The 2010 California Republican Primary for U.S. Senate Leaves Much to Be Desired for Conservatives

Tustin, California -- The 2010 California Republican primary race for U.S. Senate has five Republicans vying to replace Democrat Barbara Boxer. Only three of the candidates are polling with enough strength to have a shot at the nomination, so this analysis will cover those three. The current frontrunners, according to Real Clear Politics, are Tom Campbell, Carly Fiorina and Chuck DeVore. As a conservative, two of the "best" choices inspire no confidence in their ability to be anything but Barbara Boxer Jr. The third has little chance of winning.

Tom Campbell

Tom Campbell is the current leader and a career politician who most polls show is in a statistical tie with Boxer. While he is possibly the best chance Republicans have of beating Boxer, he is also the best chance to replace Boxer with what conservatives would call a RINO, or Republican In Name Only. Campbell is the only candidate in the Republican Senate primary to refuse to take the "no tax" pledge and once proposed a $0.32 per gallon tax increase in a state which already has the worst tax climate in the country. He has come out in favor of gay marriage, gun control, and so-called campaign finance reform. By any measure, the best chance to beat Barbara Boxer is easily the worst choice to roll back expensive, expansive, and intrusive government.

Carly Fiorina

Carly Fiorina is a businesswoman who has held executive positions at Hewlett-Packard and AT&T. Oddly, she actually bears a passing resemblance to Boxer. She was an economic adviser to John McCain's presidential campaign, which is a red flag to any conservative. She sounds conservative on some issues like gay marriage and abortion, and yet, while she criticized the cap-and-trade plan proposed by Boxer, she endorsed a similar plan proposed by McCain. On her own campaign site, she put energy under the "Energy and the Environment" label much the same way liberals do. Fiorina supports border security and guest worker reforms, but says nothing about deporting the illegal immigrants already here. Not a good sign at all.

Chuck DeVore

Chuck DeVore is a California state assemblyman and retired Army Reserve Lt. colonel. Widely acclaimed by veterans' groups, DeVore is the only candidate of the three who appears strongly conservative on all fronts. His energy policy embraces nuclear power and oil drilling. He is a staunch backer of gun rights, marriage, limited government and secure borders. A former Reagan Pentagon appointee, DeVore is easily the most conservative Republican primary candidate; naturally he is a distant third in most polls.

The Lesser of Two Evils

It's difficult for conservatives in California, and especially those in the Tea Party movement, to have any enthusiasm for Republican primary races for any office. The party favorites and frontrunners refuse to stand for our values and instead choose to pander to special interest politics just as liberals like Barbara Boxer do.

Most, myself included, will vote for DeVore and watch him lose. This is the usual result for real conservatives in California. The sad part is that even our own party is no comfort for us. Perhaps we will hold our noses and vote for Campbell or Fiorina, the likely primary winners, and perhaps not.

If either manages to beat Barbara Boxer in November, conservatives can't really count on them to solidly oppose the policies of President Obama.

Sources:

Official List of Certified Candidates, California Secretary of State

2010 California Senate Race, Real Clear Politics

Jwhoward, Tom Campbell Is No Conservative, RedState

Carly Fiorina For California, CarlyforCalifornia.com

Chuck DeVore For U.S. Senate, Chuck DeVore For U.S. Senate 2010

Campbell for U.S. Senate, Welcome to Campbell for U.S. Senate