Barely a year after the historic election of President Obama, Republicans are talking up 2010 as the "change" election.
n blue-leaning California, the dangers for Democrats are becoming evident as the GOP works to fire up voters with issues like budget deficits, health care reform and the costs of curbing global warming.
"California is ground zero for many of these debates because the problems are bigger and more outside than just about anywhere else," says Andrew Moylan, director of government affairs for the National Taxpayers Union in Washington, which plans to underscore the conservative message on issues like health care, the deficit and spending.
Democrats, who control both houses of the state Legislature, "have dramatically increased spending," Moylan added, "and of course they're having to pay the piper."
GOP gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman, the former eBay CEO, has repeatedly lambasted "the politicians" whom she says have run California into the ground - pointedly referencing Attorney General Jerry Brown, a Democrat and former two-term governor who is running for a third term in next year's election.
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