Democratic Senator Barbara Boxer retained her position as a
California senator in a sweeping victory on Tuesday, capturing 57
percent of the vote to beat out her Republican opponent Bill Jones,
who garnered 39 percent.
The incumbent Boxer won her third consecutive term in the
Senate, earning the right to serve California alongside fellow
Democrat Dianne Feinstein, who was not up for re-election this
term.
The outcome was all but predetermined, as polls had Boxer
leading Jones by a margin of 20 percentage points in the days
preceding the election.
Los Angeles County in particular voted strongly Democratic, with
62 percent of the vote going to Boxer and only 33 percent to
Jones.
Such a large lead was due to Boxer’s campaign strategy,
said UCLA political science Professor Matthew Baum.
“Boxer jumped the gun, raising money early to discourage
Republican donors to the Jones campaign,” Baum said.
“Nobody wants to back a losing horse.”.
Boxer raised about $16.2 million for her campaign, while Jones
had trouble raising funds, limiting his visibility and thus his
chances at defeating the incumbent.
“Boxer projected an aura of invincibility,” Baum
said.
The Jones campaign focused on his ability to act as a liaison
between a Republican governor and a possible Republican president.
But Baum said there was no reason to believe this argument would
work, especially given that Boxer is one of the strongest members
of the minority party and that Jones would start out as a
“back-bencher” and would not have as much seniority
because of his lack of experience in the Senate.
Jones, who also lost the Republican bid for governor to Democrat
Gray Davis in 2000, has served two terms as California Secretary of
State. He also had previous experience in the California state
Legislature.
During his campaign, Jones said the Republican party is able to
provide better protection in the face of terrorism.
Jones also repeatedly accused Boxer of being lax in regards to
homeland security. But Baum did not see the merit in this idea.
“Its a high-risk strategy to make a national issue the
center issue of a local campaign,” he said.
People tend to associate security with the presidency and make
their decisions on state elections based on more localized issues,
Baum said.
Visith Uy, a second-year biochemistry student, based his vote on
localized issues.
“I voted for Boxer because she supports Proposition
71,” said Uy.
Boxer started her political career in 1976 after working as a
journalist and stockbroker. Boxer was elected California
representative in 1982 and was first elected to the Senate in
1992.
Boxer currently serves as member of the Senate Democratic
Leadership and on Senate committees on foreign relations,
environment and public works, and commerce, science and
transportation and has a very liberal voting record, consistently
supporting environmental and women’s rights legislation.