Borderman Vs. Bushman

I'm sure Bill Campbell will win the Dec. 6 special election for Chris Cox's Newport Beach seat, but the run-off sets up an interesting race, pitting Campbell not against a Dem, but Independent Jim Gilchrist, founder of the Minuteman Project. There's a Dem, a Green and a Libertarian in the race too, but they'll split 15% between themselves if they're lucky.

Gilchrist is likely to win a considerable amount of both GOP and Dem voters, who like his aggressive anti-illegal position. I had lunch today with two guys who live in the district, and both of them told me they were voting for Gilchrist, who told The Register:

“This is better than expected, and the battle has just begun. As I get more exposure, the numbers will continue to improve.”

That's true, true enough that Campbell can hardly afford to be lackadaisical. Gilchrist will continue to benefit from the district's demographics, which are not exactly a diversity trophy-winner. A serious run or an unlikely win will send yet another signal to DC that the people want serious attention given to illegal immigration.