As goes the L.A. GOP, could the nation's Republicans go as well?

A few years ago, I went to a Hollywood Congress of Republicans meeting at the Old Spaghetti Factory on Sunset, where conversation is as much showbiz industry networking as political discussions. The first member I met described himself as more libertarian than Republican, adding that he felt perfectly at home in this group. The next member I met also dropped the word "libertarian" as a descriptor. Soon after, I came to realize the libertarian leanings in my personal conservatism -- less government is better government, censorship is bad, the FCC wastes way too much time on F-bombs and wardrobe malfunctions. And, of course, I love "South Park."

As I detail in my column today, I've met such a variety of people in L.A. who vote Republican. They're spread through the valleys and inner city, attend synagogues, churches or nothing at all, make films and make enough to pay the rent. At mixers, you just don't see the spats over hot-button issues that many in the media expect. As the national GOP faces questions about its future direction, will that direction come from La-La Land?

"Call it the moderation of America, a trend that shows Americans have grown sick of the Pat Robertsons and the Cindy Sheehans. Americans haven't traded their values or long-held beliefs to support candidates with whom they disagree on some issues. They're just (a) recognizing that they personally cross the ever-muddled party lines on some issues themselves, and (b) are prioritizing their demands of a candidate in a new fashion.

The candidate who's testing these theories, of course, is Rudy Giuliani. Earlier this month, a Gallup poll studied the makeup of the Giuliani voters, after assessing past surveys to conclude that 68 percent of Republican voters total identified themselves as 'conservative' or 'very conservative.' Sixty-six percent of Republicans identified themselves as conservative on economic issues and 63 percent did so on social issues.

In the Gallup poll, 59 percent of Giuliani Republicans said they are very conservative or conservative. ..."

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(Footnote on local GOP voters: In the last presidential election, Kerry got 1.9 million votes to Bush's 1.1 million votes in L.A. County. All surrounding counties went for Bush.)