West Coast Tremors (CA Gov. Grey Davis Recall Effort Gaining Steam)

National Journal and LA Times ^ | May 6, 2003 | Chuck Todd

[ewing]

Aides to House Rep. Darrell Issa (R-49) who himself aspires to be Governor, plan to file papers as early as today to creating yet another campaign to recall Governor Grey Davis.

Aides said that Issa plans to provide six figure donations as seed monies for the new recall effort called Rescue California.

Sacramento political consultant Dave Gilliard who will manage the new effort and represents Issa as well as half a dozen GOP'ers said: 'This funding is substantial and more than enough to do the job that needs to be done.'

Gilliard said the committee will have sufficient money to hire professional petition circulators who will attempt to gather 700,000 to 800,000 signatures of registered voters.

Such fims generally charge $1-$2.00 per name. Other committees already in operation are expected to gather the balance of the roughly 1.2 million signatures needed to put a recall measure before voters.

[ewing]

Would there be an open recall election of just Dims?

[JohnnyZ]

As I understand it:

There would be a 2-part ballot question:

1. Keep Gray Davis? (Yes or NO)

2. Who is your preference for governor other than Davis?

a) Dem
b) Dem2
d) Pub1
e) Green
f) Pub2
g) Dem3

If Davis loses part 1, the candidate in part 2 with the highest vote total is the new governor.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Hehehe!

Let's clean the Manure out of Sacramento!!!!!

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[ewing]

That would be great if Arnie or Condi Rice would consent to having their name on the ballot.

The Democratic House in California still reamins a problem regarding the late GOP convention and getting the ballots ready for 2004..

[John Jorsett]

Ping. If I understand this, ther'd now be three recall efforts running in parallel. I presume that their signature totals can be counted together, otherwise it would be incredibly stupid to split it up this way. Still, it seems curious that these groups can't come together to coordinate things. Must be some huge egos involved or some other strategic consideration at work.

[ewing]

The pundits and political scientists all seem to believe that the signatures could be counted together at this point.

[ken5050]

I'm STILL waiting for anyone to answer this scenario.....IF they manage to get the needed number of signatures certified..the Dems will immediatelt "convince" Davis to resign....the LtGov takes over, and the whole recall is moot....and they give the new guy a leg up in the next election....

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

The pundits and political scientists all seem to believe that the signatures could be counted together at this point.

That's good, and can't a citizen get his signature on all three also?

[kellynla]

Under California's constitution, a petition to get the recall process started will have to gather about 12 percent of the votes cast in the election for governor, or close to 900,000.
Once those signatures are certified by the secretary of state, the lieutenant governor is required to schedule a special election within 180 days of the original filing. A special election could take place in July or August, with no limit on the number of candidates who could be on the ballot.
The candidate emerging with a plurality of votes would be the new governor of California.
California election analysts say a candidate with as little as 2 percent of the votes could win if many candidates qualify for the ballot.
To maximize its chances of winning, each party will likely try to agree on a single well-known candidate.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Well the Attorney General would probably try to stop that because he wants to be Governor too!

[ewing]

Rob Reiner?

[Toirdhealbheach Beucail]

One wonders if the Dems could convince Davis to resign. If there is a recall, he can at least fight and keep the thing in the courts for awhile, but if he resigns he looses any chance at all of gaining any further national aspirations, which is what he seems to have.

[ewing]

And how would one apply to get a name on the ballot in the recall?

[.38sw]

All three groups are using the same petition. They aren't in competition with each other. If they could coordinate efforts to do the gathering, it might help, but it's the same petition, so I don't think that it's a hindrance.

[John Jorsett]

The pundits and political scientists all seem to believe that the signatures could be counted together at this point.

That brings a disturbing thought to mind. What do you want to bet that in the event of a sufficient combined total, the matter of combining them will be litigated? I can just see the plaintiff's bar of the state dragging it through the courts for God knows how long.

[Gophack]

If the recall qualifies, the big question is ... does Davis resign? If he does, Bustamante becomes gov and there is no recall ...

[ewing]

Yep, at least to the California Supreme Court..

[NormsRevenge]

Cruz Bustamante .. the new guy with a leg up.. whizzing on the voters of Aztlan California .. the mental imagery you paint is really rich there. :-)

I don't hink the demRats would sink that low altho they do some pretty stupid things when under pressure, and if they do, Then we run Condi Rice. ;-)

[John Jorsett]

I'm STILL waiting for anyone to answer this scenario.....IF they manage to get the needed number of signatures certified..the Dems will immediatelt "convince" Davis to resign....the LtGov takes over, and the whole recall is moot....and they give the new guy a leg up in the next election....

That would assume some degree of selflessness on the part of Davis, whose sole guiding principle to date has been what is best for himself. That, or some very large carrot dangled before him, and I can't imagine what that would be for somebody like him who loves wielding political power.

[ken5050]

"National aspirations".....he couldn't get elected mayor of Petaluma.....