Orange County Republicans excited for McCain-Palin ticket

COSTA MESA – Orange County Republicans are exhibiting a new level of enthusiasm towards their party's presidential ticket following Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's prime-time speech Wednesday at the Republican National Convention in St. Paul. Party officials from the self-proclaimed "most Republican county in the country" have seen a jolt of energy stemming from McCain's vice presidential pick, and hope to channel it towards voter turnout and party fundraising.
 
"The Palin addition to this campaign adds a dimension that's been missing for activist conservatives," said Scott Baugh, chairman of the Orange County Republican Party and a former Mitt Romney supporter. "There's no other person he could have appointed that would have energized the base like Palin has energized the base."
 
Baugh believes Palin's conservative credentials will help balance the enthusiasm gap by reassuring the party's base that a McCain Adminstration will not stray far from Republican principles. "She's a conservative person who's articulate, who matches Obama syllable for syllable in articulation, and she's almost a celebrity like Obama's a celebrity," said Baugh. "By hooking up with Sarah Palin, Orange County conservatives have a great degree of confidence in where John McCain will lead this country."
 
Palin will make her first appearance in Southern California on Sept. 25, when she will attend a fundraiser at the Island Hotel in Newport Beach. "We expect to raise over $1 million for the ticket," said Baugh.