CA: McClintock concedes controller's race to Democrat Westly

SJ Mercury News ^ | 11/18/02 | Ann E. Marimow

[My2Cents]

Right. It takes a lot of fingers and toes to count votes in the millions.

[madprof98]

What's pathetic is this Westley punk did nothing but run negative commercials on McClintock's pro-life position. Can you please explain to be what the CONTROLLER has to do with abortion?

Californians have made abortion their New Age sacrament. It seems to "mean" more there than it does in New York or even Massachusetts. I just hope this election represents a turning-of-the-tide nationally for pro-lifers. Maybe the wave of change will someday wash over Pelosiland.

[My2Cents]

Although I think McClintock ran a decent campaign, he was running against a nobody.

[NEWwoman]

My condolences. McClintock is a good man.

[My2Cents]

Well-put. May I and my family be out of state when God finally has enough of the genocidal attitude of people in California.

[kellynla]

Exactly, for the next four years we expect higher taxes, higher fees and more incompetence. I think I'll take an early retirement! LOL

[.38sw]

Don't forget gun control. That issue was right up there with abortion. I was thinking the other day how appalling it is that people will vote for the candidates that will give them more and more gun control and all the abortions they want, but aren't at all concerned about the other big issues, like crumbling roads and bridges, water shortages, huge deficits as far as the eye can see, disfunctional schools, housing shortages, etc. But by golly, don't vote for the eeeeevil Republican, he's against gun contol and abortion! Sheesh.

[ambrose]

Not ALL Californians. Just "California Latte"... Free California supported McClintock in a big way:

[.38sw]

he was running against a nobody.

Yes, but he was a nobody who was all for abortion and gun control, and that is apparently what were the most important issues to the majority of voters. Of course, the state controller has absolutely nothing to do with these issues, but it's the ideology that's important.

[HitmanLV]

That green democRAT costal portion should just form its own state - call it 'Californistan.' The balance can be 'California. Yep, Californistan will get 2 Senators that way, but then again, California will get two also. This would also break up the electoral college block that Cali has - granted because of population Californistan would have more electoral votes than California, but it would at least break up the block.

[seanc623]

We should Freep the American Independent candidate who cost Tom the election.

As a recently ex-Libertarian, I have to agree. At least the Libertarians had the sense not to run anyone in that race, fearing exactly what happened. Vance is a good man but he definitely cost Tom the race.

[Tadhg]

I agree and I live in the polictical cesspool known as the S.F. Bay Area. W is the only Republican that represents me in City, State or Federal office. Form a new state with the Central Valley and all Northern Counties. Let Boxer, Pelosi and Davis tax themselves into oblivion.

[dpwiener]

I don't understand or approve of these politicians who concede BEFORE the final tally is in; what happens if the remaining votes are those needed to push the election to the one who has conceded ?

Tom waited to concede until there was no possible doubt as to the final outcome.

Over 600 thousand late absentee and provisional ballots have already been counted since election night. Out of those ballots Tom gained less than 5 thousand net votes, leaving him still 21 thousand behind Westly. There are less than 100 thousand ballots left to be counted. My spreadsheet projections (which have been quite accurate over the past two weeks) show that Tom will gain perhaps seventeen hundred votes out of those remaining ballots, still leaving him at least 19 thousand short.

Tom has been getting 50.4% of the late absentee and provisional ballots that were cast for him or Westly. He got 49.8% of the ballots that were cast for him or Westly on or before November 5th. He would need to get 61.5% of the remaining (mostly provisional ballots) still to be counted in order to overtake Westly. It's statistically impossible. Tom has lost.

[Simmy]

Its sad that Tom McClintock has conceded the race, and probably did lose the race (after all, the county that is left for the most part is LA County. Which whether it be absontee ballots or just the general vote, does swing left unfortunetly). But, the fact that he DID come very close disproves the theory that only Centrist Republicans can win a statewide race. Sure, it was Steve Wesley's scare commercials that cost Tom McClintock the race that painted Tom McClintock as an "evil" Republican, but no other Republican, especially the Centrist Republicans have come this close to winning (in fact, if American Independant candidate wasn't in it, Tom McClintock would've won).

All well, Democratic Sweep means only one thing, as this state goes down the tubes, the Democrats can only look at themselves now.

[SCalGal]

They certainly count slowly in California.

But they have good self esteem. /sarcasm.

[tubebender]

I only saw a a few ads for McClintock and they were those stupid Thrifty Scotsman ads while Westly hammered McClintock relentlssly. Republications can no longer depend on absentee ballots to bail them out in Calif. The widows of the Greatest Generation are nealy all voting by mail including those in care homes.

[Simmy]

I agree. I saw those ads too. My question is, why? I mean, they were funny and entertaining, but when the opponent begins using the old Democratic scare tactics (that sadly works for the millions of sheep here), shouldn't they consider changing strategies to try and neutralize those ads?

[heleny]

Tom was the number one Conservative vote getter with Bill Simon number two. Tom is a serious Gov candidate for '06. Let Ahnold and Simon run for the Senate in the mean time. We will need McClintock's steady hand in '06 to govern this state after it bellies up.

2006 is a good year for Tom McClintock to run for governor. He'll be halfway through his last term as State Senator, and more Californians will realize that we need some fiscal responsibility.

Or, he could challenge either Feinstein in the Senate or his local Congressman (Elton Gallegly-R, Brad Sherman-D, or Howard Berman-D, depending on where he lives) in '06, but the open Governor's seat would be better.

McClintock's views might have been more conservative than Simon's, or at least Tom didn't try to hide his views. The fact that he got the most votes among Republican statewide candidates, even though he was the most conservative among them, clearly disproves the idea that only centrist Republicans have a chance at winning. Hopefully the major Republican donors will support his candidacy.

[HitmanLV]

I hear you! I am born and raised in NYC, finally got sick of it last year and left for Vegas and a new life.

Mayor Rudy was cool, but Bloomie was on the way in (I can't stand Bloomie - a democRAT if there ever was one!). Other than that, all my local politicians were democRATs and leftists, excpet Pataki in Albany.

Politcs and taxes were 2 big reasons why I left - I just wasn't represented and I didn't belong there. I love Nevada and I don't miss nyc one bit!

[NormsRevenge]

If ya don;t mind asking, what part of Nevada ya in? Im eyeing the Reno area myself.