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http://www.forbes.com/2001/10/08/1008califgov.html
Archived: 10/09/2001 at 04:44:07
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People
Harvey Rosenfield: Third-Party Contender NEW YORK - Hollywood liberals exercised over Ralph Nader's spoiler role in the tight 2000 presidential race may have another political dilemma on their hands.
With $30 million of campaign money raised, Davis was banking on an easy run for a second term until power deregulation ended in a costly fiasco. A September survey by the Mervin Field firm found him trailing former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, 45% to 42%, in a two-way heat. This was a big jump over earlier private polls by still-undeclared Riordan, who must ward off conservative opposition in a March Republican primary. An attorney and investor able to bring millions of his own to the race, Riordan is identified with business interests, but has angered many in the GOP by his past support of Democrats, such as his predecessor Tom Bradley (for governor) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein. But the ex-mayor, 71, who won office in 1993 promising he was "tough enough to turn L.A. around," need not expect flak on his right next November. One conservative Southern California congressman backing him says, "A non-partisan or bipartisan governor is the price we have to pay to get rid of what we've got." For mainstream Democrats, who are likely to keep dominating the legislature no matter what happens to Davis, the calculus may be different. Although he's kept the entertainment world and most other party constituencies in line, the governor has vetoed scores of bills sought by interest groups on the left and opposed by business lobbies. All the while, he's courted corporate cash. "I don't think things could be worse than they are now," says Rosenfield, pooh-poohing worries of a Nader-to-Bush type carom in 2002. A 49-year-old lawyer, Rosenfield has never sought office, but is a familar name and face in much of the mammoth state. He's still trying to battle Davis in court, but thinks the governor has maneuvered to protect his energy plans against the kind of statewide referendum that consumerist forces would prefer. That may mean a candidacy "is the only option left." He would run on his own (his Foundation for Taxpayer & Consumer Rights in Santa Monica could get the 157,000 signatures) rather than taking the Green Party or other established ballot line. How could he compete against all that campaign finance? Rosenfield says the election will ride "not on what Davis spends, but on how much he has cost us." The governor's men dismiss the kvetching. But "Harvey is a lot more press-oriented than Nader, who is boring," says Arnold Steinberg, a Republican strategist with past ties to Riordan. "Harvey's very accomplished at the sound bite." Probably better that California is now moving to get rid of punch-card ballots.
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