Is Hillary Clinton's 2016 Campaign in Trouble? In California?

Is Hillary Clinton's 2016 presidential campaign in trouble -- even in liberal California?

It might be. A few weeks ago a Clinton campaign office opened on Santa Monica's pricey Montana Avenue (1627 Montana, to be exact). This is highly unusual. The Democratic Party enjoys such a lopsided majority among registered voters, it hasn't bothered with any street campaigning for many years now. Indeed, in the nearly 30 years I've lived in Santa Monica, this is the first I've ever seen a presidential campaign office -- Democratic or Republican -- in this affluent but heavily Democratic town.

The GOP wrote off California long ago. In 1996 Bob Dole's Republican campaign was invisible in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, despite the GOP holding its convention in San Diego. In 1992 I heard radio reports of Bush campaign supporters active in Orange County. That was about it.

As for Democrats, they've long ago taken California voters for granted. Democratic candidates come to California to raise money from Hollywood and Silicon Valley, not to meet ordinary voters. Yet this time Hillary has opened a storefront office in Santa Monica, apparently trying to rally every voter she can find.

Do Hillary's people think that every vote will count this November -- even in California? It appears they do.

The Sacramento Bee is also reporting that Clinton is slipping in California.




The Clinton campaign office shares space with other Democratic candidates, whose street presence was likewise invisible in past elections.

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