I'd like for Busby to be the next Paul Hackett but I doubt it.  Still, she's a great candidate for the "contest every seat" philosophy.  The fact that she's an ex-Republican isn't quite as good as Hackett's Iraq experience but it should get at least some people to listen to her.  But if Busby gets 45 percent, it's confetti and champagne time.

The Jones/Boxer numbers are a reference. Jones barely won the distric, .1%, and Bush beat Kerry by 12%. I will probably get into this another day, but the fact that Jones barely won, means nothing.  A swing of 6% would have changed the outcome of the presidential race in the 50th district, (Hackett performed better than 12%).

Califronia was not a contested state in 2004, while I think the Jones/Boxer;Kerry/Bush numbers give you a decent look at the state of the electorate in 2004 they signify nothing more about that race in 2006 than a reference.

I'm not sure Busby is the right choice (though I was on her email list I received no emails through the 2004 campaign) but what I do know is that there's enough votes for us to win the district. Between figuring in off year numbers, to the presidential year numbers, to the beating that Cunningham has taken in the district.

This isn't OH-02, it's much more favorable. The district includes all of UCSD, and the tech triangle in San Diego, as well rich (college educated) real estate north of San Diego.

The persuadles are much more favorable to us, than they are to the Republicans. Despite the Boxer/Jones race in 2004, I'd like to think that a serious concerted effort can pay off in 2006.

I like many others will pour and think about numbers from 2004. In my opinion they mean nothing. The electorate is an ever changing beast, and to assume that Americans will mimick what appears to be their party ID from 2004 to 2006, will only bite you in the ass in the end.

It's partly why as someone who saw money from the netroots go away from some of favorite candidates in '04 I didn't despair. The second we give up on a 50 state strategy, and quit trying to put our best candidates forward to persuade and win in districts that we're told has no chance, is the day we might as well hire the editorial board in DC, and the Northern Virginia crowd to pick our candidates.

Whatever one might want to think about the Red State/ Blue State dichotomy; voters are more than willing to wake up on election day and prove you wrong. They did it with Truman, Kennedy, Carter, Bush, Clinton, and Bush II, and hundreds of down ballot Congressionals, and state races.

It's why I join Jerome, Chris, Bob, Tim, and others in saying WTF, let's just go balls out and try to change the dynamics. Our country isn't as staid and boring as just Red and Blue!