Fiorina Campaign Responds To Tom Campbell’s Electoral Flip Flop
January 14, 2010
Sacramento, CA – Carly for California Deputy Campaign Manager Julie Soderlund today made the following statement regarding the news that Tom Campbell will withdraw from the California Governors Race and instead run for the U.S. Senate:
“Today Tom Campbell kicked off yet another campaign for yet another office in his never ending quest to get elected again – but using his electoral history as a guide, his kick off tour is more likely to be a farewell tour. Tom’s unending quest for statewide office has nothing to do with serving the people of California, rather it’s about satisfying Tom Campbell’s quixotic personal ambition and the false premise that he will be acceptable to Republican primary voters. California Republicans won’t vote for a proponent of higher taxes and more government; they’re smarter than Tom Campbell gives them credit for.
“We view Tom’s candidacy as an opportunity for Carly to further distinguish herself as a political outsider and fiscal conservative who will always be on the side of the taxpayers – not just for the primary election, but also for the general election. Tom Campbell and Barbara Boxer share many of the same views, not the least of which is their mutual support for increased taxes and government expansion. Running against Tom in the primary provides our campaign an ideal sparring partner for the main event.”
A few things about Tom Campbell we thought you should know…
Tom Campbell: A Career Politician In Search Of A Winning Race
The race for governor senate will be the ninth tenth time Campbell has run for elected office in California – including two statewide races (U.S. Senate 1992 and 2000), two special elections (State Senate 1993 and Congress 1995) and four other races for Congress (1988, 1990, 1996 and 1998). While Campbell has succeeded while running for a local legislative seat in Silicon Valley (Congress and State Senate), he lost both statewide races, losing the primary in 1992 to Bruce Herschensohn and was crushed by Dianne Feinstein in November 2000.
Campbell Has Run For Senate Twice Before – Getting Crushed Against Feinstein In 2000 And Losing In A Primary In 1992. “In his last statewide race, Campbell garnered a modest 37 percent of the vote in 2000 in an unsuccessful bid to unseat Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein. In 1992, Campbell lost the GOP primary for U.S. Senate.” (Debra Saunders, “Campbell Is Banking On His Experience,” San Gabriel Valley Tribune, 4/12/09)
Tom Campbell Stances On Many Issues Puts Him “Starkly Out Of Sync With The Conservatives Who Hold Sway In GOP Primaries.” “So far, the candidate taking the biggest gamble on the issue is a Republican, Tom Campbell of Orange County. The former Silicon Valley congressman supports gay marriage, putting him starkly out of sync with the conservatives who hold sway in GOP primaries. That is not a surprising position for Campbell, who is also touting higher taxes as a way out of the state’s fiscal mess.” (Michael Finnegan, “Gay Marriage A Minefield For Candidates For California Governor,” Los Angeles Times, 5/30/09)
Campbell’s Failed Primary Campaign “Opened The Way For Barbara Boxer To Take A Seat In The U.S. Senate.” “Tom Campbell lost to Bruce Herschensohn in the primary and opened the way for Barbara Boxer to take a seat in the U.S. Senate in 1992.” (“Corrections,” San Francisco Chronicle, 5/19/09)
Tom Campbell: A Lackluster Fundraiser
Tom Campbell has raised about $1 million in the last year for his gubernatorial bid – a race in which fundraising limits are more than 10 times the limits in a U.S. Senate race. Carly raised more than $1.1 million for her Senate bid in just 60 days, and in addition loaned her campaign $2.5 million. She enters 2010 with $2.7 million in cash-on-hand.
Sacramento Bee: Tom Campbell “Light-Years Behind” In Fundraising. “Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Campbell announced he’s passed the $1 million mark in fundraising, still light-years behind his GOP rivals, wealthy former Silicon Valley CEOs Meg Whitman and Steve Poizner.” (“The Buzz,” Sacramento Bee, 11/20/09)
Campbell “A Renowned Wonk Not Known For Fundraising Prowess…” “Yet in the latest Field Poll on the GOP primary, Poizner placed last – garnering support among 9 percent of likely GOP primary voters. Former eBay CEO Meg Whitman led with 22 percent of those polled, followed by former Congressman Tom Campbell, a renowned wonk not known for fundraising prowess, at 20 percent.” (Debra J. Saunders, “The Long And Short Of Steve Poizner,” The San Francisco Chronicle, 10/25/09)
In October 2009, Campbell’s Campaign War Chest Was “About $300,000.” “While Campbell’s war chest is currently about $300,000, he said he tied with billionaire Whitman in a field poll that came out last week.” (“Gubernatorial Candidate Visits Redlands,” Redlands Daily Facts, 10/29/09)
Tom Campbell: A Fiscal Liberal
As recently as 2009, Tom Campbell has expressed support for tax increases, an idea not supported by voters regardless of their party affliation.
Campbell Supported An Extension Of Temporary Tax Hikes In 2009. “One potential Democratic gubernatorial rival, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, endorsed Proposition 1A last week. A Republican hopeful, former Rep. Tom Campbell, also has backed the measure. Proposition 1A would limit future spending growth and transfer money into a “rainy-day fund” to be used in economic slowdowns. That part has drawn fire from some labor unions. But Proposition 1A also would extend $16 billion worth of temporary tax hikes on sales, income and vehicles by as many as two more years, which has angered anti-tax groups.” (Kevin Yamamura, “Brown Says Prop. 1A Will Help ‘Next Governor’,” Capitol Alert, 4/14/09)
Campbell Proposes Raising California’s Gas Tax By 32-Cents. “Campbell, who was Schwarzenegger’s finance director in 2004-05, also has employed a potentially risky strategy by outlining on his Web site (www.campbell.org) exactly how he’d close the state’s $24 billion deficit. Perhaps the most unusual piece is a temporary 32-cent gas hike; he’d use the money to prevent the firing of teachers, an increase in class sizes and elimination of community college courses. In a talk before the Silicon Valley Leadership Group on Friday, Campbell acknowledged that recommending a gas tax was ‘third-rail politics.’” (Ken McLaughlin, “Can Tom Campbell Upset Billionaires Running For California Governor?,” San Jose Mercury News, 6/19/09)
“He Also Would Not Rule Out Taxing Sales On The Internet.” (Peter Nicholas and Evan Halper, “State Gets A New Finance Chief,” Los Angeles Times, 11/5/04)
Conservatives Balk At Campbell’s Positions Such As His Support For Tax Increases. “Social conservatives also balk at Campbell’s support of abortion rights, gay marriage and some tax increases.” (Jack Chang, “Campbell Stresses Policy Experience In California Race For Governor,” Sacramento Bee, 10/13/09)
