For Californians only: Phil or Steve?

[Clarkie1]

I ran this poll a month ago, and am interested to see if there is any change. I encourage comments from Steve Westley or Phil Angelides supporters as to why they think their candidate has a better chance of defeating Arnie in November.

Since the two candidates approach to taxes seems to be a defining difference now, I have included that in the poll. Remember...defeating Arnie is the #1 priority here.

[cally]

1. I'm supporting Angelides

but I think Westly may win. His ads were very well done and gave him a large bounce. I don't think Angelides are very good. Unfortunately, we tend to vote for the most telegenic candidate.

As an aside, I think Arnie will be very hard to beat. He's making some moves to distance himself from * and I think the voters will forget the special election fiasco.

[1932]

6. Westly barely sounds like a democrat. Stanford? Ebay millionaire?

Won't make the tax code more progressive?

Come on.

[Clarkie1]

19. Democrats can't go to Stanford and later become millionaires?

Where in the world did loony ideas like that come from?

[1932]

21. They can. But if they want people to vote for them at a time when

wealth is polarizing -- when it's leaving the hands of working people, and going into the hands of Standford's millionaire alums -- they should find better things to brag about in their commercials -- like, say, their records of helping working people.

(I can't believe I need to explain this to you.)

[Yoda Yada]

2. Senators Boxer and Feinstein are backing Angelides.

He's been involved in California politics for a long time and I think he would do a good job.

Steve Westley has tons of money (Angelides does not) and will probably win because of it. Maybe it will be different here, but usually....most money=most votes.

[yorgatron]

3. i'm ABAALATD myself

Anybody But Arnold As Long As They're Democratic

[Garbo 2004]

11. Angelides is "only" a multimillionaire. He's not exactly a pauper.

He's been involved in real estate development here in Sacto for a long time, as I recall. Land developers have had considerable influence in local politics and actions, not necessarily or always in the public interest IMO. (As a Sacto native and natural curmudgeon, developers are not among my favorite people. So that's my admitted built in bias.)

Westly has considerable more personal wealth, yes. But Angelides isn't exactly just a poor working stiff either. He's been very much involved in Dem politics for some time and no doubt has been generous in his time and money for the party and candidates/incumbents. From the party standpoint, Westly's the outsider it seems to me. No surprise to me that Feinstein and Boxer signed on for Angelides. I figure Angelides has the inside track as far as the party regs are concerned.

As far as the general public is concerned it seems to me neither Angelides or Westly are household names. Will Westly's own money make the difference in terms of TV advertising, etc. getting his name out there? I think the Dem pols' public support largely will go to Angelides. So there's that perhaps as a counterweight. Dunno.

At any rate, the leading candidates are wealthy, vastly beyond the level of the average working person.

[oustemnow]

4. Angelides, but only because

I think his daughters are pretty hot.

[Mz Pip]

5. ABA

Anybody but Arnold.

I like Angelides but would be fine with Westley.

Mz Pip
:dem:

[kineneb]

7. alive, liberal, and not Arnie

beyond that, don't care...just get the Pete Wilson clone out of Sacto. Heck, Henrietta would be better, and she is my pet chicken (and lots cuter than the Gropenator).

[JI7]

8. Phil Angelides easily

he would make a great Governor.

[shanti]

9. angelides is my choice

and has always been.

[FrenchieCat]

10. if it ain't an Arnold....

I'll take him!

[Warren DeMontague]

12. (singing) "Phil Angelides, Phil Angelides... I'm gonna vote for

Phil Angelides"

And in case anyone still hasn't seen it:

http://www.arnoldsneighborhood.com/index.html

[thatsrightimirish]

13. leaning towards westly

If Angelides runs a campaign like he is now he won't win. Westly has got the money to compete with arnold and if he runs a campaign like he is now, he may win. But hey, were all on the same team here!

[Clarkie1]

17. My union has endorsed Angelides, but that doesn't decide my vote.

I think the former Ebay executive has a good shot at it in this state, and he has progressive values. Angelides is going to be painted as a tax first and ask questions later free-spending liberal. That's not the kind of liberal that can beat Arnold.

Leaning towards Westley....

[lwin]

14. Phil is the man

Westly can't make up his mind if he wants to kiss Arnold's ass (like he has before) or kick it. Phil has been firmly in the "kick" column since day one.

[Hatalles]

15. Was iffy before but I'm siding with Westly.

I think he has the best shot against Arnold.

[Clarkie1]

16. I'm beginning to suspect that as well. Still undecided. n/t

[Clarkie1]

18. Update: I've decided to go with Westly: Sierra club endorsement put it

over the top for me, as protecting the environment is one of my top two issues (the other being education). Also, I think Westly has a better chance of winning in the Fall because he has not come out as Angelides has for increasing taxes, has more cash on hand, and seems to have more innovative ideas.

[1932]

I was hoping that people wouldn't be fooled into thinking being

pro-environment means you're a progressive, and they think harder about why unions are endorsing Angelides.

[1932]

22. double

post

[Pithy Cherub]

20. Angelides no question.

He's the liberal and progressive in the race. Westly is not.

[Coastie for Truth]

23. I am supporting Phil because Al Franken endorsed him