California: Watch the 20% factor -- independent voters are critical

From the Monterey Herald:
... There are 6.7 million registered Democrats in California, compared with 5.4 million Republicans, but Republicans generally turn out 5 percent more voters. Luring the increasing number of independent voters -- nearly 20 percent of the state electorate, or 2.9 million -- will be another key factor in November.... [more]


Still talking about the Bilbray/Busby bash, Ronald Brownstein in the LA Times says:
It's the rare election that offers both parties more reason for concern than optimism, but that may be exactly the verdict from last week's congressional special election in San Diego County. ...Other numbers from the race, though, were more ominous for Republicans. Independent voters appeared to break overwhelmingly for Busby. Remember that Bilbray's total in the special election exceeded the votes cast in the Republican primary only by about 1,100. Busby's total in the special election exceeded the votes cast in the Democratic primary (which she won) by almost 10,000. That suggests she attracted the vast majority of independent voters who did not participate in either party primary.... [more]


From Newsweek:
Arnold the environmentalist.... ...In California, where 87 percent of voters say that environmental issues matter in choosing a candidate, that's a smart course. "We're about bringing people together," Schwarzenegger's wife, Maria Shriver, said. "Democrats, Republicans, independents, greens. We're the only state in America doing that."...