Tony Quinn was right on target in his criticism of the Meg Whitman campaign, which will go down in history as one of the laziest and most arrogant of all time. With all that money, you would think they would come up with messages that amounted to more than content-free pabulum about better schools, leaner government and balanced budgets. They managed to use Governor Schwarzenegger’s rhetoric without the substance of his proposals to address these challenges. Why, with all there was to say about Jerry Brown’s first two terms as Governor, did they put up such smarmy, unconvincing attack ads that lacked a kernel of truth? I guess the consultants are crying all the way to the bank, but the most creative thing to come out of the Whitman camp were Mike Murphy’s protestations that the race was a dead heat at the end.
Murphy’s boom fog was rivaled only by Garry South’s non-stop criticism of the Brown campaign for months on end at full volume. South kept predicting gloom and doom because the Brown campaign didn’t fight back with TV in May and June and waged a barely visible campaign during the summer doldrums. According to South, Brown was digging a hole he couldn’t climb out of. Never mind that Jerry Brown had spent 40 years being conspicuous to California voters, often to his detriment. No introduction was necessary and when you are facing an unlimited war chest, it makes sense to hold your fire until you can see the whites of their eyes.
All that said, you have to wonder whether a brilliant effort by the Whitman team would have made much difference. California has become a very Democratic state. When is the last time a non-incumbent Republican has beaten anybody other than Cruz Bustamente statewide? Californians tend to act out their maverick streak through the initiative process, not partisan races. Democrats have an almost three to two registration advantage over Republicans and they are pretty loyal. The Reagan Democrats have out-migrated in substantial numbers. California independents are not so-much middle of the road as they are unenchanted with either party. The Decline to States in California, however, are skewed young, Latino and Asian and don’t buy the GOP brand at all. The national Republican playbook does not sell in California. With California’s demographics and libertarian social bent, it is hard to conceive of any by the book Republican breaking 42 or 43 percent statewide. Only non-partisan Los Angeles DA Steve Cooley did it this time and it probably isn’t enough to put him in the win column for Attorney General.
The bottom line is that the Golden State has turned a deep shade of blue, no matter how much green you throw at it.