33 Quotes by Mark Baldassare

These attitudes run deep and wide. To ignore them could be politically perilous.

People are very concerned about the direction of the economy, rising gasoline prices and the ability of the government to respond to the terrible things that are happening around us, such as natural disasters. They're looking to this special election and they really can't draw a connection between what concerns them the most and what seems to be the purpose and the emphasis of the special election.

As long as the governor has education in the mix, the public will be supportive.

This is a real test for the governor. If they are able to reach an agreement on a bond measure and a consensus on what type of budget to pass, voters will think differently about this governor. If they are not able to do that, voters will question what kind of leadership the governor is able to provide.

It's an unfortunate irony that state leaders were unable to reconcile their differences, while voters - who are often deeply split along partisan lines - were very much in agreement. This was an opportunity to give the public something it collectively wanted.

It speaks to the fact that whether you're controller or treasurer, if you've been there since 1998 or 2002, you won't be very well-known on the statewide stage.

It's very easy to point the finger at the Legislature and the governor, but ultimately, they're taking their cues from the voters.

It's reasonably good news for the governor on a number of levels. It seems many Californians continue to be pulling for the governor.

It has huge implications for how campaigns are going to operate if 40 percent of voters are going to make up their minds before the media blitz that occurs right before an election.