Chuck DeVore Was Right on Low Turnout, Wrong That It Would Propel Him to Victory

By Matt Coker Wed., Jun. 9 2010 at 10:43 AM

Categories: Elections, Politics

Termed-out Assemblyman Chuck DeVore (R-Irvine) on Monday afternoon presented supporters a strategy to victory in the race for the GOP nomination to face U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer in November. Though he was polling somewhere below Chuy Bravo's kneecaps, DeVore reckoned a record low voter turnout in California could propel him to a stunning, come-from-way-way-waaaay-behind win.

DeVore got his wish, kinda sorta.

Photo by John Gilhooley

Chuck DeVore's screen shows the turnout.

The final tally is not in, but a poll published Tuesday by the Field Poll organization estimated turnout would be lower than the previous all-time primary election low in 2006, when 33.6 percent of voters came out.

"Over the weekend we received strong indications that voter turnout is going to be a RECORD LOW," DeVore correctly predicted in his 2:21 p.m. Monday email blast. "As of Friday, only 22% of vote-by-mail ballots had been returned.

"What that means is all of the polls you see right now are DEAD WRONG--they are based on faulty turnout models of moderate to high turnout and they completely and totally fail to capture where the grassroots energy is."

He went on to say Tuesday's election would come down to the wire, with the winner based on who could get the most voters to the polls. That would be DeVore, according to DeVore, because Tom Campbell and Carly Fiorina had "no ground game."

"We've got the team. We've got the plan. Now we are implementing," boasted DeVore.

With 99.1 percent of California precincts counted, the tally stands at Fiorina with 56 percent of the vote, Campell with 22 percent and ground Chuck at 19 percent.

How's that hopey, changy thing working for you, Chuckie?

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