Hoping to raise his profile with voters, Republican U.S. Senate nominee Bill Jones joined President Bush's California tour Wednesday to launch his campaign against Democratic incumbent Barbara Boxer.
The appearances could deliver more visibility for Jones in two days than he has had in the last two months as he campaigned in the Republican primary, which he won Tuesday.
The joint appearances were expected to help erase lingering resentment among some Republican activists that Jones yanked his endorsement of Bush in 2000 for U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), then returned to Bush when McCain failed to win the California primary.
Jones' campaign officials said they were thrilled to have their candidate touring with Bush. They said the nearly assured matchup between Bush and Massachusetts Sen. John F. Kerry would give the Senate race greater visibility.
"Just as the president will take on Kerry's record of being the most extreme liberal senator in the country, we will have a similar message regarding Barbara Boxer," Jones strategist Sean Walsh said. "Barbara Boxer and John Kerry are twins of the U.S. Senate regarding being extreme and out of touch with average Californians."
Duf Sundheim, chairman of the California GOP, said the Jones-Boxer showdown is "the most difficult race we face, but it's winnable."
Jones offered a list of Democrats -- Boxer, Kerry, U.S. Sens. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts and Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York -- who he said represent the party's liberal wing and not a majority of voters. "California is a much more centrist state," he said.
As of last week, Jones had raised about $1 million for his race, not including a $350,000 loan to himself, compared with nearly $10 million for Boxer. Jones had virtually nothing left; she had about $5.3 million in cash as of mid-February.
The contest is viewed as a main event for Democrats eager to soothe the sting of Gov. Gray Davis' recall, state Democratic Party Chairman Art Torres said. A Boxer victory is a top priority for the state party, he said, as is electing Kerry president. Democrats represent 43% of California's registered voters; 36% are Republicans and 16% decline to state a party.
"She's our pride here in California," Torres said of Boxer. "But people all over the country count on her to lead fights about the environment, guns and a woman's right to choose."
