The seat was unexpectedly open last year after its longtime incumbent, Chris Cox, was appointed to head the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Along with the candidates, some of the issues are the same as a year ago. Young is talking about his exit strategy for Iraq (enlist the Arab League to broker peace between Shiite and Sunni factions, and start redeploying U.S. troops); Campbell is talking about illegal immigration and border security; and Cohen is still content to play second or third fiddle in the race.
But what's changed is Campbell's 10-plus months in office. Now he's an incumbent and can mention money he's all but secured for a major Upper Newport Bay restoration project and his efforts to move forward issues such as banning Internet access taxes and cutting off federal aid to illegal immigrant "sanctuary cities."
The media have made much of voters' growing frustration and anger at the GOP, but Campbell's not concerned about that.
Democrats have been criticizing the GOP but not offering solutions, he said, because "if people knew the Democratic agenda, they would never vote for them…. They're for open borders, higher taxes, more spending and withdrawing from the war on terror."
Of course, Young disputes that. He is assailing Campbell for delivering party-line rhetoric rather than solutions, and for voting to increase the deficit limit.
"I have found that the thing that resonates the most is my position that we need to stand up for what's best for America and not for partisan political parties," Young said.
What's changed for Young is that "nobody knew me in July," and he's been campaigning almost nonstop since then, he said. Last week he got the endorsement of Esquire magazine, and he's attended a house party every day this month.
Cohen, meanwhile, has been helping other candidates and has been in "party-building mode."
