That free-wheeling 19th District state Senate race should provide a boon to Ventura County's hospitality industry over the next dozen days. Democratic and Republican state Senate staffers, who take leaves of absense at this time every election year, have emptied the Capitol, packed their cars and headed to Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.

They will be out in force knocking on doors and making phone calls throughy Election Day.

If you see them walking precincts, you'll know them by the smiles on their faces. Since they are sent to wherever the action is, there have been election years when they've been dispatched to Bakersfield or Stockton. They know they are blessed that circumstances took them this year to such a pleasant part of the state.