There has been much angst within the GOP over the fact that Democratic Senator Dianne Feinstein is positioned so well in her re-election bid.  She has benefited from her party’s voter registration advantage in this state, the power of incumbency, and the fact that there is not a well-financed Republican candidate looking at the race.  While my good friend, retired State Senator Dick Mountjoy is revving up the motor for what will be a very grass-roots intensive challenge as a Republican, it will be a tall challenge for him to take out DiFi.  Of course, the liberal Feinstein has managed to create a image of moderation, aided by the stridency of her colleague Barbara Boxer.
 
That said, yesterday renowned peace/capitulation activist Cindy Sheehan, whose son was killed in Iraq, issued a statement (from Caracas, Venezuela no less) saying that she is seriously looking at a challenge to Feinstein.
 
Her threat was the if Feinstein did NOT join a filibuster effort against the confirmation vote of Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, that she would run.  Feinstein announced she was going to join in that effort.
 
Her spokesperson, DeDe Miller, according to the Associated Press, said that many supporters have been asking Sheehan to run for office and that it would surprise her if she did.
 
You have to wonder if Sheehan will continue to issue threats or just get into the race.  I don’t know if she is a Democrat, or some third party candidate — but her presence on the ballot probably would only help cement the image that Feinstein has with California voters of being more moderate.  Sheehan’s candidacy could bolster DiFi’s approval ratings for years.  As a matter of fact, if I were advising the Senator, I would tell her to second Alito’s nomination, to encourage Sheehan’s gadfly candidacy.

This entry was posted on Saturday, January 28th, 2006 at 12:00 am and is filed under Blog Posts.