The California primaries are over, and after months of encouraging news about the candidacies of Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco for Governor (both Republicans) and Spencer Pratt (R) for LA mayor, it looks like things are going back to normal. Unlike most other states, where the results are known on election night, California's will drag on for days or weeks because of little things like mail-in ballots, ballot harvesting, and the amazing ability of Democratic candidates to overtake the Republicans in the late stages of the election, which causes many, like myself, to suspect voter fraud. The top two vote-getters for governor and LA mayor will face off in November.
In the governor's race, there were over 60 candidates, including Eric Swalwell, who dropped out to spend more time with Fang Fang and his attorneys, Barack Obama Shaw, and some guy named For God and Country. For most of the primary campaign, it looked like Steve Hilton and Chad Bianco might finish 1 and 2, which would have put them in an all-Republican runoff in November. In LA, Spencer Pratt, who lost his home in the Pacific Palisades fire, looked like he might come in first against incumbent Karen Bass, who presided over the whole catastrophe (albeit from afar in Ghana), and ultra liberal city councilwoman Nithya Raman. At this point, Bass has secured the first-place position (go figure), and Pratt is battling it out with Raman for the 2nd place runoff position. Meanwhile, back in Sacramento, Xavier Becerra (D), who has a 3-decade track record of filling many positions and doing nothing, garnered the most votes. Hilton is still fighting ultra-liberal billionaire Tom Steyer for the 2nd runoff spot. In short, the betting money is that Becerra will be the next Gavin Newsom in California, while Bass will be the next Karen Bass in LA. Both will benefit from inheriting the votes for the other Democrats who lost out in the primary.
So it seems nothing is going to change. California will remain a one-party state. The only good news to come out of this, as far as I can predict, will be that neither Eric Swalwell nor Katie Porter will be our governor.
5 comments:
"Unlike most other states, where the results are known on election night, California's will drag on for days or weeks because of little things like mail-in ballots, ballot harvesting, and the amazing ability of Democratic candidates to overtake the Republicans in the late stages of the election, which causes many, like myself, to suspect voter fraud."
I can only think of one election where this (a Dem winning as more votes come in) has happened, and that was when Biden beat Trump. And, it was explained over and over again why this was the case. Am I dumb enough to explain it yet again? Yes. Yes I am.
After years of discouraging Republicans from using mail-in ballots, most people who wound up voting that way leaned Democrat. In most states, those ballots were counted last. There's no complex conspiracy here.
And why would taking a long time to count votes make you suspect voter fraud? What if it took a long time and Republicans were winning? Would you still say the same thing? Seems to me that if the fix is in, you wouldn't want a delayed process where somebody can catch you.
This is one way that Trump has done irreparable damage to our country. Every time he ever lost, whether it was to Ted Cruz in a primary or the popular vote to Clinton, he said there was fraud. He offered no evidence. He took it to court, and failed again and again. Fox News had to pay out billions for their false claims (didn't you know that's why Tucker Carlson no longer works there?) Trump sycophant Dinesh Dsouza made a movie, for which he got sued, and the producers later disavowed and pulled it from distribution.
And yet here we are with a normally reasonable person such as yourself still repeating this tired old lie about possible voter fraud when there's as much evidence for it as there is for the moon being made of cheese. No facts here, just vibes.
And Spencer Pratt? It is too bad that he didn't make it. Did you know that he paid thousands of dollars to a wizard coach? Just imagine if he was in charge when the fires happened! He could have just waved his magic wand and POOF, it would disappear! (And no, I'm not making up the bit about him paying a wizard coach.)
First of all, I did not mention Trump or his belief that the 2020 election was stolen. I have never made that claim though I think suspicious activity was going on in places like Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Milwaukee at the places where votes were being counted. William Barr was asked about the stolen election charge when he testified before Congress. Asked if there was fraud, his answer was, "not to the point where it affected the final outcome". I will go by Barr's word.
