(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie.Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
The special election was a bad idea tactically in a state like Colly-four-nya. Likely voters in these events are driven by machines and all the machines in CA are on the left. What failed then would have passed or been much, much closer if it was on the general ballot.
When thinking about CA, if you ever get depressed and don't know where to put your efforst, just visualize "Lt. Governor Tom McClintock."