Carly moves Stage Right!

The Orange County Republican Central Committee played host to comments by US Senate Candidate Carly Fiorina tonight.  The largely Chuck DeVore based crowd seemed to warm to Carly as her nearly 40 minute commentary continued with strength and repeated targeting of her  proclaimed Conservative Principles with a no new taxes pledge and support development for new small business jobs.

Carly initially showed some concern that she had stepped into an ultra conservative environment.  As she prodded the crowd of partisans to emote their feelings – she seemed to get a better handle on the mood of the crowd and what was going to please them.  By the end of her remarks, there seemed to be a sense of acclamation.  Carly seemingly has changed a great deal from just a few months ago, when she launched her play into national politics with a rather low key approach.

Stating that “I’m a dedicated Conservative, my husband has guns and I want to grow the economy, by supporting small business and I am not intimidated by anything or anyone….including Barbara Boxer!”  Carly is beginning to sound more and more like a Orange County Conservative and it is noticeably more  attractive.  That yet might not convince enough women in general that replacing one woman with another one is necessarily a good thing. 

All this however, will be played out in June.  Carly stayed away from firing any ammo directly at contender Chuck DeVore, but did drop a few bombs on Tom Campbell…here and there!  Carly stayed on target, mentioned her short hair and her recovery from breast cancer…..that all “made her stronger!”

So, will Carly win the Republican Primary?  Or will all the effort that Chuck DeVore has put forward be rewarded?  Will long shot Tom Campbell ride off into the sunset with a stolen primary election bid?  Can Carly be convincing enough to keep her “non-politician message” viable?

It was nice to shake her hand, look into her eye and see someone that has a grasp on how hard this fight is going to be –  both in the primary and if she is lucky..in the General Election.  How well can she  do against a long term incumbent with all the Union cash in world to spend?  Can she maintain that essential Conservative message and still deal with Embryonic Stem Cells, economic malaise,  Two Wars, National Security, Global Warming and Cap & Trade?  Deal with them she must….but convince people to vote for her….and that she could in any regard “make a difference”?  That, we all will have to see…in the months ahead!