Democrat Cuts Through GOP 'Malaise' for Win

[Judi Lynn]

September 15, 2005

Democrat Cuts Through GOP 'Malaise' for Win
Discontent with Bush, governor is cited in low voter turnout for swing Assembly district race.

By Amanda Covarrubias, Times Staff Writer

The Assembly district that runs along the coast from Venice to Torrance is considered one of the few swing districts in California, but the lone Democratic candidate in this week's special election easily swept past three Republican contenders.
(snip)

Torrance City Councilman Ted Lieu captured 60% of the vote in Tuesday's election — three times the percentage earned by his closest competitor. By winning a majority, Lieu avoided a November runoff to replace late Democratic Assemblyman Mike Gordon, 47, who died in June while undergoing treatment for a brain tumor.

The fact that Democrats won without a runoff caught political analysts off guard. Only 17% of registered voters in the 53rd Assembly District went to the polls Tuesday, indicating that Republicans, who are usually more likely to turn out for a special election, stayed home, said Tony Quinn, an editor of the California Target Book election guide.

"Republicans are turned off," Quinn said. "There's a lack of any enthusiasm among Republicans for the governor's agenda and maybe even with what's going on with Washington. There was already unhappiness with Bush, and now we have Katrina. There's a lot of malaise among Republican voters."
(snip/...)

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-southbay15sep15,1,2980279.story?coll=la-headlines-california
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[ReadTomPaine]

1. Excellent news, let's hope this trend continues! n/t

[420inTN]

16. One instance is not a trend. n/t

[calimary]

18. Well, it's not a trend yet. But it might be a useful temperature reading.

Glad to see this. VERY glad.

Little things can send larger messages, you know. And what's the problem with keeping a Democrat in a D-seat? One less rubber-stamp vote for Arnold. And one more vote to complicate his problems.

One Dem against three republi-CONS! Don't know if we'll see this kind of successful face-off elsewhere, but one can certainly hope!

BTW - Lieu was out there campaigning. He had a pretty good ad-buy on TV. At the same time, I don't remember ANY spots on the air for any of the other challengers. Don't even know who else was running. Also, the unions here have spent a lot on campaign commercials featuring teachers and fire fighters lambasting Arnold's bullshit "plans" for improving our state. They got out early and often. You see those commercials all the time. And there has yet to be any response that I've seen.

Result? Our side got out ahead of the issue and framed it, and OUR side of the issue was the one that got heard and made the first impression. The polls - that consistently show Arnold tanking and his big ideas extremely unpopular - are the proof that this works VERY VERY WELL!

I don't know what is going on in Arnold's camp. I really am surprised. I mean, this is THE media guy, no? THE big onscreen invincible, camera-loves-him, Hollywood bigshot, media-savvy, star. I understand he's been out doing a lot of fundraising outside the state (yeah, bringing outsiders' money in to influence what happens with US in OUR state) - I presume to do a big ad campaign. And there's been NOTHING. For somebody who has had the best media consultants and expertise money can buy, and years of access to those kinds of industry professionals, his performance here is about as good as bush's. MAN what a joke he turned out to be. I half expected him to be pretty formidable, what with all the media stuff he brought to the table. He hasn't made ANY good use of it. And if he's THAT well-equipped and doesn't make use of it, what kind of job can he be expected to do as governor? Well, we know the answer to that, already.

Anyway, I hope other Dems in other states take note. You get out early and you get out ahead. You start fighting before your opponent gets a chance to suit up. Which means it's YOU out there setting the tone and framing the issues and positioning yourself IN THE LEAD. By then, your head start has put you in the lead - in some cases, far enough that the enemy can't catch up. UM...DNC... hello? Calling the Democrats... anybody home? Anybody listening? Anyone paying attention to this?

[Cocoa]

2. so much for Arnold's "star power"

:rofl:

[truthisfreedom]

3. if we have to win back control by sheer atrophy, so be it. malaise? pass

the malaise, please.

