GOP “Pipe” Dreams of Victory in Central OC

Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez

I have been reading recently how the Republicans in Orange County have reached the conclusion that Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, and State Senator Lou Correa are vulnerable to defeat in November. They cite the wave of anti-incumbent fever that is sweeping through the country.

In a February 28, 2010 Associated Press story reaches this wild conclusion about the 47th Congressional District:

Sanchez’s district is in a part of Orange County that leans Democratic but voted for former President George W. Bush in 2004 and Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006. It has a large Vietnamese-American population.

“They come out and vote in large numbers, and they’re 2-to-1 Republican,” says her opponent, state Assemblyman Van Tran.

Well, they really haven’t got a clue. For one, they seem to think that the last election was four years ago in 2006. In the 47th Congressional District, Barack Obama carried the vote in 2008 with more than 60% of the vote. Congresswoman Sanchez, carried her own re-election contest with 69.5% of the votes. In voter registration numbers the Democrats currently out pace Republicans by about 33,000 voters.

Sanchez said voters understandably are worried about the economy but believes they’re more frustrated with Republicans than Democrats. Nevertheless, she said lawmakers who don’t pay attention to their constituents are in danger of losing the next election, although she doesn’t see it happening in her district.

“I’m pretty confident they’re happy with me,” she said.

Senator Lou Correa

Then there was word today that Anaheim Councilmember Lucille Kring has pulled papers to challenge Senator Lou Correa in the 34th Senate district. Matt Cunningham over at Red County crows that:

Lucille Kring

This is bad news for the vulnerable Correa, who was getting tantalizingly close to avoiding a real opponent in what promises to be the worst year for Democrats in a long, long time.

Kring is finishing up a second, non-consecutive term on the Anaheim City Council and had been gearing up to run for me — a post she unsuccessfully sought in 2002 (losing to Curt Pringle). However, the Senate Republican Caucus has been wooing Kring for some time to take on Correa, who’s re-elect numbers in a recent poll were in the toxic 30s.

Oh please spare us Matt, which GOP push poll  are you talking about. The latest voter registration numbers show the Democrats with a whopping 36,000 registered voter lead over Republicans. This is far wider than the tiny gap in registration that separated the Democrats and Republicans four years ago in this district when Correa won the seat.

So while the Republicans, right-wing bloggers, and “main-stream” media continue to claim a surge in GOP support, the numbers simply do not back up their claims.

Keep filling that pipe with that stuff you’re somking and light up another fellas. They don’t call it “California Dreamin” for nothing.

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