2006 U.S. Elections: California Governor

Getting back to the states, I'll now take a look at California and one of its key races in the upcoming 2006 elections.

Governor: Of course Arnold Schwarzenegger's bid for re-election is the one race everyone will be looking at in California. According to some polls, his numbers have been climbing up in recent weeks, but they're still below 50%, which opens up the possibility for a tight race this coming November. The question is, who will face the incumbent movie star governor?

Before the governor can face a Democratic challenger, there is the possibility that he might face a challenge from a right-wing candidate in the Republican primary. Conservative forces in the state have been pushing for a challenge, and the name of Mel Gibson has popped up in some circles. Whether a challenge comes or not, it is highly unlikely that Arnold would lose such a race. Arnold's star power and his centrist credentials are too good for the Republicans to give up, no matter how low his poll numbers are.

As for the Democrats, there have been two main contenders in the race for the Democratic nomination thus far, State Treasurer Phil Angelides and State Controller Steve Westly. From what I could tell, it seems Mr. Westly is running as the centrist candidate while Mr. Angelides is running as the more clear cut progressive. Both have been in the running for months now, but there is always the possibility that a new contender could enter the ranks. However, with only about 4 months now until the primary, it will be difficult for any new candidates to make any headway. So if movie star Warren Beatty plans on entering the race, he better do so now. So who will actually obtain the Democratic nomination? Mr. Angelides should be considered the favorite in the primary since primary voters tend to be more ideological, meaning many of the voters would be left-wing voters. But general election voters tend to vote for centrist candidates, so that would help the chances of Mr. Westly. So the question really is, should Democrats come in hitting Arnold from the left and energize the base, or should they take the centrist path and build a broader coalition? It's a question that will be answered on Tuesday, June 6.

Whoever ends up facing the governor should still be able to provide a good challenge, especially if Arnold's poll numbers remain the way they are. The governor just suffered a bad defeat last year on all his propositions so it will probably lead to a close election this year. The results may even set a trend for the rest of the nation's political races in 2006.

Shocking Palestinian Election Results

On Wednesday, Jan. 25, the Palestinian elections resulted in a shocking victory for the Islamic fundamentalist group, Hamas, as they were able to garner 76 seats in the legislature. The party formerly in power for decades, Fatah, took only 43 seats. This election demonstrates a major power shift in the Middle East.

The group known as Hamas is recognized by the United States, the European Union, and Israel as being a terrorist organization. Their victory opens questions about the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians, and for the region in general. The months to come will reveal plenty of answers, so keep an eye out on the Middle East.

Canada Moves to the Right

I'll start off this blog with some international election news. On Monday, Jan. 23, Canada held a national election which resulted in victory for the Conservative Party and its leader, Stephen Harper. The Conservatives won 124 seats and 36% of the vote, giving them their first victory after 13 years of Liberal Party rule. The scandal plagued Liberal Party and its outgoing prime minister, Paul Martin, ended up with 103 seats and 30% of the vote. I don't know too much about Canadian politics, but this election certainly seems like it will result in a change of direction for the country, with policies that may be more to the liking of the United States and the Bush administration.

Campaigns and Elections Online

Hello! My name is Brandon and I'm a college student from Southern California. The purpose of this blog is to keep track of campaigns and elections in the United States and across the World. Even though I'm a Democrat, comments from across the political spectrum are more than welcomed. Enjoy!