The Strickland (for controller) Campaign has released the results of a new statewide poll conducted by Public Opinion Strategies (POS) showing Strickland leading Democrat Chiang by 3-points.
There is no runaway victory waiting for Strickland but this does mean that if the election were held today, one of the down-ballot GOP candidates would win.
Conventional wisdom says that the Governor AND McClintock AND McPherson AND Poizner must win for a candidate like Strickland to have a shot. While that scenario is exciting to think about, I believe Strickland’s campaign is unique in that he has better name ID than most other statewide candidates (Schwarzenegger and McClintock excluded) and Strickland has an excellent ballot title: Taxpayer Organization President
When looking only at voters most likely to turn-out in November, the POS poll shows Strickland’s lead grows to 31% over Chiang’s 23%.
Don’t get me wrong, I have not drank the kool aid, I know a statewide win for a Republican is a huge up-hill battle. But to start with an advantage shows Strickland may be able to rally Democrat votes if he has the resources to wage a campaign.
The poll was conducted June 11 – 13, 2006.
June 29th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Of all the statewide Democrat candidates, can you think of a better person to run against than an unknown elected official whose only experience is time spent raising your taxes?
June 30th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Unless I’ve forgotten some one, it’s been a long time since a Republican
was elected the State Controller, so ANY lead looks good to me.
How long ago was that last Controller win? It was so long ago that:
* Elvis was Alive
* Patty Davis was non-controversial.
* The 49ers had never won a Super Bowl.
* Jess Unruh was Speaker
* Tony Finchum was a pit boss at the Dunes
* All in the Family was a new hit TV show
* Gasoline was 38 cents a gallon … for Supreme.
That faraway year was 1970. The candidate was Houston Flournoy.
I hope Tony Strickland will end the 32-year era of Ken Cory (1974-
1986), Gray Davis (1986-94), Kathleen Connell (1994-2002) and
currently Steve Westly.
June 30th, 2006 at 12:00 am
Jim,
I wasn’t alive in 1970. You just dated yourself! I do wish I’d had the opportunity to see the old Dunes … old Vegas was “cooler” than New Vegas, although New Vegas is pretty amazing.
July 1st, 2006 at 12:00 am
Tony:
You owe it to yourself to get a copy of a 1952 Howard Hughes movie
called, “The Las Vegas Story”. It was shot on location, and will give
you really great period flavor. Check a poster of it here:
http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/MG/170665.jpg
It also features curvy beauty Jane Russell, [a Republican!] along with
macho man Victor Mature who battles Vincent Price for first dibbs on
Miss Russell’s time. Songwriter Hoagy Carmichael plays Jane’s best
friend and tinkles the piano.
OK, Joe Justin has the Bay Area rock scene down pat, but I’m the one
who can tell you Hoagy wrote, “Georgia on my Mind”, “Stardust” and
“Up a Lazy River”.