Posted on 10/01/2009 1:34:40 PM PDT by CounterCounterCulture
Republican political logic says that Carly Fiorina is a better candidate than Chuck DeVore because she can spend more money on a campaign challenging incumbent Democratic U.S Senator Barbara Boxer. Fiorina, the former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, is a multi-millionaire. DeVore, an Orange County Assemblyman, has a reputation as a weak fundraiser.
So why is it that DeVore reported spending $5,000 within a week of announcing his candidacy while Fiorina, with her phalanx of consultants, says she hasn’t hit that mark in six weeks?
At this point, Fiorina says she is only exploring a run for the Senate, but federal election rules state that an individual can no longer claim to be testing the waters once she advertises, or conducts “activities over a protracted period of time” or authorizes statements referring to her as a candidate. And once that happens, a potential candidate becomes an actual candidate and is required to start reporting her campaign finance activity the moment $5,000 has been raised or spent.
In case you haven’t heard, Fiorina has a Web site with the slogan “carlyfornia dreamin’!!!” and states “It’s Carly vs. Boxer.” That certainly sounds like a statement referring to her as a candidate. Signs, brochures and t-shirts touting Fiorina have been seen. And she’s been doing campaign-looking things for weeks, including touring the central San Joaquin Valley this week.
So in other words, you could argue that Fiorina is no longer exploring anything, but is actually a candidate.
And if that’s case, well, then, where are her campaign finance statements? She has to have spent more than $5,000 by now, she’s got all sorts of people on staff. She’s retained the Hollywood PR firm Strategic Perceptions Inc. and worked with the Washington D.C. consultancy of Dresner, Wickers and Associates. She has a spokeswoman in Beth Miller and a campaign consultant in Marty Wilson. These people do not work for free.
What may be at play here is a simple political gamesmanship. Fiorina is perceived as the stronger candidate from a financial perception. If she publicly announces breaching the $5,000 mark, she will be required to file reports with the Federal Elections Commission. But as it stands now, she can wait on making her financial activity public. Meanwhile, DeVore reported yesterday that he has raised more than $330,000 in the last three months for a total raised of more $700,000 from about 14,000 donors — “more money from more donors than any Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in California this decade.”
Fiorina could be intentionally waiting to announce she’s breached the $5,000 limit because she doesn’t want to open up her books and show that her undoubted financial superiority isn’t as pronounced as people perceive.
But that’s just musings. We’ve got a call in to Miller for asking for comment. Stay tuned.
That's an oxymoron these days... Republican political logic. LOL.
Carlyfornia dreaming?
I dread what folk etymologists are going to do with this.
it’s going to be tough but while california is a blue state, the red is really red.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClB4eOUjtUY
Here was Chuck DeVore's response...
Larry Elder wanteds to run, but the ‘Pubs discouraged him. They want Fiorina, who I think is the wrong way to go.
I would think Chuck DeVore would be the type of politician Larry Elder could easily back.
Is there a Republican in California?
Does it matter?
The whole place is bankrupt in every imaginable metric.
This is an incomplete statement and it may be misleadingn to those who don't follow California politics. Here's a more revealing version:
but functionaries within the California Republican Party discouraged him.
I just want you to know how much I appreciate the Chuck DeVore ping list. I am really hoping that Mr. DeVore can get a little more name recognition. Please keep posting. I have been trying in our county to get him a little better know, but I am going to have to get to know a little more about him. I will begin this process soon, but really appreciate being to read articles about him.
Thanks!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.