If Mr. South thinks he can rewrite the history of the past four years, he is mistaken. They can spend all the money they want, but it is etched in voters' brains and in our everyday lives.
This is standard fare negative advertising and might work for most candidates, but is an ill-advised tactic for Bill Simon. As it is, Mr. Simon comes across as "Mr. Clean-n-Decent." If he goes negative, it will feed Davis' pitch that conservatives are mean-spirited. This is a stupid tactic that hurts his chance to sell a positive image to swing voters, which is what worked for him against Riordan. If Simon doesn't stay positive at least in the early going, Davis' amply-funded negatives with full media complicity will stick.
There are better ways for Bill Simon to present himself by turning Davis' negative attacks against him. The best tactic is to show how common decency, self-control, and charity are the very values so badly needed for California's kids. That is a universal message. He should then pull out his record for having provided exactly that example at Covenant House in LA, where he has seen the evil fruits of what is being taught in Californai schools. It will come across as genuine and is natural to the man. Bill Simon is too kind a person to go negative effectively. He is stronger if he sticks with a positive message. Only once that positive image is totally set in the minds of the voters, will a patient, clear, and rational exposition of the disaster that Davis has been to the future of California's lower middle class, work to seal the little geek-monster's fate.