California: R's Get a Candidate

Former Congressman Doug Ose (R-Sacramento), who served three terms in the House departing because he self term-limited in 2004, announced on Friday that he will become a gubernatorial candidate.  He is the first credible Republican to enter the open statewide campaign.  Though the Governor’s race looks to be a suicide run for any Republican in heavily Democratic California, his chances of coalescing the GOP vote to send him into the general election from the jungle primary format may be quite good.  Having a Republican on the ballot for the general election, thus avoiding a double-Democratic November campaign should help generate GOP turnout for the down ballot races.  This could be a significant plus for the targeted seven Republican House incumbents.
 
After leaving Congress, Mr. Ose made two comeback attempts.  He lost a 2008 Republican primary to current Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Roseville), and then came within 1,455 votes of unseating Rep. Ami Bera (D-Elk Grove/Sacramento) in a 2014 race that was the country’s most expensive congressional campaign.
 
--Jim Ellis