Rescue California

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Recall milestone claimed
BACKERS OF GOV. DAVIS DOUBT REPORTED TOTALS

July 03, 2003

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I can't think of anything good he's done,'' Barnett said. But if the recall succeeds, Barnett said he worries it will begin an era ``of political mass destruction.''

Barnett was joined at a San Diego news conference outside a state office building by developer Mike Madigan and Bill Marvin, a former chairman of the San Diego County Republican Party. They had barely finished their announcement before San Diego County GOP leaders gathered a few feet away to dismiss it as a deceptive political stunt.

``These are three guys, a fax machine and an attitude,'' San Diego County GOP Chairman Ron Nehring told the Associated Press. ``This does not represent a rift in the Republican Party.''

San Diego County, the home of Darrell Issa, the Republican congressman who has bankrolled the signature-gathering effort, has been a stronghold of support for recalling Davis.

Rob Stutzman, a spokesman for the California Republican Party, said the dissenters were best ignored.

``They don't appear to have any constituency,'' he said. ``They are obviously tone deaf as to how Californians really feel about their current governor.''

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mercury News staff writer Mark Gladstone contributed to this report. Contact Laura Kurtzman at lkurtzman@mercurynews.com or (408) 920-5608.

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