McCain campaigns in Modesto and Sacramento, Calif.; says Calif. will not be conceded in November 2008
The NBC affiliate on the Central California coast - KSBW Salinas - reported on Senator McCain’s appearances in Sacramento and Modesto earlier today.
McCain asserted that he - and presumably any Republican nominee - would not concede California in a general election, a viewpoint echoed by Rudy Giuliani later in the article:
“California will be in play,” said McCain, R-Ariz. “No Republican can ignore the state of California in a general election. It’s one-fifth of the nation’s gross national product, it’s diverse and to do so would be not only unfortunate, but inappropriate given the role that California plays in the affairs of this nation.”…
Meanwhile, Giuliani said Sunday that California failed to receive much attention in recent presidential elections because Democrats took it for granted and Republicans felt they had no chance.
While Republicans would love for the richest lode of electoral votes to be within reach in 2008, it seems unlikely.
In 2000, Al Gore won the state over George W. Bush by 13%; Bush improved his numbers against John F. Kerry four years later, but still lost by just under 10% statewide. Given the enormous expense of contesting California - in terms of money, campaign staff, and the candidate’s time - it would seem counterintuitive that the 2008 nominee would waste those resources there. While you never know in politics, it seems more realistic to speculate that with California having moved up its primary
to February 5, California Republicans will have the solace of having more influence on choosing the nominee. And they still get to vote with their dollars, with California’s wealth influencing the “money primary” more than any other state.
The article concluded with the note that Senator McCain has raised just over $1.5 million in California thus far (i.e., the first quarter reports that were made public after March 31).
It did helpfully provide context:
The latest campaign finance numbers show Californians have already donated more than $20 million to 2008 hopefuls, more than any other state in the nation. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., has raised more than $5 million in the Golden State, making her the fundraising leader. She is trailed by Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., Mitt Romney, Giuliani and John Edwards.
You can read the entire story here.
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