FLASHREPORT

Mike, you are right in calling for an audit. The fact is, Victory 06 appears to have been a complete bust. Arnold and Poizner would have won without it due to the weakness of their opponents. As far as GOTV, the major GOP counties in the state all turned out at less than 50%. That's pathetic.

The all-Arnold, all-the-time Victory 06 plan was doomed to failure as soon as it became apparent that Arnold's strategy was to run away from the Republican Party and the GOP ticket.

I believe the Party has an obligation to do its best to promote all of our candidates and endorsed measures. Sadly, and in spite of record spending, that did not happen in 2006.





Granted, this was a tough year for the GOP. But a more complete effort that focused on the tried and true live calls and door-knocking GOTV and that promoted our entire statewide slate, along with our endorsed propositions, might have made the difference for McPherson, McClintock, and Prop. 90.

I did three days of phone banking at Victory'06's office in West LA. We always told people to vote for the entire ticket. It was a great office and the staff there worked hard and inspired people to come and place calls. If more people were like Scott Broschart, (who managed the office) were in charge, I would like to believe that things may have been different.

Of course Arnold had coattails. He ran as a Democrat, and most of the Democrats got elected statewide.