Republicans debate in bid for state governor

 

By Kelly Rayburn and Helen
Seliverstov
Daily Bruin Senior Staff

The most competitive political primary heated up Tuesday night
in San Jose, as the three top Republican gubernatorial candidates
took jabs at each other and Gov. Gray Davis in a debate.

After the March 5 primary, only one candidate will remain
standing to take on Davis, the incumbent governor, who will almost
surely get the Democratic nod.

Former Los Angeles mayor Richard Riordan, Secretary of State
Bill Jones and L.A. business tycoon Bill Simon each called
Davis’ first term in office a “disaster.”

Criticisms for Davis’ role in the energy crisis were
common, with Riordan and Jones saying the governor was too slow to
act when a problem was evident.

“In short, Gov. Davis has fumbled, fiddled and failed our
state,” Riordan said.

“(Davis’) procrastination and timidity are
legendary,” said Jones.

And Simon took aim at what he called the state’s failure
to keep up with infrastructure: “I notice we’re $175
billion behind in keeping our wonderful house of California in
shape.”

While the candidates all proudly fly the Republican flag, they
are also trying to distinguish themselves from each other in
attempt to lure undecided voters ““ four out of 10 likely
Republican voters still haven’t decided whom they will vote
for come March, according to a recent Public Policy of Institute of
California poll.

Tuesday night they didn’t shy away from criticizing each
other.

Jones called Riordan a weak supporter of fellow Republicans and
claimed Riordan did not have the state’s best interest in
mind during the energy crisis.

“You were busy trying to make sure that Los Angeles made
as much money as it could off California,” Jones said.

L.A. remained less affected by the energy crisis than other
cities in the state, partially because the city did not fully go
along with the rest of the state’s energy-market deregulation
plans.

During the debate, Jones came out firing at Riordan, while Simon
was busy answering questions about having never served in public
office. He repeatedly said his experience as a prosecutor,
businessman and philanthropist has prepared him to be governor.
“I’ve made a career of being a problem solver and a
builder and I know that I can solve these problems,” Simon
said.

Simon ““ who has won Rudolph Giuliani’s endorsement
““ trumpeted his business background and said he would not
raise taxes if elected.

Jones, meanwhile, played up his status as the only Republican
statewide-elected official and boasted of his authorship of the
“Three Strikes” law.

Riordan, who leads the other two candidates in all polls,
claimed he would be a successful governor because he would delegate
important jobs to California’s “best and
brightest.”

Though it may not have been the centerpiece of Tuesday’s
debate education reform is near he top of each one’s list,
with the candidates hoping to eventually defeat a governor who has
repeatedly named education his No. 1 priority.

Jones wants to give voters the right to partition huge school
districts, like the Los Angeles Unified School District, the second
largest in the country.

Riordan’s two main goals in education are to build more
schools and better prepare children for jobs. He advocates the
creation of a state-wide school construction chief and wants to
allow mayors to appoint school board officials.

Simon released a statement, “10 Commitments to Make Public
Education Work in California,” which outlines his ideas on
education reform, including more local control at public schools
and higher standards of accountability for school
superintendents.

The California College Republicans officially endorsed Simon in
his campaign for governor last week.

UCLA’s Republican club hasn’t officially made up its
mind: the Bruin Republicans have not endorsed anyone, nor are they
planning to before the March election, though the group’s
president, Simon Perng, did allow that “Dick Riordan is well
poised to overtake Gray Davis.”

With reports from Daily Bruin wire services.