For Latinos, Recall Is a Rare Opportunity (Favor Bustamante)

[kskiska]

DELANO, Calif. -- In this farm town and others along Highway 99 in California's vast Central Valley, they say his name as if it were a political battle cry.

"Bustamante!" exclaimed Maria Munoz outside the travel agency where she works. "He is the only one to vote for, no one else. He thinks like us."

Lt. Gov. Cruz M. Bustamante, the only prominent Democrat on California's epic recall ballot, and a native son of this heartland where Mexican immigrants have long toiled in the fields, soon could become the state's first Latino governor in more than 125 years.

"It's a chance that we've never experienced before," said Victor Moheno, a lawyer in nearby Visalia. "We've never been this close."

At the same time, they face a quandary. Polls show Latinos evenly split on whether to recall Gov. Gray Davis (D). Some feel the recall is unfair and say they will vote to keep Davis in office, even if it means losing their best chance yet to elect a Latino governor. Others so badly want Bustamante that they plan to vote to dump Davis and vote for him. But that brings a risk of electing actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who, new polls suggest, is the leading candidate to replace Davis, running ahead of Bustamante.

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A19519-2003Sep29.html

[mitchtv]

1. the origional plan was No Democrats

but that was overridden I'm beginning to think the idea was not the best one

[Democat]

7. I was a supporter of Cruz getting into the race

I wonder now if it was the right decision. We will know very soon.

[neuvocat]

2. I think this will make the difference.

The latino voters came out in droves against 187 and 209 and were recognized as a major voting block afterwards. They just may carry Bustamente' after all.

[pippin]

4. bet the polls didn't incude the folks

along Highway 99 in California's vast Central Valley.

[Piperay]

11. Yes but that didn't help

to defeat those iniatives. I am mentally preparing for the worst...Governor Groper. :puke: :puke: :puke:

[neuvocat]

21. Actually it did.

There were scores of groups who sued and got the nastier provisions of both of them after they were approved in the polls.

We actually have pro 54 on the ballot now in a repeat of what happened before though. Still, I'm doubtful it will get anywhere even if it were to be voted in.

[oasis]

3. Arnie is in for a big surprise.

:-)

[CMT]

5. the latino vote for Bustamante if it materializes

may be our only hope.

[realFedUp]

17. I'm hoping the Indians are organized also...

Well, if nothing else, this has energized and organized Dems
for next year.

[farmboxer]

6. What About The Republican Manufactured And Programmed

voting machines? It appears as if the Republicans might be planning on another fixed election?

[Robin Hood]

8. How many latinos did they poll in that gallup poll?

i bet none. Did they have bi-lingual pollsters to deal with the language issue? I doubt it. That poll is off, all bets are off.

[PATRICK]

16. they mentioned a split

of even the Latino votes but the poll was skewed under the presumption of a heavier GOP turnout. GOP Latinos probably would hate McClintock.

[Piperay]

9. Over the weekend I drove through the Central Valley

further up than Delano and I have never seen so many McClintock signs. :-( Around my area (Los Angeles suburbs) I see arnie signs (bad enough) the central valley is one of the last repuke strongholds. I guess that there is support for Bustamante but I was discouraged to see so much for a RWinger like McClintock. :argh: :-( I'm not optimistic at all about the Democrats keeping the governorship here, those repuke theives are going to steal another election.:cry:

[Robin Hood]

10. No, the McClintock signs are good.

just more to take away from Arnie.

[Piperay]

12. Yeah, that's right

I guess I was paniced about all those signs, whew. Thanks for the reminder. :-)

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

13. And we will have Bustamante to thank if it goes through

The main reason these people will vote YES on the recall is that HIS PEOPLE told them to. If Cruz loses this race it is because it was HIS to lose.

That's why THOSE OF US who favored NO Dem in the race were adamant about it in the beginning.

Cruz's own thirst for power at the expense of his party may very well cost us the governor's office.

[Le Taz Hot]

14. The McClintock signs

are put up by the ranchers and big-mone corporate farmers, who have always supported Republicans. If you had taken the time to actually go INTO one of the cities, (I know, perish the thought) you would have seen Bustamonte signs, "No on Recall" signs and "No on 54" signs. And if you would have gone INTO one of those towns, I could have taken you to the union halls and into private homes where people are feverishly phone banking 7 days a week, 14 hours a day AND walking precincts -- as they have been for the last two month -- all VOLUNTEERING their time. But, I suppose they don't matter since they're not the ones who own prime farmland off 99.

It would be nice if just ONCE Southern California and Bay Area people didn't judge 2 million people by a few right-wing ranchers and Free Republic -- whose membership INCLUDES people from all over the country, INCLUDING people from Southern California and the Bay Area. Just a thought.

[Piperay]

18. I DID go into the

town, I also went into Bakersfield and Visalia, where I was visiting relatives (who are RWingers). Sometimes I wish others wouldn't make assumptions about those of us in the cities of the North and South assuming that Central Valley is just some drive through for us. I actually have a lot of family scattered all over CA especially central CA.

[Le Taz Hot]

22. For the record, I was born and raised in L.A.

and I know EXACTLY what assumptions are made about people from the Valley. I hear it all the time. Just a few days ago a DUer from up north pronounced that Fresno is "ugly." A subsequent poster pronounced that any city with an organization like Free Republic has to be full of ugly people.

Bakersfield IS mostly Republican but there are a lot of hard-working Democrats there as well. Visalia is conservative as well, though less so than Bakersfield. My point was that the signs you mentioned are mostly on 99. Here in Fresno I see Bustamante signs, "No on Recall" signs and "No on 54" signs and bumper stickers everywhere.

Once again, judging 2 million people based on a few signs displayed on prime farmland is NOT representative of an ENTIRE population.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

19. Yeah and you poor folks have those FOCUS ON FAMILY morons out there

who think billboards with inspiring right wing religious messages will help the poor.

I feel for ya Taz! :hi:

[David__77]

20. Bakersfield, Delano turnout.

I was pretty shocked by the extremely low turnout in Latino and Democratic areas of east Bakersfield and Delano and the like last fall. It nearly cost Nicole Parra her assembly race in what should have been an easy race. I really, really hope that the central valley turns out for Bustamante and for no recall. I know there is enthusiasm. I just hope that the people who are supporting Bustamante are also voting against the recall. I hope they realize the danger of opening the door to the racist right.

[Le Taz Hot]

23. I can't speak for Delano and Bakersfield

as I'm farther north. I can tell you we've had several Bustamante rallies here in Fresno and surrounding areas and ALL were VERY well attended -- from 500 to 2,000 people. We've signed up HUNDREDS of new voters and have taken in probably 100+ new volunteers who were put to work immediately walking precincts or working phone trees.

The dynamics are MUCH different from last fall.

[Le Taz Hot]

15. California Latinos MAY just pull us out of this mess.

More good news on this -- last I heard Latino voter registration was up 300% in "ugly Fresno" and the rest of the San Joaquin Valley. I'm not sure how the outreach and cooperation is going in the more populated areas of the state. This is a demographic that generally has a low voter turnout. That won't be the case this time. And . . . all those alliances our local Dems have made will be invaluable for ALL Democrats in the General Election.