Republican Candidates Face Tough Primaries in California

Strategic Insights -

Top Republican candidates for statewide office, including Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner and former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina, are locked in tough primaries, with millions of dollars spent on their campaigns. Poizner will face former eBay CEO Meg Whitman in the June primary for governor, while Fiorina is in a three-way fight for the right to challenge Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer in the general election. Both candidates used their time at a candidate forum hosted by the Conejo Valley Republican Women to look ahead to the general election and criticize their opponents.

Key Takeaways:

  • Poizner will face Whitman in the June primary for governor, with the winner likely to take on Democratic candidate and former Gov. Jerry Brown in November.
  • Fiorina is in a three-way fight for the right to challenge Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer in the general election, with polls showing her in a narrow lead over opponent Orange County Assemblyman Chuck DeVore.
  • Fiorina criticized Boxer for voting against trade agreements, not getting federal water turned back on to farms in the Central Valley, not getting enough of her legislation passed, and supporting increases in taxes and spending.
  • Poizner outlined a three-point plan for addressing the state budget crisis and economy, including cutting sales, income, and corporate taxes, cutting state spending by 10 percent, and establishing a rainy day fund of at least $10 billion.
  • Republican candidates are using candidate forums to address their supporters and criticize their opponents, with the Republican candidate forum hosted by the Conejo Valley Republican Women being recorded and broadcast on Time Warner Cable stations.

Statistics:

  • Poizner is spending millions of his own dollars on his campaign, with his opponents also contributing significant amounts.
  • Fiorina has a narrow lead over DeVore in polls, with a 3-point lead over Boxer in a head-to-head match-up compared to Boxer's 20-point lead in 2004.
  • Poizner made his fortune as a Silicon Valley executive, like his opponent Whitman.
  • 10% of sales, income, and corporate taxes, and 50% of capital gains taxes will be cut, according to Poizner's proposal.
  • $10 billion will be the minimum amount in the rainy day fund established by Poizner's proposal.

Sources:

  • "Tony Biasotti Jan. 16--" http://www.venturacountystar.com
  • "Copyright (c) 2010, Ventura County Star, Calif." http://www.venturacountystar.com
  • "Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services." http://www.venturacountystar.com