Party chair believes convention energy will follow delegation home

BLOOMINGTON, Minn. - The California delegation to the Republican National Convention hopes some of the energy generated this week by the presidential ticket can be used to boost chances for U.S. Sen. John McCain in the state, as well as lower offices back home, said state party chairman Ron Nehring.

"We'll cover more precincts and we'll raise more money," said Nehring, an at-large delegate to the convention who lives in San Diego.

Nehring said he believes state residents will vote for a Republican with strong leadership and character qualities, pointing to both Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner as examples.

But he also acknowledged that for Republicans in general, California is a state where they're outnumbered.

"We'll be working every day in the state," he said of the presidential campaign in California, which McCain (R-Ariz.) has said he thinks is winnable in November.

So far, Republicans have opened 50 campaign headquarters statewide for McCain, Nehring said. He also pointed to a poll last week that showed McCain within nine points of Democratic presidential nominee U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) in California.

"This campaign is not going the way that the Barack Obama campaign and the media predicted," he said.

"Who would've guessed a year ago that it would've gone the way it has?" he added, referring to how McCain's Republican primary campaign nearly evaporated a year ago before coming back in early 2008.

Because state party leaders and members are focused on the presidential race, Nehring said, there's not as much attention on the 2010 gubernatorial race. The seat will be open when Schwarzenegger is termed out.

"But the 2008 campaign will build the infrastructure and the volunteer network, and that will be available for whoever the Republican candidate is in 2010," he said.