# How badly do the republicans want California? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 4, 2003, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-badly-do-the-republicans-want-california/205586 "2003-10-04T20:12:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-badly-do-the-republicans-want-california/205586/1 "2003-10-04T20:12:55Z")
The Conservatives, that is. Badly enough to sacrifice Mc Clintock and push for Arnold, who could actually win but isn’t really much of a conservative? Some of this “attack” stuff against Arnold could actually increase his popularity, but if it doesn’t it could help Mc Clintock more than the Democrats. My question is, is CA really that big a prize, and why? IANAPSE, but I think they want California second only to the presidency. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-badly-do-the-republicans-want-california/205586/2 "2003-10-04T20:23:47Z")
So bad, they can taste it after every presidential election. ---
**Author:** ![I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/i_love_me_vol.i/32/521_2.png) [@I\_Love\_Me\_Vol.I](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/I_Love_Me_Vol.I)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-badly-do-the-republicans-want-california/205586/3 "2003-10-04T20:29:18Z")
So bad they would cut off their right -wing hardliners to get it. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-badly-do-the-republicans-want-california/205586/4 "2003-10-04T20:31:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mangeorge \* > \*\*… > My question is, is CA really that big a prize, and why? > IANAPSE, but I think they want California second only to the presidency. > Peace, > mangeorge \*\* That’s easy. California has the most Electoral votes of any state in the nation and therefore is the single biggest prize in any presidential election. California went for Gore in the last presidential election and the Republicans would dearly love to bring it onto their side. As for the question “Does it really matter what political party a state’s Governor belongs to?” you need look no further than Florida in the 2000 election. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-badly-do-the-republicans-want-california/205586/5 "2003-10-04T20:36:04Z")
I don’t think Schwarzenegger will have much in the way of coattails. If this were a regular election schedule, Schwarzenegger would have lost the Republican primary. California hasn’t had a falling out with the Demcratic Party, just with Gray Davis. It’s not business, it’s personal. ---
**Author:** ![bojon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@bojon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bojon)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-badly-do-the-republicans-want-california/205586/6 "2003-10-04T20:49:47Z")
As badly as the Democrats want to give it away. How can you screw your constituents, and expect them to like it. Californians have been leaving in droves for years. ---
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-badly-do-the-republicans-want-california/205586/7 "2003-10-04T21:12:05Z")
From my viewpoint, on a national level, the Reps would rather not have California right now. From the standpoint of a political observer, it would be much more to their advantage to make a bid for it in 2006 (when Davis is termed out, and, it appears, there would be a wild and wooly Democratic primary) than take it now, and risk coming to blows over the budget. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-badly-do-the-republicans-want-california/205586/8 "2003-10-04T21:36:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Governor Quinn \* > \*\*From my viewpoint, on a national level, the Reps would rather not have California right now. From the standpoint of a political observer, it would be much more to their advantage to make a bid for it in 2006 (when Davis is termed out, and, it appears, there would be a wild and wooly Democratic primary) than take it now, and risk coming to blows over the budget. \*\* That’s a good point. I have read several commentators who have pointed out that it might be to the Republican’s long term advantage for either Davis to win the recall or Bustamante to prevail (an increasingly unlikely prospect) if the recall succeeds. Apparently the California budget is that big of a mess. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-badly-do-the-republicans-want-california/205586/9 "2003-10-04T23:38:14Z")
But isn’t the budget so bad off that it almost _has_ to improve, giving credit to whoever is the gov? Davis isn’t quite as universally hated as some of those rightist talk show folks would have you believe. Not quite. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-badly-do-the-republicans-want-california/205586/10 "2003-10-04T23:44:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bojon \* > \*\*As badly as the Democrats want to give it away. How can you screw your constituents, and expect them to like it. Californians have been leaving in droves for years. \*\* Leaving in droves, huh? Don’t I wish. 😉 Just kidding, all are welcome. I keep hearing about people leaving, but can’t find any evidence of declining population here. Do you possibly have any cites? Wasamatter, getting crowded up there? ---
**Author:** ![bojon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3da27b/32.png) [@bojon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bojon)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-badly-do-the-republicans-want-california/205586/11 "2003-10-05T01:41:23Z")
My personal expirience is with Californians moving to Colorado. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-badly-do-the-republicans-want-california/205586/12 "2003-10-05T04:11:11Z")
Really. Don’t you mean returning to Colorado? Lots of folks moved down here after the lumber industry went to hell. Wait a minute, that was Oregon. Nevermind. 😛