If the Leno-Migden-Nation contest is the Democratic contest closest to a brawl, then the John Benoit-Russ Bogh face-off in the Inland Empire is its Republican counterpart.
Little separates the two candidates ideologically, so the race has turned personal –- and nasty.
So many barbs have been tossed back and forth it's hard to keep track -- from anonymous blog postings to anonymous Web sites to recent attack ads against Benoit aired by a political nonprofit.
And that's just the start.
Bogh, who termed out of the Assembly in 2006, has accused Benoit, still in the Assembly, of misusing state resources by hosting district events that Bogh calls nothing more than campaign stops. Benoit says he is just acting as a good representative.
Benoit, meanwhile, accuses Bogh of skirting campaign finance laws, raising and spending money in a county supervisor account while simultaneously running for Assembly.
They are seeking to replace termed-out Sen. Jim Battin, who has endorsed Bogh in the race. The two have divided legislative endorsements, with many members opting to remain neutral in the heated contest, including Senate Republican leader Dave Cogdill and former leader Dick Ackerman.
Both candidates have the resources to compete in the final sprint of the campaign, with Bogh controlling $412,000 after accounting for debts, to Benoit’s $337,000.
As Battin wrote when he endorsed Bogh, "For the record -- I hate Republican primaries. Primaries always leave scars behind. Friends support different candidates and get mad at each other. Names are called. Attacks are made. Relationships are forever ruined. Regretfully, this one looks to be no different."
Campaign Web sites:
District profile: SD 37
Current member: Sen. Jim Battin
Total registered voters: 440,797
Republican: 44.28 percent
Democratic: 35.14 percent
Declined-to-state: 16.36 percent
Registered Republicans, by county:
Riverside: 185,366
@Nyx.CommentBody@