Attention, Judge Jim Gray Fans

With 18 percent of Golden State precincts reporting, it's not looking like his honor's night to make a statement: In Boxer's U.S. Senate coronation, he shows with 1.5 percent, barely edging out the Peace and Freedom candidate.

Brian Doherty described Gray's efforts to get into the debates in August

Comments

[James Anderson Merritt]

See my comment in "Pathetic showing for Badnarik" for more about this, but here, I'll just challenge the crowd that has yelled for a long time that 1) we need to concentrate on lesser offices than President; 2) we need to attract, nominate, and run credible, qualified candidates who could serve with distinction if elected. A Long Beach newspaper, in endorsing Judge Gray, allowed that he was definitely able to serve as Senator. Many people on the campaign trail found Judge Gray to be passionate, principled, personable, articulate, authoritative, and thoughtful. Many others found his GOP opponent to be stiff and lackluster. Gray is ex-GOP and should have been naturally attractive to those people who didn't like Republican Bill Jones. His anti-drug-war stance should have played well, even with Demo voters in many places in California, where it was "safe" for a Demo to vote for someone other than Barbara Boxer because, against Jones, she was a shoo-in.

Despite all of this, Gray's vote total stinks. So, how does the "Get Real, LP" crowd explain that? How do they advise the LP to proceeed NOW?

I voted for Gray. I was proud to do it. I'd do it again, and I hope to have that chance in some future election. I think we need more like him, whether disaffected Demos, disaffected GOP, or inspired, talented ex-independents with a following. But obviously, having the candidate isn't enough. What more must we do to "Get Real" and win?

[James Anderson Merritt]

I guess there really WEREN'T all that many Jim Gray fans, at least not on this board! Wow!