enters its final days, according to this in The Times of Los Angeles:
Battered by a wave of negative advertising, Richard Riordan has fallen from the lead and now runs dead even with Bill Simon Jr. as the Republican race for governor enters its final week, according to a Los Angeles Times poll.
Gray Davis did everything but hand the keys to the corner office to the Republicans on a silver platter, what with blowing the energy crisis, alienating the legislature, and spending more time raising money than appointing people to vacant spots on state boards and commissions. The Republican response was to throw a hugely damaging three-way hissy fit, from which a political amateur, Bill Simon, is about to emerge with a staunch pro-life agenda that will get him about 27% of the votes in November.
Republicans can kiss political relevance good-bye if this dude wins on March 5, and now that he’s got Rudy Giuliani campaigning for him, he probably will.
As a matter of fact, Simon has said he won’t be emphasizing his pro-life views. I can’t say I’m sorry that he might overtake Riordan. Were Riordan to be nominated, I’d have to sit the election out, because I will never, ever, *ever* again vote for a politician who supports gun control. Never.
I know. That means I sit out a lot of races here in California.