[Galactic Overlord-In-Chief]

#3, No Republican has won a downballot statewide office since 1994. #4, Presidentially, the last time a Democrat was below 50% was 1992. #5, Wilson himself ran for President in 1996, happy to abandon the state to Gray Davis (something which Deukmejian refused to do with Leo McCarthy in 1988 when offered the VP slot by GHW Bush).

Actually, Republican Steve Poizner thumped Cruz Bustamante for the Insurance Commissioner's office in 2006. Poizner would give up the office for a run for governor in 2010 but lose to Meg Whitman in the GOP primary. Probably the only exception that's out there, though.

[Impy]

Also, then incumbent Insurance Commish Chuck Quankenbush won reelection in 1998. Shame about him, fake scandal? No charges were filed.

So that’s 2 GOP downballot victories since 1994, both for Insurance Commish.

[fieldmarshaldj]

Thanks for the correction. That was unusual if only because Bustamante was a wildly unpopular figure.

I forgot one other, Chuck Quackenbush, also as Insurance Commissioner was the lone Republican to carry over in 1998, though he was an incumbent, won by only a 49% plurality and had ethics problems that forced him from office and replaced by a Democrat a year and a half later.