Blogosphere Reaction To 48th CD Results

Here are some reactions from the blogosphere to the results of yesterday's 48th CD special election:

Hugh Hewitt:

Here are the vote totals.

Compare tonight's vote with the special election primary vote.

Then look at the general election from 2004, where Chris Cox rolled up 189,004 votes, and his opponent John Graham (a friend of mine and a very smart guy whom the Dems would have been wise to run again this time) tallied 93,525 votes.

What to conclude? Despite massive media attention and around-the-clock boosterism from local radio flaks and know-nothings John & Ken, the candidacy of anti-illegal immigration single issue candidate Jim Gilchrist could only muster 23,237 votes --less than one third of the Graham vote in November of 2004. No "Minuteman" candidate will ever have more favorable conditions than this special election, and still the Minuteman candidate failed miserably. As will a Congressman Tancredo if he mounts a "run" for the presidency.

Read the rest of Hugh's post here.

Jon Fleischman at FlashReport.org:

All of the 'spin' on this race is that somehow the results, one way or another, would send some sort of national message on immigration reform issues.  I would submit to you that both Campbell and Gilchrist were running to the far-right on this particular issue - so I guess the news is that over 70% of voters in this special election cast their ballot for a candidate that wants a much stronger policy against illegal immigrants, both at the border as well as those currently residing in the U.S.

Read the rest of Jon's commentary here.

Allan Bartlett at Powder Blue Report:

Tonight there was a message sent to President George W Bush and the open border GOP establishment. Any immigration bill with "guest worker", undocumented worker, day laborer or any any other semantical form of amnesty is DOA, end of story. A band of rag tag but dedicated Jim Gilchrist volunteers beat the Orange County GOP's vaunted election day GOTV operation and what do I read on places like OC Blog and others.......pure arrogance from the establishment GOP consultants/hacks. Try being a little more humble. Your open border lapdog new Congressman just got held to a whopping 44% of the vote and it's apt to go down further when all the outstanding votes are counted. I think I'm going to take a page out of Jim Rome's playbook and gloss(that's short for glossary) John Campbell.....John "44%" Campbell. It really was an amazing night.

The rest of Allan's musings here.

You can visit this Technorati search for a sampling of reaction by various and sundry blogs.

Comments

[Phil Paule]

Allan
75% of the voters in the 48th rejected Jim Gilchrist. Allan, you would have been a better candidate then Gilchrist.

[Allan Bartlett]

It really is good spin Phil, but you still haven't answered the question of how John Campbell could lose the election day vote to both Jim Gilchrist and Steve Young. What the hell is that all about? The job of the county party is to get the vote out in all elections. Scott Baugh has failed miserably. He is the captain of the ship.

Powder Blue Report

[48th constituent]

John and Ken are a couple of blathering, self serving ego-maniacs that spent the afternoon bashing a well respected elected official because thier feelings were hurt. I say get over yourselves Jon and Ken. Your whiny rants are nothing short of loud and irritating. Campbell is no David Drier and they know that. Campbell is my congressman and I am proud to have him in DC to represent me. If J&K wish to spend their time trying to create a movement against Campbell, I say good luck. He is the Republican choice in a Republican district. This is not a swing District like Drier's. The fanatical rants of J&K have hit an all time high (or low depending on perspective). Get over yourselves or you just might loose your appeal. As for me, the radio dial has already been adjusted.

[JozefColomy]

Wow Alan, have you been sippin' on the Courvoisier-KoolAid? First of all, to be technical, it was closer to 45% than 44%. Not to mention that Jim Gilchrist took THIRD PLACE. He is a LOSER. His wacky National Socialist (please, be mature, I don't mean genocide) ideas about borders are no approved by the people of the 48th or of America. A guest-worker program is the only feasible remedy to the immigration problem in the short term--until we fix our broke-ass welfare system, we can't expect a fence, wall, or anything to stop people coming here to live the American dream. Until our jobs are filled by those who should be filling them, we need, frankly, bodies to fill labor spaces.

You are in the dark, Mr. Bartlett, and your tired rhetoric is not making an impact on anything--you sound like a sore-loser democrat...and I thought JimG was a "Reagan Republican"...

[Allan Bartlett]

Nice prediction Jozef. You were only off by 25%. Your political instincts are as bad as your rhetoric. John Campbell can consider himself on double secret probabtion to coin a phrase from one of my favorite all time movies.

Powder Blue Report

[Campbell 3rd on Election Day]

If you look at the Election Day numbers - Gilchrist came in first, Young - 2nd, and Campbell - 3rd.

A win is a win, but these Election Day numbers just suggest that Campbell and his staff have some work to do.

[lanceman]

Speaking of that great movie "Animal House" the scene where the marching band is being led down a blind alley is how I view those that blindly vote Republican. Hopefully they'll snap out of it in time.

[Phil Paule]

What this means is that most Campbell voters have busy jobs and vote by mail. Most Gilchrist voters ....well you can figure out the rest.

[Logical]

Flash sums it up best ...
Since both JC/JG were stating stronger illegal immigration stance, then 70% of the voters want the GOP to straighten up and get with it.

[lanceman]

"A guest-worker program is the only feasible remedy to the immigration problem in the short term--until we fix our broke-ass welfare system, we can't expect a fence, wall, or anything to stop people coming here to live the American dream."

This makes no sense at all. There are 2 types of guest worker programs. One would impose limits on the numbers of guest workers, the second allow unrestricted numbers. Without a wall or highly aggressive border security (more than any "serious" polititian has proposed) the first program would degenerate into the second. And I am not even considering the bribery that would be encouraged to raise the numbers. BOTH would ENCOURAGE more "guests." This would defeat any potential gains from a national security perspective. You are right about the welfare system which is why it should be fixed (or repealed) first. Additionally, the anchor baby problem with the 14th Amendment must also be addressed as a top priority.