Rudy’s slide in California continues in latest Field Poll; Dems, who’ve spent twice as much time in California as the GOP candid

The good news for Rudy Giuliani, according to the latest California Field Poll, is that the former New York mayor is hanging onto his lead in the GOP horserace here in the Golden State. The bad news is, he’s holding on only by a thread. Even worse for the Republican Party, both in California and across the country, the GOP’s candidates remain as inspiring and exciting as a holiday fruit cake among the party faithful.

The Democrats, on the other hand, remain well-poised to keep California as blue a state as ever next November. According to Field, the Democratic candidates hold sizeable leads over their GOP rivals in head-to-head match-ups. 

That is in large part due to the fact that the Democratic candidates’ views on the Iraq war, climate change, health care and other key issues are closely in line with those of most California voters. But it is also in part a result of the Democrats spending nearly twice as much time campaigning in California as the Republican candidates have this year.

By our count, the Democrats have made close to 100 campaign stops so far this year in California. The Republican candidates (excluding Duncan Hunter, who lives in San Diego and apparently is running for President) have made only 50 campaign stops in the Golden State.

As the nation’s eyes turn to Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina over the next few weeks leading up to California’s February 5th primary, the Democratic race promises to continue to excite and motivate Democrats across the country. The Republicans, on the other hand, will most likely continue to hold their collective nose as they switch their allegiance from one mediocre candidate to the next. 

Only one thing is for certain for the Republicans: whoever they end up selecting as their nominee will inherit from President Bush the impossible task of trying to play catch-up in California.