California Recall 2003
Boy, does this page need updating!
Ok, here's where we stand. Arnie is running. He made the surprise announcement on Leno last night, and shocked everyone, including his friend Richard Riordan, who was putting together a campaign based on the fact that Arnie would not be running. Riordan is pissed, as are GOP right wingers, and pragmatists who saw Riordan as the stronger of the two as a serious candidate.
Issa is out. To hear him tell it, it never occurred to him that paying for the petition drive on the recall and then running for governor in the hopes of getting 15% of the vote and Davis' job might strike some people as an opportunistic power grab. The very thought reduced him to tears, and he's out of the race. Forever, hopefully.
The Looey Gov, Bustamante is running. Now, did he stab his boss in the back, or is this part of some devious strateregy? Same with Democratic Insurance Commish Garamandi, who similarly did a reverse and decided to run.
After swearing they wouldn't inflict a two parent campaign on the kids, Mike and Arianna Huffington are proceeding to inflict away. No problem; they're rich, and the kids can afford therapists.
The state Supreme Court is running. Away. They decided not to hear ANY of the five cases regarding the election, pretty much assuring much litigation afterwards.
The number of declared candidates as of this morning was 477. However, of that 477, a grand total of 7 had completed the filing process. Maybe this ballot will end up less than fifty pages long after all.
Best Arnie line: "Arnold looks like a condom full of walnuts"
NOTE: with hundreds of candidates, many of them hopelessly obscure, this will, of necessity, be an incomplete list. The "name" candidates will be clumped toward the top for those looking for mainstream information. But this campaign, already a creature of bread and circuses, promises a real freak show, and I'll try and bring some of that to this list, as well. Note that few, if any of the descriptions are unbiased. Yeah. I'm partisan. What are you gonna do about it? Zepp.
For an authoritative (and non-partisan) look at the candidates, go to the superb web site, Politics One Descriptions marked with a asterisk are ones I flat-out stole from the Politics One list of candidates.
And of course, go to the websites themselves. Only you can decide.
Filing deadline is August 9th, 2003. To find out how MANY candidates there are 344 by 8/4) go to http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/recall_cand.htm The election itself is October 7. The Sec'y of State office will release the full list of candidates on 8/13.
The Latest
Larry Flynt Files To Run For California Governor
"LOS ANGELES –– Porn king Larry Flynt wants to rule California. The Hustler magazine publisher has filed initial paperwork to run in the gubernatorial recall election and says he may spend a large amount of his own money if people take his candidacy seriously. The registered Democrat, civil libertarian and free speech advocate said he'd solve California's budget woes by expanding slot machine gambling. His holdings include several casinos."
-- Lead from Washington Post story, 8/1/03, gleefully reprinted on Flynt's web site.
The Candidates
Real . . .
Gray Davis (D) Incumbent governor. Needs 50% vote in order to avoid recall.
Jerry Brown (I) Former Democratic governor, Mayor of Oakland
Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante (D) The Looey Gov
Peter Camejo (Green) Ran in 2002, got 6% of the vote. Wants to be the next Ralph Nader
Brian Flemming (D) If elected, will resign and let Lt. Gov. Bustamante take over.
Dean Florez (D) State Senator
Elton Gallegly (R) Congressman. Represents "horsie country" back of Santa Barbara
Arianna Huffington (I) Personally, I think she would make a terrific governor. Hope she runs in 2006.
Michael Huffington (R) The original "empty suit" candidate is running, minus wife Arianna's brains
Darrell Issa (R) Drove the car out to center ring, and then abandoned it as the clowns were climbing out. No longer a candidate. Such is life.
Jack Kemp (R) Football player, ran with Reform candidate in 2000 election. Now makes his money writing for extreme right wing outfits like Townhall.com and Jewish World Review. Gold bug.
State Sen. Tom McClintock (R) Running on vehicle registration issue.
Dale F. Ogden (Libertarian) Running on "Citizens' budget" platform
Keith Richman (R) - State Assemblyman Only net presence is an editorial, dated 11/14/01, accusing Davis of "phony savings" on health care. Funny. Everyone else had something ELSE to talk about in the days following 9/11.
Richard Riordan (R) (Former Mayor of Los Angeles, moderate)
Arnie Schwarzenegger (R) (Movie star, weight lifter. No political background, believed to be a moderate)
Bill Simon (R) Oddly enough, his website doesn't mention that he ran for governor last year and got his ass flattened for him
Bill Garamandi (D): State Insurance Commish.
. . .and Imagined
Angelyne, described by SFgate.com as "a sometime actress-model who has posted billboards with her likeness around the city for years. One of her concerns is the abundance of city roadwork, which she says has damaged her pink Corvette. 'My platform is pink honesty. There's been enough Gray and Brown and its time for pink.'"
Austin Alexander (Independent)
Mohammad Arif (Independent) - Website Publisher* Doesn't have a website.
Danny Ball Country and Western singer, running in the apparent hope he will replace Senator Barbara Boxer
John Beard (R) Graphic designer and printing
Tom Benigno (Independent) - Retired Farmer, Ex-Grocery Store Owner & Frequent Candidate*
John Birke (D) of Northridge. A Democrat in a part of the state that considers John Birch a wide-eyed leftist
Audie Bock (D) Makes thong underwear.
