The controversial Governor’s race: Our recommendations

When evaluating candidates—especially in a primary election—I look at where they stand on the issues, evaluate their integrity and character as much as possible, and examine their leadership qualities at work, at church and within organizations.

We carefully select those candidates that best represent a Christian worldview.

To help you select the best candidate, we use these ratings:

	1 thumb up: Better than their opponent—a vote that represents the “lesser of two evils”
	2 thumbs up: Good candidate on most issues and selection criteria
	3 thumbs up: The very best

In this race for Governor we have endorsed three candidates. Two are minor party candidates with no chance to win, but they both get 3 thumbs up. We have also endorsed one major candidate with 1 thumb up—Steve Poizner.

We reluctantly and sadly have concluded that voting for the minor candidates would be taking a vote away from Poizner and giving it to Meg Whitman—something that I believe would be wrong for a values voter to do in this race.

Steve Poizner represents many problems for a values voter. But he is a much better choice than Whitman.

Here is where both candidates stand on key issues:

Here is what I don’t like about Meg Whitman:

• She has consistently presented liberal social views and has made it clear she does not believe social values should be an issue for her or this campaign.
• She supports and defends the state funding of abortion—at last report that I have, that’s 80,000 publicly funded Medi-Cal abortions, costing us $35 million.
• She supported the thousands of same-sex marriages that took place last year between the court decision approving gay marriages and the passage of Proposition 8.
• One of the big differences between the candidates is Whitman’s select tax cuts vs. Poizner’s across-the-board tax cuts to get the economy rolling and put families in a better position.
• More troubling are her core beliefs. For example, Poizner opposed the original bailout; Whitman was for it.
• On the devastation of Central California, both candidates want the water restored. But Meg Whitman gave over $300,000 to the radical left-wing Environmental Defense Fund—the group that helped stop the flow of water. She defends this.

Whitman will be “Arnold Schwarzenegger Lite.” She doesn’t represent us on the social issues, especially on abortion and the danger to the unborn in California.

One of Steve Poizner’s big problems is that only 8 years ago, his positions on abortion and other key issues were different. And while he is now for parental notification efforts, against partial-birth abortion, and against California taxpayer funding for abortion…he is not opposed to abortion. (Both candidates are against the federal funding of abortion.)

Both candidates support Proposition 13, despite the scare tactics of the political ads. Poizner (and Fiorina) supported Proposition 39 a decade ago. This lowered the 2/3 vote for school bonds. Bad choice—and one that has brought about property tax increases. Poizner says he supported Prop 39 because part of the proposition helped charter schools (which he is a strong and good advocate for). He says he was wrong and should have opposed it.

But the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association is using this to say he is anti-13—it’s not true.

Both candidates have made terrible choices concerning contributions and policy issues in the past. Maybe Steve’s positions have changed in the last 8 years because he wanted to run for Governor. Maybe Meg Whitman’s positions have changed in the last 60 days for the same reason.

I’d much rather endorse the minor candidate.

And many Christians will not want to compromise on their vote and will select one of the 3 thumbs up candidates. That’s what I normally do and advocate, but...

This is not about minor issues.

It’s about the killing of the unborn. It’s about someone who has pledged to help us stop using state tax money for abortion and to help us with other important issues such as marriage. It’s about someone who is not hostile to issues of social values.

We are endorsing Steve Poizner with 1 thumbe up.

Here are Election Forum’s other endorsements:

• Lawrence "Larry" Naritelli, Republican
• Ken Miller, Republican
• Joe Symmon, Democrat

I’m supporting Steve, even with only 1 thumb up. I cannot justify anything that would help Meg Whitman get the nomination.

Many other Christians agree with me, but I know the choice is not easy. But helping Meg Whitman by not voting for Steve Poizner is, I think, a poor choice.

Here are the endorsements Poizner has received:

• California Republican Assembly
• Congressman Dana Rohrabacher
• Ed Atsinger, CEO, Salem Communications.
• Rev. Lou Sheldon, Traditional Values Coalition
• Ron Prentice, CEO, California Family Council
• Karen England, Capitol Resource Institute
• Congressman Tom McClintock

Here are the endorsements Whitman has received:

• Senator John McCain
• Former Governor Mitt Romney
• Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani
• Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association

Please pray about your decision and let the Lord help direct your vote.

Yours for love, faith and hope,

Craig A. Huey
Reality Alert/Election Forum
Where the Spirit of the Lord Is, There Is Liberty (2 Cor. 3:17)

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