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Davis To Face Recall Election The bland Davis, already one of the most unpopular leaders in the nation, previously disparaged the recall activists as "losers." Today, he renewed his vow to fight to the very end against what he called "a hostile takeover by the right." The announcement tonight by California Secretary of State Kevin Shelley that the recall election will be held in 60 to 80 days capped a remarkable political saga -- and signals a major embarrassment for the Democrats and Davis, who was once considered a likely contender for the White House. Just a few months ago, most political handicappers thought the recall effort had little chance of getting on the ballot, but the movement to remove Davis tapped into deep unhappiness among voters who have watched in shock and awe as the state stumbled through a self-made energy crisis and is now essentially broke and saddled with an unprecedented $38 billion budget shortfall. Into this breach come Republicans such as film actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is seriously considering offering himself as a Davis successor. California, already on the cutting edge for its embrace of voter initiatives, is making history again. Since the recall option was made law in 1911, there have been 31 failed attempts to get one on the ballot in California. The attempt to haul Davis before voters less than a year after he was narrowly elected to a second term also appeared doomed until Rep. Darrell Issa (R), a car-alarm impresario from suburban San Diego, put up $1.7 million of his own money to employ professional signature-gatherers to get ink on petitions. Shelley confirmed tonight that Issa's troops had gathered in excess of 1.3 million valid signatures; they needed 897,158 to qualify the recall for the ballot. Issa, who also wants to replace Davis, tonight called the recall "a landmark for California" and blamed Davis for the state's budget shortfall. Other critics have assailed Davis for what they call gross mismanagement of the state's energy and fiscal affairs. Now that Shelley has certified that there are enough valid signatures to mount a recall, the baton is passed to Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante (D). On Thursday, he is expected to set a date for the election, which must be held within 60 to 80 days. But confusion reigned today after Bustamante said he will not issue a call for a two-part ballot that would ask first whether Davis should be recalled and second who should replace him if he is ousted. Instead, Bustamante said he will leave the question of how to choose a possible Davis successor to an independent panel and the California Supreme Court's reading of the state constitution. If the question goes before the high court, it could rule that if Davis is removed by voters, his successor would automatically be Bustamante. That would inevitably be challenged by GOP hopefuls who want to be on the ballot. Or the court could order the fall ballot to include a list of candidates for Davis's job if he is recalled. That is the ballot that everyone has been expecting to see.
Bustamante said he will leave the question to the Commission on the Governorship. This obscure commission has never been empaneled, and its chairman, state Senate President Pro Tem John Burton (D), said, "Up until three days ago, I didn't know there
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