These numbers could help McCain if the turnout is good on March 7. And people turnout when they feel their vote can make a difference. Because the state is so large, personal appearances, a staple of McCain's and Bradley's cash-poor campaigns, just won't cut it, she said. Commercials are how you campaign in California, you must get on TV and radio to reach people. Voters can expect those ads to get nasty, says professor of political science Bruce Cain, despite the candidates' promises to stay issue oriented.
Negative ads work.
In our contemporary culture, they are perceived as more credible than positive ones. While Rasky and Cain say California voters want to hear about education and healthcare, Political Science Professor Ray Wolfinger says gun control and abortion rights are the hotter topics. Gay issues may even come into play, he said. Another interesting question, says Rasky, is whether Republican candidates will make strong efforts to woo the state's Latino and minority vote. Pete Wilson and his anti-immigration policies left a bad taste with many of the state's Latinos, she said, moving them to vote for Democrats in recent elections.