Hear that giant sucking sound? It's Gray Davis going "down the plughole."
Calif. Democrats Turn to Backup
House Delegation Endorses Candidacy of State's Lt. Gov.
By Rene Sanchez
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, August 22, 2003; Page A09
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 21 -- Amid growing concerns that Gov. Gray Davis (D) will not survive a recall vote, Democrats in California's congressional delegation today unanimously endorsed the backup candidacy of Lt. Gov. Cruz M. Bustamante, saying that he would be "highly qualified'' to lead the state if voters oust Davis.
After conferring by phone this morning, California's 33 House Democrats issued a statement urging voters to reject the recall but also to support Bustamante, who is the only prominent Democrat among the 135 candidates on the Oct. 7 recall ballot.
"We strongly oppose the recall," said Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), who leads the delegation, "but if California voters make a different choice, then Lieutenant Governor Bustamante is the appropriate person to assume the office."
Hours earlier, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) had suggested a different approach. In an appearance with Davis at police headquarters here, she said that she plans to vote against the recall and to ignore every candidate running to replace the governor. "I am not going to vote on the second part of the ballot," she told reporters.
The contrasting strategies reflect the growing division among Democratic leaders, interest groups and donors over how to fight the recall, especially now that polls suggest Davis's troubles are deepening.
A survey released today by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California showed that 58 percent of likely voters support removing Davis from office -- the same as the California Field Poll reported last week. Each survey found that support for the recall has grown significantly in the past month.
In the latest poll, actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican, led the field of candidates vying to replace Davis with 23 percent of the vote, and Bustamante was second with 18 percent. The Field Poll showed that Bustamante had a slight lead over Schwarzenegger.
Perhaps most worrisome to Davis is that the latest survey suggested about 40 percent of Democratic voters favor recalling him. Davis was reelected last year.
Congressional Democrats said the party has to rally around Bustamante's candidacy because sticking only with Davis at this point would greatly increase the risk that a Republican will emerge from the election as governor.
"What core Democratic voters want to know is what's the best way in this process to protect schools, to protect health care," said Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) "Having a two-part strategy is the only thing that makes sense."
Sherman said that the delegation's decision could increase Democratic turnout.
Davis, who wanted no Democrats on the ballot, appears to be warming to Bustamante's candidacy, saying in a radio interview today that it may be a "blessing in disguise."
But Bustamante's presence on the ballot also is presenting complications. Unions and other interest groups are struggling to decide where to put their money and manpower. California labor leaders are scheduled to resolve that delicate issue at a conference next week.
Davis campaigned around Los Angeles today, appearing with Feinstein and a cadre of law enforcement officials to support extending a federal ban on assault weapons, and speaking to an African American business group. He blamed his standing in polls on weak economic conditions, which he said have made voters frustrated. "I feel their pain," he said.
Feinstein chided Schwarzenegger for making violent films. "I'm one that believes there is too much violence in movies and that violence begets violence," she said.
Schwarzenegger made no public appearances today, as Republican leaders continued debating whether to pressure several other GOP candidates on the ballot to get out of the race to improve the actor's chance of beating Bustamante.
In an appearance on CNN, California GOP Chairman George "Duf" Sundheim said, "There may come a time where what may be in the best interests of the state is for one or more of these candidates to put their personal ambitions aside."
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