Tuesday, June 06, 2006
We Know Nothing!
Argh! In many cases local and state primary elections don't amount to much. Political heavyweights like Dianne Feinstein or Grey Davis mop the floor with their unknown, almost frivolous challengers. But this year is different. This year, the Westly-Angelides battle for governor may very well define the gubenatorial race against Schwarzenegger in November. And in California's 50th district, previously occupied by now convicted felon Duke Cunningham, Francine Busby and Brian Bilbray are 'duking' it out (pun certainly intended) for legitimate control of that Congressional seat.
And yet, noone is publishing exit polling; no campaign has any idea how things are going... I called Bilbray. I called Busby. I called Angelides. I called Westly. Noone knows. And may I say, its very frustrating. I know it can be difficult for Westly or Angelides to have pollsters all around the state, but the RNC just poured millions of dollars into the race for the CA-50 in the last week alone. Couldn't they have spared a thousand or two more to pay some exit pollsters. I am sitting on pins and needles here!
All we know is that there has been remarkably low turnout: about 38% of registered voters. I think this is probably a good thing. In a district where there is a 3-to-1 ratio of registered Republicans to registered Democrats, low turnout means that many of the voters who would normally turnout are disillusioned and aren't showing up. This, in turn, means that only the really vocal people are voting - and in all cases these tend to be the minority. When they're low turnout, it tends to advantage the underdog. But now I'm just grasping at straws. Someone tell me what's going on.
ARGH!!!
