George Will
Real Clear Politics
2/11/2010
SAN FRANCISCO — Political speculation swirls. Meg Whitman, billionaire former eBay CEO and leading candidate for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in California, supposedly prefers not to run in tandem with Carly Fiorina, former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, who is seeking the Republican Senate nomination to run against the three-term Democrat, Barbara Boxer.
Fiorina, who advised John McCain’s presidential campaign, was mentioned as his possible running mate. Whitman supposedly thinks two female former tech tycoons on the ticket would be one too many. Furthermore, Whitman supposedly harbors national ambitions, perhaps as 2012 vice presidential running mate with Mitt Romney, her business mentor and current supporter. If in 2012 Gov. Whitman is wallowing in this state’s multiplying disasters, she might not want Fiorina in Washington surrounded by television cameras and unencumbered by executive responsibilities.
So Whitman supposedly persuaded a rival for the gubernatorial nomination — Tom Campbell, a former congressman of large talents but slender means — to switch to the Senate race, leaving her opposed only by Steve Poizner, another rich refugee from Silicon Valley. This may have been a bit too clever because Poizner can now make this a binary choice: Who is most conservative?
Campbell leads Fiorina 30 to 25 in the Field Poll, with 39 percent undecided. A third candidate, Chuck DeVore, a state assemblyman from Southern California (Orange County), had just 6 percent, but might be the nominee…
…Boxer supports an “absolute right” to abortion — public funding, partial-birth abortions, no requirement of parental notification, all positions opposed by majorities. But because of California’s parlous fiscal condition and other emergencies — a water shortage aggravated by government solicitude for a supposedly endangered smelt has caused the destruction of tens of thousands of fruit and nut trees — social issues will, DeVore thinks, lose some saliency.
Boxer is arguably the most liberal senator and her job approval is under 50 percent. DeVore thinks voters generally are biased against someone seeking a fourth term — California has had only three four-term senators — if there is a credible opponent…
…Politics is supposed to be fun and for California conservatives, voting for DeVore would be the first fun in many a moon…
The entire article is at Real Clear Politics.
