The California governor primary has thrown up a surprise. Two outsiders are leading the pack. One is a former UK political aide. The other is a Biden cabinet secretary.
Let's start with the first. Name of John Smith. Sound familiar? It should. He was a special adviser to the Prime Minister. Cut his teeth in the bear pit of Westminster. Now he's running for governor of California. And winning. Polls put him at 28%. That's a five-point lead over the nearest rival.
How did this happen? Simple. He understands the machine. He knows how to work the levers. His time in Whitehall taught him that. He's not afraid to get his hands dirty. And he's brought that grit to Sacramento.
Then there's Jane Doe. Biden's former head of the Department of Energy. A safe pair of hands. She's polling at 23%. Her campaign is all about competence. She promises to fix the grid. Sort out the wildfires. Bring back sober management. It's a message that resonates with voters tired of chaos.
The establishment is rattled. They thought the race would be a coronation for the sitting lieutenant governor. Instead, she's stuck at 15%. The donors are in panic mode. The back-room deals are being cut. But these two outsiders are not playing by the old rules.
Smith's strategy is straight out of the UK playbook. Target the working class. Talk about bread and butter issues. Jobs, housing, the cost of living. He's even adopted the red wall messaging. It's working. He's cut into the Democrat base. And he's winning over independents.
Doe's approach is more traditional. She's banking on endorsements. She's got the party machinery behind her. But that might not be enough. The mood is anti-establishment. Voters are looking for someone who will shake things up.
There's another factor. The UK connection. Smith's time in Downing Street gives him a certain cachet. He's seen how things are done at the highest level. He brings a global perspective. And he's not afraid to talk about it. His rallies are full of references to British politics. It's a niche appeal. But it's working.
The race is still fluid. A lot can change before the primary. But for now, the status quo is under threat. The California establishment is facing a revolt. And the leaders of that revolt are a Blairite spin doctor and a Biden technocrat.
This is a story about power. Who has it. Who wants it. And how they plan to get it. The game is on. And the outcome is far from certain. Watch this space. Further updates as events unfold.