As for other elections, without digging through the internet, I recall that Katie Porter won her first election in Orange County after late ballots came in due to ballot harvesting. I also seem to recall that Sen Claire McCaskill won her Missouri Senate seat, I think in 2020, when St Louis polls fell into chaos, the poll closure was extended, and she came from behind to defeat her opponent.
Spencer Pratt? OK, he appears to be a flake, may be unqualified, and all that, but Karen Bass has been an unmitigated disaster for LA, and if you want to dig up dirt, look into her involvement with the pro-Castro Venceremos Brigade during her college years. She will no doubt win and continue to drive LA into the sewer, but I won't care because I am in Orange County. If that's what Angelenos want (whoever they are) let them suffer the consequences.
Republicans are now being urged to use mail-in ballots since the Dems are doing it. I mail them in myself, largely because I realize that I am literally "just mailing it in" to use a phrase.
And yes, unlike the Tooth Fairy, Lance, there is voter fraud.
"And yes, unlike the Tooth Fairy, Lance, there is voter fraud."
Okay, what are we talking about here? Is it just that there is voter fraud? Because I'd be a fool to deny that claim.
The Heritage Foundation (a right-wing organization, mind you) details every proven instance.
https://electionfraud.heritage.org/
Is the claim that voter fraud is rigging elections in favor of Democrats? If that's the argument, then you have nothing. Every study I can find shows that voter fraud is rare and not enough to change election results (I know that there are some instances back in the 1960s, but let's stick with this century, okay?)
I bring up Trump because you are doing his talking points, and he's caused a great deal of mistrust in our elections when there shouldn't be any. I mean, you said that there was "suspicious activity" in some cities. What does that even mean? It's not evidence for anything one way or the other. It shouldn't take Barr's word to convince you.
I don't know enough about Karen Bass to comment on her one way or the other. But what passes for "conservative" nowadays seems to be: "The Democratic candidate is awful, so let's vote in somebody who's a complete disaster." And what do we have to show for it? Rising inflation, high gas prices, Iran making us look like fools, and protection for rapists and pedophiles.
You conservatives would vote for Alfred E Neuman if he railed against illegal aliens and transgender bathrooms.
Great strategy. Seems like LA has some bad politicians, but they avoided a worse one.
P.S. I found a high-profile instance of voter fraud in your Orange County. Lousy Democrats! Oh, wait, it was done by the Orange County Republicans! You were right! There is voter fraud!
https://admin.cdn.sos.ca.gov/press-releases/prior/2006/06_166.pdf
Do you think I condone the case you sent me on that link? It's good that they were prosecuted. It doesn't matter which side does it, it is wrong.
You think everything is fine, but I disagree. If our elections can no longer be trusted, there goes our democracy. I cannot believe that ballot harvesting is legal in states like California. It opens the door to voter fraud. You yourself live in California, if I am not mistaken. Don't you agree that we need to be vigilant?
"Do you think I condone the case you sent me on that link?"
Not at all. But I do think you pay more attention to fraud (both real and imagined) when it might be Democrats doing it.
"If our elections can no longer be trusted, there goes our democracy."
I agree with this 100%. It's my whole point! The reason that people are losing faith in democracy is because of the false narratives being pushed by the right wing in this country (and led by Trump). It's not that there has been all this evidence that our elections have been rigged. It's that certain people can't accept it when they lose.
"I cannot believe that ballot harvesting is legal in states like California. It opens the door to voter fraud."
If ballot harvesting works as it's supposed to, then it's a good thing, as it makes sure that more people are able to vote (people with failing health and those who live in remote areas). If it does open up the possibility of fraud, then obviously that's bad.
But those who say that it's open to fraud haven't provided either an explanation as to how it leads to fraud or shown any evidence that it has done so. We need more than just suspicious feelings.
"You yourself live in California, if I am not mistaken. Don't you agree that we need to be vigilant?"
Yes, absolutely. If politicians who I favor can cheat, then so can the ones I don't like.
But crying wolf because you have bad feelings is not being vigilant. If anything, it's making it harder for us to find real problems.
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