A daily dose of online news from beyond the Beltway.

By Ryan Thornburg
Washingtonpost.com Staff
Monday, April 5, 1999

In advance of Vice President Gore's campaign visit to northern California this week, two Republican groups are planting the seeds of dissent among Silicon Valley's political neophytes. Washington's Republican Leadership Council will run two days of commercials in San Francisco and San Jose that question Gore's claim that he took "the initiative in creating the Internet." Another group of Silicon Valley Republicans has a full-page advertisement in Monday's San Jose Mercury News that encourages the presidential ambitions of Texas Gov. George W. Bush (R).

"It's not fun. Anyone who thinks it's fun, you shouldn't vote for." – Dan Quayle, on raising money for a presidential campaign. (The Arizona Republic, April 5)

• Gore Drawing Early GOP Fire on Visit to State (Los Angeles Times, April 5)
• Caucus News Roundup: Gore Expected to Visit Iowa (The Des Moines Register, Iowa, April 2)

Bush Still Fighting to Fund His Proposals
Despite a $5.6 billion surplus in the Texas state budget, Gov. George W. Bush (R) is having a tough time squeezing out his plans for $2.6 billion in tax cuts and $1.6 billion increase in school funding.
• Surplus May Fall Short for Bush (The Dallas Morning News, April 5)

Bush also said he would sign a bill that would make Texas the first state to recognize a holiday honoring the late civil rights leader Cesar Chavez.
• Bush Says He Would Sign Bill Honoring Cesar Chavez (The Dallas Morning News, April 4)

Florio Faces Challenge in Building Broad Base for Senate Bid
Although former Democratic governor Jim Florio has strong support in southern New Jersey, he may have a tough time building a broad base in his Senate bid to replace the retiring Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D).
• Once Burned, Now Shy About Florio (The New York Times, April 5, registration required)

Delaying N.Y. Budget May Help Reelection Efforts
The New York legislature has again failed to pass a state budget by the April 1 deadline, but that has never seemed to hurt incumbents' chances of reelection. In fact, because a protracted budget process gives lawmakers a chance to show their partisan strength, the delay may help their political prospects.
• In Albany, Late Budgets, Easy Re-election and Nonchalance (The New York Times, April 5, registration required)

Ryan Thornburg can be reached at ryan.thornburg@washingtonpost.com