Texan_Til_I_Die Posted June 7, 2006 Report Share Posted June 7, 2006 There was an election yesterday in California to fill the Congressional seat vacated by former Republican Randy "Duke" Cunningham who was convicted of accepting bribes. Most pundits said that this race would set the tone for the rest of the nation in the November, 2006 congressional races. The election was won by Republican Brian Bilbray. His losing Democrat opponent was Francine Busby. National Democrats spent nearly $2 million on the race; the GOP spent $4.5 million. President Bush and first lady Laura Bush recorded telephone messages for Bilbray, while the Democrats' last two presidential candidates - John Kerry and Al Gore - urged supporters to back Busby. Bilbray, made immigration the centerpiece of his campaign, proposing a fence "from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico" and restrictions to keep illegal immigrants from collecting Social Security and other benefits. Busby focused her campaign on public dissatisfaction with the Bush administration and the GOP-led Congress, and assailed Bilbray for working as a lobbyist in Washington. She consistently referred to him as "the lobbyist Bilbray." So here's my take on this. First - if one candidate runs on an agenda (Bilbray's stand on immigration) and the other can only criticize their opponent's party, the candidate with the clear agenda wins. Second - if Democrats think that endorsements from proven losers like Sen. Kerry and V.P. Gore are what they need, they'll continue losing. Third - money does matter. If one candidate can significantly outspend his opponent, he will gain a certain advantage from that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strut10 Posted June 7, 2006 Report Share Posted June 7, 2006 Re: What to make of this? Fourth - The only reason (or the biggest reason) the Republicans are "in trouble" come November is because the media is stroking the public's perception on it 24/7. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OJR Posted June 7, 2006 Report Share Posted June 7, 2006 Re: What to make of this? All of the above!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted June 7, 2006 Report Share Posted June 7, 2006 Re: What to make of this? Think between the three points you mention and the one strut mentions you pretty well got it covered. Hard to believe that the democrats cannot come to grasp the idea that all the negative campaigning is not working too well for them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnf Posted June 7, 2006 Report Share Posted June 7, 2006 Re: What to make of this? Maybe someday if a democrat can come up with an original thought they'll win an election. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParrotHead Posted June 8, 2006 Report Share Posted June 8, 2006 Re: What to make of this? Johnf - the democrats come up with an original thought? Never happen - if it doesn, they'll turn into a Republican. Busby shot herself in the foot on this one - leading by a slime margin she goes on record at a illigal immigration rally and spews the non-sense that "illegals should have the right to vote" which pretty much pissed a few legal Americans off and that is what turned the tides. As for myself - The Republican Party has abondoned it's core beliefs of practicing conservatism. I think we should really have a third party and call then Conservatives because there's not a lot of difference in a Republican and a democrat today. Both parties are pandering for the hispanic and illegal votes when in the end they only make up a fraction of the total votes. The Republicans should be concerned about those votes BUT more worried about all the white votes they are going to lose in the process. In the end, I predict that there won't be much of a change in November which really saddens me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texan_Til_I_Die Posted June 8, 2006 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2006 Re: What to make of this? [ QUOTE ] ...leading by a slime margin... [/ QUOTE ] I realize that was a typo, but it really cracked me up! That's just too good!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stick Posted June 9, 2006 Report Share Posted June 9, 2006 Re: What to make of this? you all hit the nail on the head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slugshooter Posted June 9, 2006 Report Share Posted June 9, 2006 Re: What to make of this? [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] ...leading by a slime margin... [/ QUOTE ] I realize that was a typo, but it really cracked me up! That's just too good!!! [/ QUOTE ] Knowing Parrothead, it probably wasn't a typo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldksnarc Posted June 10, 2006 Report Share Posted June 10, 2006 Re: What to make of this? [ QUOTE ] As for myself - The Republican Party has abondoned it's core beliefs of practicing conservatism. I think we should really have a third party and call then Conservatives because there's not a lot of difference in a Republican and a democrat today. [/ QUOTE ] A lot of "republican" senators and reps are actually liberals who run as republicans because they are from districts that are predominately Republican and they can't get elected as a democrat. The watering down of the Republican party. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldksnarc Posted June 10, 2006 Report Share Posted June 10, 2006 Re: What to make of this? [ QUOTE ] Both parties are pandering for the hispanic and illegal votes when in the end they only make up a fraction of the total votes. [/ QUOTE ] They need to remember that those hispanic and illegal votes may matter one day --- my vote counts today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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