[krkaufman]

4. Here's hoping the malaise progresses to a debilitating....

... clinical depression. If they were sane, I don't see how it could be avoided. But alas...

[Jackpine Radical]

6. Harsh, way too harsh. Might I recommend

a simple state of anomie for all of them? Or maybe an adjustment disorder with a thoroughly debilitating depressed mood that recurs every 2 years at election time?

[EST]

8. Hmmm...

Ham and tomato with malaise on toast--yeah...

[ladylibertee]

5. Finally someone posting GOOD news

:woohoo: :kick: :woohoo: :kick:

[Frances]

7. Did anyone notice this statistic:

<<Peace and Freedom Party candidate James Smith also got 2%.>>

Even with Bush and Arnie's poll numbers way down, the 3rd party candidate got only 2% of the vote.

I'm old enough to remember when Anderson was a 3rd party candidate for president.

I think it's far better to try to reform the Democratic party than to support a 3rd party. History has not been kind to 3rd parties in the U.S.

[zalinda]

9. You'll never convince the

Naderites or the Greens of that. I've been saying that we should change it from the inside for years. There are so many vocal anti Dem party people on this board, but they don't listen to anyone but themselves. If you want a different party, then high-jack the Dem party, just like the neo-cons did with the Repub party.

If you want to change the way we vote for candidates, you must be inside of one of the parties. If you don't work within the party, you get someone like Bush.

zalinda

[Frances]

12. Thanks for your insightful comment

Would you mind answering a question for me now? It seems that freepers get banned from this board, but people posting comments that are very anti-Democratic party are welcome if they say they are for Nader or they are greens. Why is this? And how do we know that these people aren't really freepers in disguise since the end result is the same: the election of more Repubs?

[zalinda]

19. They stay on this board

because they know the rules, and stay just within them. They do incite some Dem bashing, but are quite cagey about it. Even though this is called the Democratic Underground, it really is a more of a progressive, liberal board.

We Dems are a very diverse group and have many opinions, that is our strength and our down-fall. Bashing the party doesn't change it, it just demoralizes it. Some people haven't figured that out. Maybe they are Repubs in disguise, and don't even realize it.

The whole nonsense that Dems and Repubs are one and the same came from Nader. And that mantra has been spoken over and over by people who have really put Bush in the white house. No party can ever get away from corporation donations until the system is fixed. And the system can't be fixed with Repubs in charge. So, these people who yell the most against the Dems, are really keeping the Repubs in charge, and I can only guess, that is the way they want it.

zalinda

[WhiteTara]

14. don't get me started on the hubris of the Greens

I am watching my blood pressure these days and the very word annoys me. I live in a community that is predominately Green and boy are they political idiots and arrogant...okay, now you've done it. My blood pressure is on the rise...must stop typing now. :grr:

[goclark]

10. Finally

Let's keep moving!

We have got to show them that if they support the neocons, the Republicans won't support them.

[Seabiscuit]

11. If only we could force every Congressman/woman to face re-election right

now! Maybe we could take back Congress overnight.

[Arugula Latte]

13. Whoops, GOP! You forgot to rig this one!

I guess ya'll were too busy letting poor people drown, and all ...

[pushycat]

15. Maybe didn't forget, just couldn't fake it with 60% Dem win

Can't believe they would forget even a tiny place like this in CA.
The win was with 17% voter turnout.

Democrat Torrance City Councilman Ted Lieu defeated 3 Republican candidates. yahooey

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-me-southbay15sep15,1,1927224.story?coll=la-headlines-politics

[Roy]

17. Is this really good news???

Doesn't 17% turnout means that maybe the dems are effective in turning out the vote in face face of broad corruption and wasted deaths along with so so many other reasons for getting these criminals out of office.

This still appears the election was only one smear campaign and one hot button issue away from a potential runoff and stolen seat.

If this is the case in this California locality, then how does this translate statewide and national?

[raysr]

20. Maybe this "malaise"

will turn into something more serious.