Californians: Yes for Kerry, bond package

By Jack Gillum

California gave a solid boost to presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry Tuesday, firming up his spot for the Democratic nomination in coming months, according to election results this week.

Students, particularly the Santa Clara College Democrats, brought debates and political figures to campus in recent weeks to garner Democratic support for the California primary.

"It'll be a close race in November," Jasper Seldin, president of the College Democrats, said. "I think it all comes down to who can connect with the people."

Seldin's organization sponsored a debate showcasing the candidates' viewpoints last week. An estimated 125 students and faculty, as well as Santa Clara County Assessor Larry Stone, attended the debate.

Kerry, the junior Democratic senator from Massachusetts, won nine out of 10 states in the Super Tuesday primary blitz.

Nearly 1.8 million California residents voted for Kerry, which represented 64 percent of votes cast, the secretary of state's office reported.

California residents also approved propositions 57 and 58, which were part of Gov. Arnold Shwartzenegger's proposed $15 billion bailout plan. The state's budget shortfall was a cornerstone in the recent recall election, which ousted former Gov. Gray Davis from office this year.

Former presidential hopeful Gary Hart, who was to be the Democratic presidential nominee in 1988 before an extramarital scandal rocked his candidacy, addressed a classroom of political science students last week.

Hart, who spoke on behalf of Kerry, criticized President Bush on Iraq and economic policy.

"When people get a tax cut, they just send it to American Express to keep the tax collector off their doorstep," he said. The former senator from Colorado endorsed Kerry in October.

"In November, it'll obviously be John Kerry running against Bush," said San Diego sophomore Tara Hudson, who voted for her first time by absentee ballot.

û Staff member Celina Holmes contributed to this report. Contact Jack Gillum at (408) 554-4849 or jgillum@scu.edu.