California Governor 2010: New Field Poll – Things Look Bad For Newsom, Not So Bad for Feinstein,Villaraigosa
November 12, 2008 by Johnny California
Filed under 2009 mayor election
Field Poll released results of a survey about the 2010 governor’s race. Even though Lt. Gov John Garamendi is the only one who officially announced his candidacy, the other people about whom the poll inquired are “likely candidates.”
The results showed that among Democrats, Sen. Feinstein had the highest favorable rating with 70%. But that number is a bit misleading since Sen. Di-Fi was the only name in the survey that Dem voters really recognized.
The question that the poll asked was whether someone had a favorable or unfavorable opinion of the candidate. We wonder what Di-Fi’s numbers would be if the question was “Would you vote for Di-Fi knowing that she’ll be 77 years old on inauguration day.” Yeah, we know they’d have to ask it more scientific-like, but you get the idea. We respect Di-Fi, but 77 is too old to start your term as Governor of California.
Then there’s the Gavin Newsom problem. Mayor Newsom only had a 38% favorable rating among Dems and a 7% favorable among Republicans. Newsom and Di-Fi both had a 71% unfavorable with Republicans, which surprised us considering that Republicans have had decades to build up disdain for Feinstein whereas Newsom invoked their rage in a few short years (we think that whole “whether-ya-like-it-or-not” thing probably had something to do with it…just a guess).
What’s also interesting is that once you take into account the fact that people recognized Jerry Brown’s name more than Antonio Villaraigosa, the two potential candidates had surprisingly close favorable and unfavorable. Check this out:
Among all voters, Brown has 34% favorable/32% “No Opinion” and Villaraigosa has 28% favorable/39% “No Opinion.” Both had 21% unfavorable among Dems and almost exactly the same numbers among “Non Partisans” (32%33% Favorable, 25%/24%unfavorable, 43%/43% No Opinion).
We have issues with Jerry Brown, but there’s denying that he’s a dedicated public servant who is a lifelong student of California government, that counts for a lot in our book. We’re still trying to figure out what Villraigosa has done as L.A. Mayor. What we do know is that Mayor Villaraigosa has used his office as a way to get on the national stage, first as Hillary’s National Co-Chair and now he’s shoehorning his way into Obama-transition photo ops. Yuk.
The other two Dems have serious name recognition problems: State Superintendent of Schools and No-On-8 commercial star Jack O’Connell registered a 74% “No Opinion” and Lt. Gov John Garamendi clocked in with a 53% “No Opinion”. It’s understandable that nobody knows who O’Connell is but Garamendi has been on the scene for the past billion years, that does not bode well.
Our concern is this: Di-Fi is too divisive among Republicans and flat out too old. Newsom is not only too divisive but, as we’ve pointed out before,will be ditched by organized labor and the mainstream wing of the CalDems. O’connell is an unknown and being the schools chief is a serious liability. Garamendi strikes us as the Bill Richardson of the governor’s race, a guy you want in the back room doing the nuts and bolts work, but missing the spark to be at the top of the ticket.
That leaves Jerry Brown and Villaraigosa. Brown may have way too much baggage and he’ll be 72 by the time the race rolls around. Villaraigosa is young, handsome, sounds good, and may be able to garner high-profile national support, plus the Latino vote. We have a baaad feeling about this….
On the Republican side, Ex-Ebay CEO Meg Whitman, former Congressman and State Controller Tom Campbell, and Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner all had serious name recognition problems. Whitman clocked in with a 67% “No Opinion”, Campbell with 73% “No Opinion” and Poizner with 76% “No Opinion”.
These numbers are meaningless since it’s so early, but if we had to put a nickel on it, we’d say Whitman, should she run, will be the Republican candidate. She’s a pragmatic social moderate and will likely run as a continuation of Schwarzenegger (she just hired Steve Schmidt, the McCain strategist who also ran Arnold’s 2006 re-election campaign).
But again, these numbers are just a snapshot of where we stand now…lots will change.
Just a note to say “thanks” — know it’s early but oooh, so INTERESTING. I’m from SF and live here and even went to Gavin’s alma mater (long before him) . LIKED him as a Supervisor, but he’s been such a ridiculous embarrassment as Mayor. I don’t know anyone who likes him (and my friend are NOT Republicans..!) He’s just…too lightweight and too oily. any man who can’t figure out a better hairdo doesn’t deserve a vote. haha.
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California Governor – 2010.
I announce my candidacy for Governor of California – 2010. I am a moral voice of change, hope and destined for greatness.
What is critical to human progress is vision — seeing a future that is achievable and worth attaining. “Without a vision and sound judgment, people perish”. California’s political change is long overdue. And this is our moment to bring that change, to restore hope and reclaim our Golden state for ourselves and our emerging generations.
The issues affecting us today demands that the next Governor should be a person of high integrity, wise, and a bold decision maker.
