The Massachusetts senatorial elections sent waves of uncertainty to many incumbents across the country and California’s Barbara Boxer (D-CA) has watched her poll numbers drop and competitors pull within single digits.
“Any incumbent who polls below 50% at this point in the season is considered potentially vulnerable,” said Scott Rasmussen, president of Rasmussen Reports. “However, vulnerable incumbents still have the power of their office and still have a decent chance of winning. The Democratic leaning political gravity of California will certainly give Senator Boxer a boost in that effort.”
The longtime Democratic senator runs best right now against State Assemblyman Chuck Devore, beating him by six points, 46 percent to 40 percent. Two months ago, though, Boxer posted a 10-point lead on DeVore.
The fact that Boxer’s support is frozen at 46 percent against all GOP challengers suggest that the race, for now, is about her rather than those running against her. Boxer is viewed very favorably by 25 percent of California voters but very unfavorably by 34 percent.
“Regardless of the outcome this should be a gigantic wake-up call to the Democratic Party - that we're not connecting with the needs, the aspirations and the desires of real people right now," said San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom in a San Francisco Chronicle story.
However, what happened in Massachusetts doesn't predict what is going to happen in California in November, said Boxer campaign manager Rose Kapolczynski.
Looking back at the Scott Brown win, Kapolczynski believes DeVore’s conservative supporters will be encouraged. “If the national Tea Party movement is engaged that could dramatically change the Republican primary.”
Newsom says the Republican win in Massachusetts suggests “there's real intensity and fervor out there, as represented by the Tea Party activists expressing anger at government spending and at job losses. This is real. At our own peril, we dismiss these tea parties as some sort of isolated extremism. It's not.”
Perhaps more importantly, 55 percent of California voters rate the U.S. economy as poor, while just seven percent 7 percent think it’s good or excellent. Golden State voters remain divided when it comes to California’s economic recovery; 36 percent say it’s getter better, while 35 percent say it’s getting worse, according to a Rasmussen poll.
The conservative resurgence springing up the past year has awakened the GOP – moderate Republicans don’t sell, but conservatives do.
In a recent story from Commentary Magazine, J.E. Dyer, makes the argument for DeVore's Rasmussen poll numbers. “Boxer’s best margin was 46-40 showing against DeVore, but his is the interesting figure; with his name recognition lower than Carly Fiorina (another GOP in the primary) signifies that voters are likely turning away from Boxer.”
Dyer points to the real problem for Boxer is Obama's falling approval.
The party of big government that tried (and failed) to pass enormous legislation for health care and cap and trade did so without much support from middle-class America. Most believe the Obama Administration should have been focused on the economy and creating jobs.
“In my view, when people are earning, when their home is secure, when their children are going to school and they’re relatively satisfied with their life, then [when] there’s a problem like health care, they want it solved,” Diane Feinstein (D-CA) said in a Politico story. “It doesn’t threaten them. The size of this bill threatens them, and that’s one of the problems that has to be straightened out.”
National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokeswoman Amber Wilkerson Marchand said, “Evidently Dianne Feinstein understands that Massachusetts was a wake-up call for the Democrats, and Feinstein realizes that Californians don’t want a burdensome cap-and-tax bill or massive health care plan that has been crafted behind closed doors. So why has Feinstein’s California colleague, Barbara Boxer, failed to come to this same conclusion?”
Smelling blood in the water, NRSC is ramping up for what appears to be Boxer’s toughest re-election battle of her Senatorial career.
“Californians want Senators who will listen to them – not another partisan rubber stamp for Harry Reid and President Obama’s unpopular agenda in Washington,” Marchand concluded.
For more stories; http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-10317-San-Diego-County-Political-Buzz-Examiner
Comments
We have to defeat Barbara Boxer....Chuck DeVore is a true conservative and California needs his small goverment, lower taxes approach.
"Will California Senator Boxer be the next victim of angry voters?"
If they (the "angry voters")know what's really good for them the answer is a resounding YES!!!
I predict the next Boxer Rebellion.
The latest elite fiasco of Boxer is hold a Congressional meeting on the CA Central Vvalley water crises hosted by the MWD. The meeting is being held in LA, 200 miles from the affected area. The Democrats have 5 and the Republicans are allowed to have 1 witness.
Read much more in fifth article below list at biggovernment. “Obama to California…”
It is very disappointing that URLs and Links are not permitted to corroborate statements.
I do not agree with the article but I must say that information within this article in incorrect. Ms Dvorak used a portion of my email to DeVore grassroots supporters as part of her article. She changed information. MS Peters is NOT a staffer for the DeVore campaign. She helps me on the grassroots website.
Correction of MY OWN. I meant to say "I DO NOT DISAGREE WITH THE ARTICLE."
Ann, I am in complete agreement that you are not in complete disagreement with the agreeable parts of this article. Generally disagreement is presented more diagreeably than the agreeable tone of your communique. Agreed?
I see that Kimberly has corrected the article and it is most appreciated by Ms Peters. Thank you Kimberly
The "next victim of angry voters"? Please. If--check that--When Boxer loses, it will be because she's default radical and dumber than a box of hammers. In good times, we can afford idiots like Boxer (although we shouldn't). In times like these, not so much. Ma'am is an acute embarrassment (one of many) to California and it's way past time to dump her.
Both parties are corrupt, Focus on issues!!!
No way is Boxer going to get my vote. Her phones were turned off....no town hall mtgs...she had a book signing instead. Wrote the bill for cap and trade w/Waxman..dead in the water. Voted for the health care bill...Bribed Nelson on behalf of Reids request..was successful. Giving Nelson free medicaid for Nebraska puts a burden on California. Do not vote for Boxer.
"Will California Senator Boxer be the next victim of angry voters? " FINGERS CROSSED!
I can't believe Senator Boxer is going to vote against Ben Bernanke's reconfirmation. My IRA has taked a huge hit since she said this, and we don't need to make The Recession worse.
I sure hope Boxer is out. Obama MIGHT end up being the spark that actually makes this a better nation by helping us get rid of the liberal loons.
The California primaries have yet to be held, so it's a little early to write Senator Boxer off just yet. Angry anti-incumbent voters are for the most part conservative republiclown voters aka tea baggers. On the left the voter discontent is that the Democrats have not been progressive enough. Absent a popular charismatic movie stars jumping into the race get used to saying Senator Barbara Boxer for another six years.
People have a right to be angry... but the blame needs to find those responsible for the problems of this state and this country, not the victims of it. Senator Boxer has been a champion of the people, the environment, womans rights, gay rights and fighting back the assault of the corporations on the people, the middle class, the blue and white collar workers. The anger needs to be directed at those who crashed the economy... the corporations and the corporatists that do their bidding. Corporations hide their income from taxation moving the burden to the middle class, they send American jobs overseas, move manufacturing, customer support, accounting and other support jobs to people who dont do it well and wont be putting their incomes back into driving the US economy. Corporatists have held US wages low, while giving executives mind blowing wages. Corporatists deregulate industries like Oil and energy leading to runaway pricing and environmental disaster. They deregulate insurance companies allowing them to break our heathcare, throw people off the rolls and reward their executives with the savings. Wall street who gambled with our money... paid themselves for short term success and then paid themselves again for long term failure. Barbara Boxer is a champion of the people and needs the support of the people to fight back corporate attacks on we the people.
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