California: Davis donations take a big jump

Gov. Gray Davis raked in an average of $91,939 every day since Feb. 17, ramping up a campaign fund-raising schedule that has long been criticized as excessive and overzealous.

According to campaign finance statements released by Davis' campaign Tuesday, the Democratic governor raised about $12.3 million between Feb. 17 and June 30.

One of the employees of the company I work for is a staunch Democrat. He couldn't believe I had the effrontery to put a "Simon for Governor" bumper sticker on my car.

I said something like this: "Normally, I wouldn't bother doing something so gauche as expressing my political views on my car. But Davis is dangerous." He challenged me to give him the facts. So I thought for a while and put together a little package of the two best anti-Davis articles I knew of, and sent them to him. (I went straight to the source, not the copies on Free Republic).

"I'll have to think about this," was his response.

Today, much to his credit, he admitted I was absolutely right about Davis. I think that LA Weekly article about how he underfunded LA's schools while crowing about his educational performance really shook up my friend.

What this tells me is that it is possible to change people's minds, even someone who's a staunch Democrat. And, of course, the bumper sticker is effective, at least to start conversation. When was the last time you saw a Davis sticker?

The only Davis sticker I've seen since the 1998 election was downtown Sacramento in a parking lot near the Capitol. Surprise, surprise.

My state parking lot logically has more Democrats than Republicans, but there is not one Davis sticker (there are still 3 or 4 Gore-Lieberman stickers, they probably are holding out hope that Gore can still win). There are three Simon stickers in my small lot (I'm one of them). Many of the people I work don't want to put a sticker on their car because they are afraid it'll be keyed by a Davis staffer.

Bumper stickers and yard signs (not the omnipresent COGS signs) WORK. These are individuals who care enough to announce their political views to their friends and neighbors. Remember Prop. 22?

Even those who are going to vote for Davis probably will not want to put a sign in their yard, because he's an embarrassment.

I can hardly wait to get my Simon sign. I live on a cul-de-sac, and my 11 neighbors see my car every day, but it doesn't hurt to remind them come election day!

Go Simon!

I remember when Riordan first ran for Mayor of Los Angeles. My first hint that he was doing better than most sources cared to tell me was when I started seeing his yard sign all over the place. "This guy's gonna win," I thought -- and I was right.

(And yes, I know many people don't think much of the guy, but he made a better mayor than his opponent. And certainly a better one than his successor).

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