Barbara Boxer

Don't expect California's U.S. senators to be a presidential runningmate. In a survey of the U.S. Senate's membership not already running for president on whether they'd accept an offer to be vice president, The Hill newspaper found a variety of responses to the veepstakes question. Some were accompanied by laughs, others took the question seriously.

So, how did Democrats Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein respond?

Is there a 2010 dream team for the California GOP?  One Republican official, who asked that his name not be used, says he’s been talking up a slate that includes former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina for U.S. Senate (against Barbara Boxer), former E-bay CEO Meg Whitman for Governor, and Steve Poizner, the state Insurance Commissioner, for Lieutenant Governor.  That’s a ticket with a net work of nearly $3 billion.

A loss by Tom McClintock in the GOP congressional primary would likely end his political career.  Term-limited out of the State Senate, and having already lost races for Governor and Lt. Governor, it would become increasingly difficult for McClintock to raise money in the future and be taken seriously as a candidate.  But if McClintock does go to Congress, watch for his name to jettison to the top of any short list of Republican U.S. Senate candidates against Barbara Boxer or Dianne Feinstein.  With a seat in Congress and political bases in both parts of the state, McClintock could be the man.

Every six years, Republicans begin to display some confidence in their ability to beat Barbara Boxer in a race for the United States Senate. They only came close once, back in 1992 when Boxer was running statewide for the first time; she defeated conservative commentator Bruce Herschensohn by 48%-43% margin. The GOP had high hopes in 1998 when they ran State Treasurer Matt Fong, but he lost 53%-43%. They were less optimistic in 2004 despite the candidacy of Bill Jones, who had won two statewide elections as Secretary of State; Boxer won that race 58%-39%.

Democrat Julie Bornstein, running for U.S. Congress in District 45, has won the endorsements of the California Democratic Party, and U.S. Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer.

“Julie Bornstein has the know-how and knowledge to make Riverside County count in Congress. We need an effective, active Representative and Julie will be that kind of Member,” said Riverside County Democratic Central Committee District Chair Shirley Walton.

Bornstein, a former Member of the California State Assembly, is running for the seat currently occupied by Republican Mary Bono Mack. The district, which spans part of Riverside County, is largely conservative. In the 2004 presidential election George W. Bush won 56% of the district’s vote.

Also running for the Democratic nomination is Paul Clay, a teacher, and Dave Hunsicker, a realtor.