Some thoughts while spending a few days away…
Neither Travis Allen nor John Cox can beat Gavin Newsom in the general election, nor can either beat any Dem for that matter.
Only Cox has a chance to make it past the primary. It now increasingly looks like he’ll be number two next Tuesday.
Having him on the ballot in November, despite his inability to win, will help drive voter turnout and thus assist the gas tax repeal and down ballot races.
Donald Trump’s endorsement of Cox, even after Cox opposed Trump in 2016, is about one thing — holding onto GOP seats in Congress.
I was actually surprised by the endorsement. If Trump had decided on an endorsement the way he tweets, emotionally, it wouldn’t have happened. It appears he actually listened to strategy and put aside any feelings about Cox, in an overall effort to help in Congressional races.
In the Darrell Issa seat for instance, the Republican candidate in November may have problems against the Democrat selection. Yet a GOP governor nominee and the gas tax; those things will work together to assist in a district like the 49th.
In a perfect world, the GOP would be able to drive turnout without a gubernatorial nominee on the ballot. But, that’s not the real world. No party, Rep or Dem, would ever have the financial wherewithal to do alone what the synergy of like interests can do together.
Cox is the only candidate that can realistically make that happen for Republicans.
I will now head back to the pool, in a foreign country. The Travis Allen folks can’t touch me there.