A chance to knock out California's Boxer

Washington Times:

Sen. Barbara Boxer's bid for a fourth term next year was not showing up on the political hot lists until polls revealed last month that former Hewlett-Packard Chief Executive Officer Carly Fiorina was just four points behind the veteran California Democrat.

The combative, archliberal lawmaker had easily won re-election in 2004 with 58 percent of the vote in the heavily Democratic state, and most election forecasters are still putting her candidacy in the safe column.

"Few observers believe that Fiorina, who has many political liabilities, will actually upset Boxer, but the former CEO's experience and fund-raising potential [make] the contest at least entertaining and worth watching," said elections analyst Stuart Rothenberg in his closely watched newsletter analysis of House and Senate races.

Still, political strategists were surprised when a July 22 Rasmussen poll of 500 likely voters in California found that Mrs. Boxer drew support from 45 percent of them while her expected Republican rival was breathing down her neck with 41 percent. The rest were either undecided or supported someone else.

A Rasmussen poll in March had the former businesswoman trailing Mrs. Boxer by nine points.

"Any incumbent who polls below 50 percent early in a campaign is considered potentially vulnerable. However, a Democrat running in a heavily Democratic state like California is often able to overcome weak poll numbers," Rasmussen said.

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Boxer is an ultra liberal mental light weight. She is a perfect example of of the liberal conceit that they are smarter than everyone else. She is not intelligent or particularly astute. She has benefited politically from California's wrongheaded vend to the left in recent years.

On the other hand Fiorina is bright and intelligent and somewhat conservative. She can also self fund her campaign. Perhaps she can convince California that it is time for a change.