Whitman, Fiorina Skip California Rally Headlined By Sarah Palin

There was a huge political rally in Orange County, California today, but the two top Republicans on the California ballot were somewhat conspicuous in their absence:

ANAHEIM, Calif. — What if you held a voter turnout rally and the top candidates on the ballot didn’t show up?

Michael Steele, the Republican National Committee chairman, and Sarah Palin, arguably the biggest draw in the Republican Party, found themselves in that position here in Orange County on Saturday night in the first of two high-profile national rallies they are doing before Election Day. The next one is in Orlando, Fla., on Saturday.

Mr. Steele and Ms. Palin (particularly Ms. Palin) packed a ballroom at a hotel complex just outside Disneyland.

But the two Republicans at the top of the California ticket — Meg Whitman, the candidate for governor, and Carly Fiorina, the candidate for Senate — skipped the event, both claiming prior commitments. That said, Ms. Palin is a decidedly unpopular figure in the state, particularly with independent voters, and Republicans said it was probably not a good idea for Ms. Whitman or Ms. Fiorina to be seen at a campaign rally with her this close to Election Day.

Being California, this is no doubt true, but it’s a fairly obvious statement of the fact that an endorsement from Sarah Palin in the General Election may not be quite as beneficial as an endorsement from Sarah Palin in a GOP primary.

FILED UNDER: 2010 Election, US Politics, , , , , , , , ,
Doug Mataconis
About Doug Mataconis
Doug Mataconis held a B.A. in Political Science from Rutgers University and J.D. from George Mason University School of Law. He joined the staff of OTB in May 2010 and contributed a staggering 16,483 posts before his retirement in January 2020. He passed far too young in July 2021.

Comments

  1. Smooth Jazz says:

    Repeat after me, The OTB mantra: “Palin is polarizing”, “Palin is polarizing”, “Palin is polarizing”, blah blah blah. Meanwhile, only the most liberal Dems, in the most bluest of states, want Obama around – And even then, they want him as far away as possible. But Palin is the most polarizing figure in the country. Sure, we get it.

  2. Farrell says:

    Why bother coming to this persons site Smooth Jazz? It is just an exercise in his ego massaging. His opinions are worth no more than yours (in fact less).

  3. narciso says:

    Yes, the point that Obama had fewer folks in Boston, on a Saturday, then she was able to draw on a Wednesday in April, for the Tea Party, as Instapundit pointed out, The Hope and Change
    express has run out of steam, the Momma Grizzley’s are just getting started

  4. Brummagem Joe says:

    narciso says:
    Sunday, October 17, 2010 at 08:02
    “Yes, the point that Obama had fewer folks in Boston, on a Saturday,”

    So the 25,000 in Wisconsin, 17,000 in MD, 15,000 in Philly were cardboard cutouts?

  5. Brummagem Joe says:

    narciso says:
    Sunday, October 17, 2010 at 08:02
    “Yes, the point that Obama had fewer folks in Boston, on a Saturday, then she was able to draw on a Wednesday in April,”

    This btw is factually incorrect. I checked. And 35,000 in OH yesterday.