If he goes down, this will spread to other states and take more Rat governors down. Then, it could spread into states where Rat Senators are up for reelection.
So they have to do anything to make it appear that Simon is not winning inspite of the news each day re Davis. Then, they have to help Davis blame everything onto Enron and eventually Dick Cheney and GW. Davis has been blaming GW before he even became president for what Davis has brought onto California.
If Simon defeats Davis, and GW continues to pick up Hispanic voters in California and then Simon's voters, the Rats have lost 2004 before it even starts with GW's popularity in other states.
Their survival as a party needs to keep Davis as governor and to find a wedge issue to minimize GW in 2004. If Davis loses this year and they lose 10 - 12 seats in the senate, they are toast from 2003 to the end of GW's second term.
The NY Slimes will spend an inordinate amount of time trying to make Davis look like a winner, not the petty fascist criminal he is.