Carly Fiorina puts conservatism on display for reporters

Recently launched California Senate candidate Carly Fiorina (R) is on a quest to prove her conservative bona fides to California voters. But on Wednesday, the Fiorina's first target was a group of D.C. reporters.

Fiorina, who faces a grassroots conservative primary challenger before she can get to Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), cast doubt on global warming, said she supported the Stupak amendment, and advocated an enforcement-first illegal immigration plan.

In fact, about the only places where she trended to the middle were when she had kind words for centrist GOP Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.). She also declined to tie her campaign to Sarah Palin.

Fiorina was asked whether the New York-23 narrative of establishment centrist-versus-conservative fits her race. Her opponent, state Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, has garnered support from the same circles as Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman did in the New York special election.

“The story doesn’t fit the facts,” Fiorina said. “I am a conservative person.”

Fiorina also announced that she has been endorsed by Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), a conservative stalwart who last month chose Marco Rubio over Gov. Charlie Crist in Florida’s Senate primary. 

While being a conservative is nice for the primary, Fiorina was challenged on whether one can win statewide in California. She said the time is ripe.

“One of the reasons a conservative can win is because … Californians are worried about whether they will have a job (and) ballooning federal deficits robbing the future from their children,” Fiorina said.

Fiorina deflected when asked whether she would be campaigning with Palin or had read her new book. Fiorina was also a potential vice presidential nominee for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) last year, but she got passed on in favor of Palin.

"Sarah Palin is clearly selling a lot of books and really looks busy on a book tour," she said. "I haven't read it, and I'm focused on 2010 and Barbara Boxer, frankly. But I think what's more important right now is for me to spend time with the people of California and with people in California who voters respect and understand and who are from California."

Here are some other highlights:

On global warming -- “We should have the courage to examine the science on an ongoing basis. But frankly, I think we ought to deal with it as a real challenge today and do what we can to create opportunities for leadership for this nation in the process.”

On Stupak -- “I do not support taxpayer funding for abortion. … I would support the Stupak amendment.”

On illegal immigration -- “Our borders aren’t secure, and we don’t have a temporary worker program that works. What I will argue for in the U.S. Senate is, let’s solve real problems by doing things we know how to get done and that we can get done. Let’s not boil the ocean on every issue.”

On whether she will partially self-fund her campaign -- “The short answer is time will tell. I don’t think it will be necessary. … I don’t have millions of dollars to loan to the campaign.”

On DeVore -- “Chuck DeVore is the candidate that Barbara Boxer wants to face.”

On Feinstein -- “She’s a very effective senator, and I will work very well with her. I have great respect and admiration for Dianne Feinstein.”

Note: A previous version incorrectly stated that Fiorina opposed the Stupak amendment. The post has been corrected to reflect her support.