Rumors

There's a rumor going around that Republican Tom Campbell is dropping out of the CA governor's race to enter the CA Senate race. One thing that hasn't changed - Campbell is still a white-bread moderate who probably isn't made for these times: Tom Campbell May Be Near To Switch To Senate Run

I heard from an intriguingly well-placed source that there are growing signs Tom Campbell is near a decision to quit the gov's race and instead compete with Assemblyman Chuck DeVore and former H-P execCarly Fiorina for the Republican nomination to run against the reliably aggravating Sen. Barbara Boxer.

I heard very similar stuff last week from a well-connected journalist covering state politics.

In switching from the governor's race to the Senate race, Campbell is not exactly changing his prospects. In the race for the GOP governors race, he was facing a businesswoman who had made a fortune in Silicon Valley (Meg Whitman) and a red-meat conservative (Steve Poizner), with the prospect of facing a creaky progressive who can retain office through sheer union-abetted inertia (Jerry Brown).

In the race for the GOP Senate nomination, Campbell is facing ... a businesswoman who had made a fortune in Silicon Valley (Carly Fiorina) and ... a red-meat conservative (Chuck DeVore) with the prospect of facing a creaky progressive who can retain office through sheer union-abetted inertia (Barbara Boxer).

The real question is: why is Campbell running for anything? He has been around forever, and is one of the last living links to the sort of moderate Republicans who used to be derided as the tax collectors for the welfare state. For better or for worse, Campbell is a member of the establishment; not just of the GOP, but also the political class in general, and establishment is probably not going to cut it this year.