It is not a big surprise, really, that Congressman Crazy Uncle Ron Paul won the California Republican party straw poll at its twice a year confab in Los Angeles yesterday.
Part of the reason is that Crazy Uncle Ron at least showed up and spoke to the statewide convention crowd.
And the other reason is that there is still a strong libertarian stream of the California Republican party that has some strong influence at events like this.
But the real story is the performance of the second place finisher, Texas governor Rick Perry. Gov. Perry came in at 29% to Crazy Uncle Ron's 45%. And between those two, the rest were left in the dust in single digits.
One of those, the only other major candidate to address the convention, Congressman Michele Bachmann finished a distant fourth pulling in 8%.
The real problem is that no one else besides Crazy Uncle Ron and Congressman Bachmann bothered to show up. The largest state in the nation and no serious Republican presidential candidate bothered to show up at the semi-annual convention.
Would it really have hurt any these candidates to take one day out of their schedule to fire up the troops? To breathe some life in this moribund statewide Republican party?
Of course not. But trust me, these candidates will be here soon asking for money for their campaigns. And they will do nothing to get the California Republican party fired up for the 2012 election.
As I have noted, yes the state Republican party took a beating in the last election cycle. It is not an excuse, but a reality. While the Republicans were scoring win after win all over the rest of the United States, we got our clocks cleaned by Democrat retreads. The three words why this happened? Gov. Benedict Arnold.
But, he is gone and the party has to stop naval-gazing. It needs the leadership on down to say that we are back in business and will fight for every vote statewide.
But that means presidential candidates can not keep ignoring the once Golden State except for campaign cash.
These guys and gals have to come here now. And yes, often. Because I really believe that this is a year the GOP can actually win in California. The stars are lining up in a way we have not seen in many a moon. Democrat office holders from the Dear Leader, President Obama, down to Sen. Dianne Feinstein are tanking. "Confidence" in government is at historic lows. People are looking for a change.
The next California Republican party confab has to be more than what we just saw. We have to see Gov. Perry, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, and even the also-rans here to get this state's party back from the brink. What more than a presidential election year? One that shows the Democrat incumbent on the ropes?
Crazy Uncle Ron Paul won the California Republican party straw poll in large part because he showed up. When will the other candidates show up?
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