California's Harman to Seek Governor's Mansion

By Miles Pomper
LEGI-SLATE News Service
Wednesday, Feb. 4, 1998

California Rep. Jane Harman, D-Calif., made a last-minute decision to run for governor Wednesday, complicating the state's gubernatorial election and leaving her House seat vulnerable to a Republican takeover.

Harman's announcement came within hours of the filing deadline in this year's race to succeed term-limited GOP Gov. Pete Wilson. It further shook up a race in which Los Angeles' Republican Mayor Richard Riordan decided Wednesday not to enter the June open primary.

Harman will take on Republican Attorney General Dan Lungren and two Democrats, Lt. Gov. Gray Davis and former Northwest Airlines Chairman Al Cheechi, in the primary. Unless a candidate wins more than half the vote, the two top vote-getters, regardless of party, will proceed to the November general election.

Harman entered the governor's race after two leading potential Democrats, Sen. Dianne Feinstein and former White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta, decided not to seek the post in recent weeks.

In a conference call with reporters, Harman said Feinstein's decision triggered her own candidacy as many of Feinstein's supporters prodded her to run.

"After consulting with her supporters, talking to my family, and looking into my heart, I have decided to seek the governorship," Harman said.

Highlighting her position as the only woman in the four-person contest, Harman said she will emphasize abortion rights and improvements in public school education in her campaign.

Harman, first elected to Congress in the so-called "Year of the Woman" in 1992, has been known for her dedication to national security issues from her seats on the House National Security and Intelligence Committees, championing weapons programs like the B-2 stealth bomber and helping investigate sexual harassment charges in the Army.

Earlier this year, she told Defense Secretary William Cohen that she did not want to be considered as a nominee for Secretary of the Army, claiming that her constituents were dismayed at the possibility that she would leave her post.

Harman's fortune, her L.A. base, and her status as the only woman in the four-candidate open gubernatorial primary could make her a serious candidate, party officials said.

Her departure could be a boon to House Republicans, who already had their eye on Harman's fiercely competitive 36th district, which takes in beach areas near Los Angeles, from Venice to San Pedro. The district is home to some of the nation's top defense contractors, such as TRW.

California GOP officials indicated that Susan Brooks, who ran a close second to Harman in 1994 and 1996, was almost certain to make a run for the seat now.

"Susan told us that if Jane was to jump in to the governor's race , she would be running," said Mike Madrid, deputy political director for the California GOP.

Another lesser-known Republican candidate, Dr. Irwin Savodnik, has also indicated his interest in seeking the seat.

California Democratic Party Chairman Art Torres said that Democrats who might run include former Rep. Mel Levine and State Assemblywoman Debra Bowen.

Torres expressed confidence that "we will keep the seat...we don't see it as an easy race, but we can win it."

But Brooks would start a race with strong name identification from her two previous contests. In 1994, she only lost to Harman by 812 votes after all absentee ballots were counted, while Harman polled only 52 percent of the vote in 1996.

And, unlike her previous two campaign, she would not have to contend with Harman's hefty campaign coffers.

Harman has access to the fortune made by her husband, Sidney, in manufacturing audio equipment, and she has received massive financial support from defense contractors.

She spent almost $3 million on her last two campaigns, compared to about $1 million for Brooks. That inequality so frustrated Brooks that at one point she lashed out at some of the area's top defense contractors, saying, "they're a bunch of political whores, and you can quote me on that!"

In the race to succeed Harman in the House, Democrats would not have a strong candidate, Madrid said, "Unless that person's got $700 million – to fund that kind of operation you need to spend a lot of time dialing for dollars."

Harman's departure adds yet another twist to a turbulent election year in California, leaving hers as the sixth open seat in the state's 52- member House delegation. At the same time, fierce contests are raging for governor and to unseat Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer.