Republican 37th Senate District Warfare
Desert Observer's pageThe 37th State Senate District is considered a safe GOP seat for the majority of the voters in the district are registered as Republicans. Termed-out state senator Jim Battin will be replaced by the winner in the November General Election and the candidate winning the June 3rd Republican primary is almost certain of getting the job. To put it plainly, a Democratic candidate simply doesn't stand a chance of getting elected in that district.
Two termed-out Republican assemblymen are in the running to replace Battin in the 37th district. Russ Bogh and John Benoit are both frontrunners in that contest and one is certain of winning. The Desert Sun reports Bogh as planning on spending $1 million on his campaign and Benoit plans to spend $800 thousand. That's $1.8 million dollars in a Republican primary. It's not money being spent to defeat a Democrat - it's cash to trash another Republican. Why?
Where is Bogh getting the $1 million in his campaign kitty and who pulled in the $800 thousand in Benoit's slush fund? How many promises has each made and who are their benefactors? Why is it so important to outsiders that one win over the other? If this were being done to save the seat for the GOP, the huge sums of money would be understandable. But $1.8 million for two Republican candidates to slug it out! Unbelievable! And these guys represent the party of fiscal responsibility!
I'm really left scratching my head wondering where the money is coming from and why it's so important that one of these guys win instead of another fellow Republican. If anyone has suggestions, I'd really like to see them.
Bond Shands
Palm Springs
May 29, 2008
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