So it’s time for my fall California general election endorsements, now that we are a mere twenty days away from the election day itself. Today I’ll blog the statewide offices; next week I’ll blog the propositions.
Governor: Peter Camejo, Green.
Lieutenant Governor: John Garamendi, Democrat
Attorney General: Jerry Brown, Democrat
Insurance Commissioner, Steve Poizner, Republican
Treasurer: Bill Lockyer, Democrat
Secretary of State: Bruce McPherson, Republican
Controller: John Chiang, Democrat
Some explanations are obviously in order.
I’m not voting for either Arnold Schwarzenegger or his Democratic challenger, Phil Angelides. I was disgusted by Angelides’ nasty primary campaign to the point that he lost my support. And if Arnold were truly a right-wing Republican, I would hold my nose and vote for Angelides regardless. But given that on the issues I care most about (the environment, animal rights, higher ed funding, women’s rights, gay rights) Arnold has been reasonably decent, I see no reason not to vote my conscience and cast a ballot for Peter Camejo of the Green Party. When I get around to it, I’m re-registering as a Green anyway.
As for the down ballot races, I’m endorsing two Republicans and four Democrats. The four Democrats I’m endorsing are all progressives running against staunch conservatives. In the races for Lieutenant Governor, Controller, Treasurer and Attorney General there are clear and obvious ideological divides between the two major party candidates. John Garamendi was my choice in the primary for Lieutenant Governor, and he’s running against a man I both admire and fear: the ueber-ideologue of the California right, Tom McClintock. McClintock is a man of impeccable personal integrity, straight-forward candor, and unyielding right-wing views. Most of my conservative friends wish he were running for the state’s top job, as most of them have been quite disappointed by Schwarzenegger’s tack to the left on a host of issues. Given that both McClintock and Garamendi have higher ambitions, it’s vital for liberals that we cut this dangerous (if honorable) foe off at the pass now.
I’m also a huge Jerry Brown fan. I’ve been a fan of his since I was seven years old. I wore a Brown for Governor pin in the fall of 1974, when he was younger than I am now and was the wunderkind of California politics. I’ve followed his story with fascination and a sense of kinship, as he has worked with Mother Theresa in Calcutta, spent time in Buddhist monasteries, and finally gotten married (for the first time) in his sixties. There are second and third and fourth acts in American politics, and Jerry Brown would make a magnificent attorney general.
As for the two Republicans I’ve endorsed, I’ve done so for different reasons. Unlike the other candidates from their party, McPherson and Poizner are environmentally-concerned social moderates. Indeed, McPherson (who represented my hometown of Carmel in the state senate for years) had the endorsement of the Sierra Club, something rarely given to any member of the GOP these days. He’s pro-choice, pro-gay rights, the sort of politician that the cave-dwelling troglodytes tend to call a RINO (Republican in Name Only). Though his Democratic opponent, Debra Bowen, is an excellent candidate as well, McPherson gets the nod from me based on his tremendous track record and for his willingness to consistently buck his own party.
On the other hand, the Democratic candidate for Insurance Commissioner, Cruz Bustamante, is a disaster. Reversing the stereotype, he is the one who has taken loads of money from the insurance industry, while Poizner has kept his distance from those he might soon be regulating. Poizner is a self-made Silicon Valley multi-millionaire with an inventive mind, an independent spirit, and progressive social views. Like McPherson, he represents the kind of Republican I’d like to see more of. He’s the kind of Republican my family supported throughout the twentieth century: socially liberal, fiscally conservative, committed to conservation as a basic principle of conservatism. By voting for McPherson and Poizner, while voting against the right-wing ideologues who are running for other offices, I’m suggesting we send a message about what kind of GOP candidates might be viable in our Golden State.
Well, I’m with you on Chiang. I can’t stand Angelides either, although I’m “supposed” to vote for him because he isn’t bending over for Big Business the way Schwartzenegger is.
On Chiang you’re with me, but not on Brown?
Don’t get me started about Brown.
Hugo:
I’d like to ask you to reconsider voting for Secretary McPherson.
Secretary McPherson is one of my favorite Republicans; he was my Assemblyman and Senator for many years, and I’ve voted for him in every election that I could, save only the first one (when he was an untried, unknown Republican running for a legislative seat in Santa Cruz). He’s done a fantastic job at everything he has undertaken as a public servant.
That said, the primary issue facing the Secretary of State is the integrity of the election process: both the actual risk to the integrity of our votes and the risk to the legitimacy of the system from a perception of risk to the integrity of our votes. The computerized voting systems currently being adopted simply *are not secure*, and McPherson doesn’t seem to get that; Debra Bowen does.
I will almost certainly be voting for Poizner. But I won’t be voting for McPherson, and urge you to reconsider your vote — whatever the benefit to be gained by supporting conservatives of his stripe, the risk of damage to the integrity of the voting process is too great to justify that benefit.
I will admit, aphrael, my support for McPherson has less to do with the office for which he runs and more to do with his tremendous record as that rarest of beasts, a genuinely progressive Republican. I’ll think about it.
And mythago, why not my old here, Jerry? You’re gonna vote for Poochigian??
Hugo: that you think about it is all I can ask. :) Thank you. :)
I have to look at the ballot and see who else is on it, Hugo. Brown may be the least awful of a bad lot, but no, I don’t want him as attorney general. I have this notion that it’s an office where one should have been a practicing, experienced attorney, rather than merely saying “Hey! Another public office, I’m in!”
I’m in a very conservative part of the state this week, but I wholeheartedly agree with the “Retire Jerry Brown” signs herebouts.
Also, what aphrael said. It pains me not to vote for McPherson for the very reasons you support him; but his stance on electronic voting is utterly unacceptable.
Hugo,
Ditto to the comments of Mythago regarding McPherson. I really don’t care how progressive he is as a Republican, he is way too cozy with Diebold and his utter failure to see how vulnerable these Republican owned machines are to hacking (it only takes 60 seconds!) makes him actually a dangerous man. I consider this Secretary of State race to be one of the most important in the country next week, because if we don’t get someone in there like Debra Bowen who is running with this issue front and center, the integrity of our election system is doomed. Please go to http://www.gizmodo.com/gadgets/gadgets/how-to-steal-an-election-with-a-diebold-machine-200693.php to view an excellent 10 minute video made by researchers at Princeton that demonstrates exactly how to hack one of the Diebold machines McPherson has not only approved without proper review, but has not problem with. I will be sending out emails to all my friends shortly regarding this race.
Please reconsider.
Thanks for listening.
I have reconsidered. With great reluctance, given my personal affection for McPherson, I will vote for Debra Bowen for this reason. Steve Poizner will be the one Republican for whom I cast my vote this year.