Our economy must thrive, our schools and teachers must excel, and our health care and environmental systems must work. We cannot continue to have the same style of leadership in Sacramento and expect different results. It is time to break the cycle of failed policies and politics. A Governor must be a visionary endowed with fresh ideologies. I believe issues that unite us are far greater than issues that divide us. Here are issues I am passionate about and will implement when I am elected Governor:
1. Integrity – the Governor should lead by example. The way he carries himself in private, and how he treats others. Asserting the Golden rule at all decision making process. The immediate result of following the Golden Rule is that the Governor will be treating other people very, very well. In fact, as he would like them to be treating him. “And as you wish that men would do to you, do so to them.” I have personally practiced this rule since my debut into politics in 1979 and during my tenure as a Graduate student president in 1984.
2. Moral, virtue and family values – I am married to one wife for 33 years. My wife and I have raised three biological great kids and are now raising almost 200 orphans and a full-time staff of 30, providing them with a home, food, education, clothing, health and igniting an unstoppable hope and destiny. Giving them an opportunity for better and responsible citizenry. A Governor ought to rule his house well before he can aspire for public office. Wise Solomon said “when the righteous rule, people rejoice and when the wicked are in authority, people mourn” This is our time to turn the page.
3. Economy – Ending economic instability requires a true break with the status quo. It will not happen in the course of “business as usual.” My plan is to unite the leaders in Sacramento so that we can have a simple majority rule to pass the budget. Partisanship politics should be a thing of the past. I have no intention to raise taxes. They are already way up too high. I have a giving back plan to be rolled out at the right moment. California should attract businesses that emigrated in the past few years to return, and existing businesses even to perform better. This will boost the creation of new jobs.
4. Education – Silicon Valley is a great example of what our golden state is capable of producing. Our high institutions of learning should be well equipped to carry out research that will advance modern technological and social changes in every sector of learning. We’re experiencing cutbacks in almost every department and eventually affecting teaching profession and trickling down to students’ performance. As Governor, I will employ a team of technocrats and professionals to change the system. Teachers should be paid well and every effort made to motivate and retain them on the job. No child left behind policy should be re-evaluated and updated to effectively impact on our future generations. College students should have sufficient grants to keep them focused more in their studies rather than have them work two or three job-shifts. Many have snoozed and died on the wheel working multiple shifts.
5. Environment – We should harness the sun and the wind to produce sufficient energy to run our vehicles and industries. And we have plenty of both here in our golden state. We should reserve and recycle all that water that runs to the Pacific from rainfall and our snow-capped mountains and utilize it to run our technology. Southern California fire season can be a thing of the past if we can use this water to plant trees that will in turn bring rainfalls to change our dry landscape into forests and run arsonists out of business.
6. Health – every citizen should have access to affordable and reliable health care. I will guarantee affordable, accessible health care coverage for all Californians. More so for our senior citizens should enjoy their golden years in our golden state peacefully. I wholeheartedly support and would adopt Obama health-care plan.
7. Immigration – to solve the challenges we are facing in California on immigration issues, I will pursue genuine solutions daily. I will be committed to ensure that immigrants are accorded the same respect and legal status like every one who have come here to seek an opportunity to better their lives. And quoting President Obama “they have come here for the same reason that families have always come here–for the hope that in America, they could build a better life for themselves and their families.” Legal residency for all immigrants shall be my priority.
My sincere Appeal: Your Prayers first, financial support, Your Vote, mobilizing others to vote for the moral voice of Change, a Voice of Hope – Our Destiny to Greatness. A win for Dr. Symmon is a win for us all. Thank you for your support.
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I (any name on this list) also announce my candidacy for governor. I promise to give public employee unions anything they ask for, I will borrow and spend as much money as possible until people stop lending California money, I will support any social programs that are popular around the time of the election, and I will spend my time in office doing enough favors for people to earn me enough money to run again. I also look good shaking hands with people.
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Jerry Brown was a horrible governor before, Feinstein is a Republican in disguise and Villaraigosa is loaded with tatoos that shows his affiliations with the wrong people. Why are we discussing any of these three? At the top of this discussion California is never going to elect a man from Kenya, who is a pastor that is just as worse as the others mentioned who is trying to act as though he is an Obama. This is ridiculous conversation.
If the Democrats want to look more serious in this election we only have one alternative to the front runner Mr. Brown and that would be Ms Bukewihge who is the most credible runner in the election. She is on track as far as I am concerned and wants to bring jobs to the state and will move out the illegal aliens and force them to come into our state correctly. As a Mexican American myself I am for Ms Bukewihge, she is proving herself, though I wish she would be a bit less strong in her language on this subject to show that she is more inclined to help everyone and she has my vote, then again, her passion for the state is good, she is probably a person that just has a strong way in talking and needs a speech writer. I like her nonetheless.
My husband and self are going to support Ms Bukewihge, because she talks about eliminating santuary cities and will help undocumented persons to enter California with transition centers. Hopefully she explains more how her transition centers will work as she moves forward in her campaign. No one wants to be undocumented, most are not willing to document themselves because there are no real sources that make this a simple process.
Feel free to comment, no yelling and screaming though, I am just stating what I feel in regards to the article.
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