by Lucas O'Connor [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

by Julia Rosen [courtesy of Calitics - Front Page]

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Young Californians are expected to turn-out in record numbers on February 5, if the level of public discourse about the election isany indication, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. On the Democraticside, Barack Obama has an edge among this age group, while on theRepublican side, it is less clear.

One potential presidential candidate who should not feel encouragedamong the 18-24 year-old demographic, or any other, is New York CityMayor Michael Bloomberg, whom two-thirds of Californians say they would not support, according to the Field Poll. This means Californians don't see him as the panacea he thinks he is.

California conservatives, meanwhile, are not unifying around a GOP candidate, with some even talking openly about a brokered convention and a dark horse contender, according to Jon Fleischman in today's Flash Report. Wouldn't that be a sight!

There's more...

Photo courtesy of MSNBC.

[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Many voters were expecting Gov. Schwarzenegger to be leading the pack on budget negotiations rather than floundering in the background, the Sacramento Bee reports. One Stockton resident interviewed by theBee said Arnold is "just kicking it." Another said he had high hopesfor the Governor but has now returned to "sobering reality."

Dan Walters has taken upon himself to attack Sen. Carole Migden forpromoting fair electoral reform while endorsing the measure that iscovered in partisan slime. What could possibly be fair about aninitiative that would essentially hand an Ohio-size electoral prize to the GOP candidate without changes in any other states? And he has the nerve to say Democrats are playing politics with this issue.

The "year of health care" promised by the Governor is in danger of becoming no more than a sound bite if the budget impasse continues,the San Jose Mercury News editorializes today. The Merc suggests Arnolddrop his "mandated coverage" provision while Democratic leaders onlyrequire businesses with more than 10 employees to provide coverage orpay into the pool.