keep himself in the race.  He has already put in over $20 million of his own fortune in to his campaign coffers.  Just because someone wins endorsements it does not mean that they are guaranteed the victory.

              Are you looking for policy differences?  Go take a look at each of their sites.  Angelides Westly

              Style wise Westly is pretty slick, Angelides is a policy wonk.  Westly is new to campaigning and Angelides is more polished.

              by juls on Tue Mar 07, 2006 at 08:53:37 PM PDT

              [ Parent ]

    •  Are they Equal against Arnie? (none / 0)

      REJECT FEAR!

      by David in Burbank on Tue Mar 07, 2006 at 07:04:34 PM PDT

      [ Parent ]

      •  No (none / 1)

        if you are going for the anti-Arnold vote, Phil is your guy.  If you want the more moderate attracting willing to work with Arnold when he isn't a complete numbscull that's Steve.

        Phil tag line: I am the anti-Arnold
        Steve tag line: A different kind of governor

        by juls on Tue Mar 07, 2006 at 07:08:16 PM PDT

        [ Parent ]

        •  that's a funny westly slogan (none / 0)

          considering that moderate, business-friendly technocrat is hardly new in california politics. if he was "hard on crime," he'd be about as generic a california gubernatorial candidate as humanly possible.

          OTOH, i have not seen a liberal california governor in my lifetime, except maybe jerry brown, and he was as much of a technocrat as honest to god liberal.

          surf putah, your friendly neighborhood central valley samizdat

          by wu ming on Tue Mar 07, 2006 at 09:11:12 PM PDT

          [ Parent ]

        •  Willing to work with Arnold??? (none / 0)

          I don't get it, why would he need to be willing to work with Arnold if he's going to kick Arnold's steroid-filled butt out of Sacramento?

          by socal on Tue Mar 07, 2006 at 09:27:20 PM PDT

          [ Parent ]

  •  I don't like... (none / 0)

    either of the Dems personally.

    by Barbara on Tue Mar 07, 2006 at 07:00:45 PM PDT

  •  My take (none / 0)

    They both seem like people who would make great Governors.  They both pass most of the issue tests.  I'm waiting to see which one will convince me that he's the guy to will seal the deal on beating Arnold.

    by ortcutt on Tue Mar 07, 2006 at 07:01:09 PM PDT

  •  not sure yet but... (none / 0)

    I have never seen so many ads this early in my life. We here in LA are being bombarded with Westly ads morning, noon and night. They are so Americana looking. I almost feel like I am looking at a Republican candidate. He does look good on paper. I know some around here think he is not so good. Time will tell. I also know our Senators are out for Angelides. First one that comes out for Impeachment of Bush gets my vote.

    It's Obamazing!!!!!!!!!!!!

    by Chamonix on Tue Mar 07, 2006 at 07:06:20 PM PDT

  •  Angelides (none / 1)

    All I know is that Angelides has been consistently outspoken in support of sane Democratic policy and opposed to Schwartzeneggar, even when some other Democrats were scrambling to support Arnie after the recall or staying quiet.

    If Angelides is a "machine" candidate, he's one who's not afraid to defend the Democratic wing.  That's important to me.  I'm tired of the sissy, scaredy-cat dems.

    I'm sure Westly is fine, too, but I don't know much about him.

    (Just my impressions from reading papers and blogs, etc.  I have no idea what the candidates are like close-up.)

    by ferg on Tue Mar 07, 2006 at 07:09:25 PM PDT

  •  Hmmm... (none / 0)

    they are all three rich, Westly and Arnold at least are mega-rich...

    Westly is a pretty big political insider and probably pretty corporate America...

    But to me, being pretty damn poor and struggling day, to day...well, I'm not certain how a mega-rich person (Westly) who has been in government since he was 20 is ever going to help me, or working class Californians....

    I think my do (Tirawa) will run.

    by Barbara on Tue Mar 07, 2006 at 07:11:46 PM PDT

  •  Here's why I like Angelides (4.00 / 2)

    He was the first California Democrat in a statewide office to really stand up and fight Schwarzengger--when others were either cowering from him or collaborating with him.

    Angelides was taking on Arnold--before it was cool.

    That counts for a lot with me.

    by Battling Maxo on Tue Mar 07, 2006 at 07:14:31 PM PDT

  •  My ballot: (none / 1)

    Gov - Phil Angelies (progressive and anti-Grope)
    Lt Gov - Jackie Speier (my hometown legislator, Burlingame)
    Sec of State - Debra Bowen (duh)
    Atty Gen - Jerry Brown (memories...)
    Ins Comm - Cruz Bustamante (the devil you know)
    Controller - Dario Frommer (tough guy)
    Treasurer - Bill Lockyer (familiar name?)

    Visit RemoveRepublicans.com and follow every 2006 Senate race.

    by AnthonySF on Tue Mar 07, 2006 at 08:23:50 PM PDT

  •  ok but..... (none / 0)

    so then how are they different?

    Maybe this primary will be decided before the voting happens...Angelides is getting all the major endorsements...Westly will become the annoying gnat...will he drop out?  Should he?  

    REJECT FEAR!

    by David in Burbank on Tue Mar 07, 2006 at 08:23:53 PM PDT

  •  I WOULD (none / 0)

    pick the candidate who says he'd sign CHIRA, but wait, that's nobody so far. Figures. Nationally Democrats favor universal health insurance by an 8-to-1 margin, yet finding a Democratic candidate who will endorse it is almost as hard as finding a baseball player who doesn't use steroids.

    For those who aren't aware CHIRA is a single-payer health care plan for 'Kahlifoania':

    http://www.healthcareforall.org/

    Sign here:
    http://www.healthcareforall.org/...

    Our current healthcare system is simple. Don't get sick.

    by tiggers thotful spot on Tue Mar 07, 2006 at 08:52:38 PM PDT

  •  Angelides sounds good... (none / 0)

    But he would pave over his mother to make a buck.  He works (or at least has worked with) the largest developer in Sacramento.  They are making a killing in Natomas area (which is 25 feet below the Sacramento River).  

    by beancounter on Tue Mar 07, 2006 at 09:40:44 PM PDT

  •  I saw them both speak (none / 0)

    at last year's CA Dem Convention.  I was surprised by  Westly, he was exciting.  I had heard that Angelides was dull and when he spoke he wasn't, he made sense, but I wasn't moved.  If that matters going up agasint Arnold, I'd have to go with Westly.

    Their policeis aren't significantly different and neihter is likely to VETO anything coming out of the State Legislation.  I'd prefer a fiscally conservative govenor who realizes we need to revamp the tax code to be more progressive (i.e raise taxes on those who can bear it and lower it on those who can't...and I'd likely see an increase.)

    So I lean Westly, and I'd certainly vote for either against Schwartzenegger, but I feel like Agelides has already wrapped it up...and thta bugs me.

    Does that make any sense?

    REJECT FEAR!

    by David in Burbank on Tue Mar 07, 2006 at 09:55:25 PM PDT

  •  This poll should be rank choice (none / 0)

    It would be so much more interesting to see who people would pick for their second choice.

    by jim d on Wed Mar 08, 2006 at 12:53:35 AM PDT

Permalink | 31 comments