California gets a chance to make a difference

Carla Marinucci
SF Chronicle
Sunday January 27, 2008

California, now it's your turn.

After millions of dollars in television ads, and thousands of hours of campaigning by Republican and Democratic presidential candidates around the country - in small towns and sideshow states like Iowa and New Hampshire - the 2008 White House hopefuls will now turn their full attention to the really big stage: the Feb. 5 "Super Duper" Tuesday primary states, including California.

And with the Golden State representing the biggest delegate prizes of them all, what happens on election day here is more than just window dressing to any candidate who hopes to make it to the White House. Finally, the place that has been best known as the nation's political ATM, the source of millions in campaign donations, will be courted for actual votes.

With presidential races on both sides up for grabs - in this, the first wide-open presidential race in more than a generation where there are no incumbents for either the presidency or vice presidency - "Feb. 5 matters because for once, California is relevant," said Bill Whalen, a research fellow at the Hoover Institution.

"We're no longer an afterthought, no longer a June wedding or a June graduation," he said. "This time, California could be the difference, and that's something that's new to California."

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The leading Democratic presidential candidates - New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Illinois Sen. Barack Obama and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards - are all keenly aware of the Golden State's potential power, and have put Democratic-leaning California on the front burner as they aim for the White House.

And the Republicans - Arizona Sen. John McCain, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Texas Rep. Ron Paul - have also set their sights on the delegate-rich state. Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson dropped out of the race last week.

Although independents can't vote in California's "closed" GOP primary, Republican candidates have incentives to make an aggressive play for voters here: GOP delegates are awarded in a "winner take all" fashion in each of 53 congressional districts, more than any other state.

Full article here.

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