2005 election roundup

Back in June, I wrote this about Arnold's slate of legislative initiatives:

I have to say that [I] think Schwarzenegger is going to go down in flames. California Democrats are up in arms and looking to channel their anti-Bush rage. He's going to be the fall guy.

And that prediction, at least, came true:

In a stinging rebuke from voters who elected him two years ago, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's efforts to reshape state government were rejected during a special election that darkened his prospects for a second term.

Congratulations to the people of California for rejecting all eight propositions on the ballot. The initiative process is a disaster. Let's hope this dissuades people from abusing it.

I'm also excited to see that Tim Kaine won the governor's race in Virginia, both because I have a friend who worked on the campaign and because it signals that a Democrat can successfully talk about religion and win in a red state. That's an important step toward making sure both parties represent people of faith.

Update 11/9: Via Dan Froomkin, the AP's Ron Fournier is brutal:

Iraq, Katrina, CIA leak, Harriet Miers. Things couldn't possibly get any worse for President Bush. Wait, they just did.

Bush put his wispy political prestige on the line in the Virginia governor's race and lost Tuesday when the candidate he embraced in a last-minute campaign stop was soundly defeated. While there are many reasons for Jerry Kilgore's defeat, chief among them his poor campaign, giddy Democrats said the Virginia race as well as a Democratic victory in New Jersey prove that Bush is a political toxin for Republicans.

Update 11/9: See Amy Sullivan's post at WashingtonMonthly.com for more on the role of religion in Kaine's campaign.

Comments

[Brendan backer]

Brendan, you don't know what you are talking about. How could you know that props 75 and 77 were all about? You don't live in California so you don't care that legislators from both parties draw districts to protect themselves. For this reason, NO ONE LOST during the last election. No competition means disconnect with the voters which means the only bill that gets past is one that outlaws Viagra for inmates. Sounds like CA legislators are in touch with their constituents, eh?

If you don't think public employees unions are in charge of the state capital, you are living in France where they have a "youth" problem.

Also, every major left-leaning paper (e.g., SF Chronicle, LA Times, Sacramento Bee) in CA was FOR props 75 and 77. So was every right-leaning paper. The people here are just stupid and/or don't care anymore.

Case-in-point: a smart co-worker (patent attorney) voted "no" on all of them. Why? "I didn't read them I just thought voting no would mean the status quo [insert bid duh here]. I don't trust politicians." People here are stupid, even the smart ones.