George Will: Republican Disarray in California (CA-50 race)

[brooklynite]

SAN DIEGO -- The baroque process of picking a replacement for jailed Republican former representative Randy "Duke" Cunningham has made California's 50th Congressional District inscrutable. It will be deciphered by the evening of June 6.

On April 11 the district voted on 18 candidates -- 14 of them Republicans. If one had received more than 50 percent, he or she would have Cunningham's seat, at least until this November's election. Democrat Francine Busby, 55, a women's studies lecturer who in 2004 won 36 percent running against Cunningham, finished first, but with only 43.7 percent, about what Bill Clinton, Al Gore and John Kerry won in the 50th in 1996, 2000 and 2004 -- 45, 43 and 44 percent, respectively. So Republicans heaved sighs of relief, thinking the seat is safe. They sighed prematurely.

On June 6 Busby faces Brian Bilbray, 55, who led all Republicans on April 11. The 14 Republicans won 53.5 percent of the vote, but Bilbray -- who from 1995 to 2001 represented the neighboring 49th District -- won just 15.3 percent. And Eric Roach, 43, a wealthy, self-financing candidate, won 14.5 percent.

But June 6 is California's primary day. While the 50th will elect either Busby or Bilbray to a six-month term, Democratic voters also will nominate Busby to be on the November ballot seeking a full term. Republicans, picking their November nominee from among 10 of the 14 Republicans who were on the April 11 ballot , might nominate not Bilbray but Roach, if Roach campaigns for the June 6 nomination.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/26/AR2006042602385.html

[ronnykmarshall]

1. I love this

You'd think that Roach would have dropped out and threw his support to Bilbray. Tee-hee.

I'm praying that Francine Busby wins the "short term" seat. This would give her a big boast for the November election.