Matt Brady (R)
Fred Brinkley (R)
Milton Brock (R)
Daniel Brookman (D) Lawyer specializing in defending people accused of drug violations
John Burton (I) Trial lawyer from Pasadena
William J. Carlyle Central California lawyer
Christy Cassel (I)
Al Checchi (D) - Ex-United Airlines President & '98 Candidate*
Dennis Hugh "WatchDog" (Wolf) Conn (I) Ran for city council, Santa Clarita
Logan Darrow (R - Ayn Rand) self described venture capitalist, tv producer
Noam Dromi (D) In the industry. Yes, THAT industry. Specializing in "branded entertainment"
Hatosha Drumgoole (D)
Fredrick "Rick" Engen (D)
Jesus Escamilla (D) - Senior Utilities Engineer Specialist*
Dan Feinstein (D) No relation. Just a fortunate last name.
Jimmy James Fong (D)
Anthony Wayne Ford (AIP)
Ron Friedman (Independent) - Radiologist
Leo Gallagher (I) The one -without- the watermelon and mallet, I guess
Jason Gastrich (I) No platform posted
Jose "Pepe" Gomez (D)
Isaac Gorbaty (D)
Leigh Greenberg (R)
Ron Gulke (I) Anti-immigrant, ran as AIP candidate for Governor in 2002.
Joe Guzzardi (I) Anti-immigrant "Know Nothing" platform
Hanna "John" Hajjar (R) - Artist*
Thomas Hall (D)
Ted Hayes Homeless activist "Given the Homeless situation in the United States, with Veterans leading the Homeless numbers, it is high time we turn the Statute of Liberty around to face America. The time has come to end homelessness at home...and help liberate Homeless people abroad."
Jack Hickley (Libertarian) Wants to dismantle "education monopoly", i.e., public schools
Jim Hoffman (R)
Mike Huber (R)
Marcus Hough (D) - Teacher
Steven Ireland (D)
Tamila Jensen (D) - Attorney*
David Johnson (D) - Non-Profit Group Organizer*
Travis Kalanick (I)
Alan Kaye (D)
Trek Thunder Kelly (I) Website has a nifty splash page
D.E. Kessinger (D)
John Keusseyan (R)
Kelly Kimball (D)
Philip "Jon" Kok (I)
Chuck Kovacic (I)
James Kurka (I)
Tim Lanzilotta (I)
Asimo Sondra Lawlor (R)
Matt Lemcke (D)
Gary Leonard (D)
Robert Lippert (R)
Brian Lister (R)
Shu Yih Liu (I)
Ben Lofstedt (I) Computer Consultant*
Steven Malone (D)
Ed Manderfield (I)
Paul Mariano (D) native Boston, received B.A. from Cal State Sacramento in 1973, served in the United States Air Force from 1966 to 1970. Earned his J.D. from Hastings College of Law in 1976,joined the Contra Costa Department as deputy public defender in June 29, 1977.
Jack Meeks (I) - Retired Teacher & Nevada County School Board Member*
Mark Mishkin (R), a social studies high school teacher doing it to give his students a lesson in civics.
Jerry Morissette (Father Serra Garden-wants his job as caretaker on I-280 back)
John Mortensen (D) - Self-Employed Businessman*
Keith Nesbitt Salvation army worker, wants to cut waste and fraud in government
David Noel (D)
William John Olson (D)
William Pratt of San Bruno 18 years old. Failed in bid for high school student council, so is lowering his sights.
Georgy Russell (D) Computer programmer
Dianne Templin (AIP) Religious whack. Running on anti-gay platform
Brian Tracey Motivational Speaker
Jan Tucker (PI) A bounty hunter would make a good governor, he thinks.
C.T. Weber (PFP) - State Employee, Union Activist, Ex-State Party Chair & '98 State Controller Nominee*
Roger Willoughby (Out of work, needs job. Apparently can't afford a website, but CAN afford $3,600 to file. Obviously, a Republican)
Michael Wozniak (Campaigning to legalize ferrets)
Lee Zion "Author of Ferriman's Law, a futuristic detective novel. He has also penned the sequel, Ferriman's War, due out in early 2002, and is currently working on the third book, Ferriman's Challenge." - from his webpage, which doesn't mention running for Governor.
"You've got to be kidding!" Candidates
Art Brown Filmmaker. Campaign slogan: "Get fuk'd in 2004"
Mary Carey, porn star. She says the state's budget crisis could be alleviated by taxing breast implants
Jeremy Chapman (D) Probably the only candidate running on a pro-tobacco platform
Gary Condit Yes, THAT Gary Condit
Andrew Davis (D) Another "name" candidate?
Bob Dole (R) Viagra falls? Nope. Somebuddy else entirely.
Larry Flynt Hustler magazine publisher; wants to relax gambling rules. Owns casinos.
Gallagher "OK, let's pretend this watermelon is the state budget..."
Michael Jackson (R) The singer/dancer, the talk radio guy, who?
Bill Murray (I) Starred in "Votebusters"?
S. Issa Possibly the only time in American history a gubernatorial race has featured two Issas.
Ned Roscoe (Libertarian Smokers Party) Nope -- I was wrong about Chapman. Ned's running on a pro-tobacco platform, too.
Michael Savage Today California, tomorrow the world.
Abner Zurd (D) Filmmaker. Storyteller. Genius. Or so her website tells us. Motto: "Got head?"