Rescue California

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Even G.O.P. Could Face a Bumpy Road in California Recall

July 26, 2003

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with the exception of Mr. Davis on the recall question, would appear on the Oct. 7 ballot. He is blocked by law from appearing on the replacement ballot.

"There is a very good possibility that the Democratic Party hangs Gray Davis out to dry and decides not to take the ship down with him," Mr. Stutzman said "They may be in spring training, but there are going to be all kind of clubhouse brawls."

Even that scenario, which many Republicans are hoping for, because it would shatter the unified Democratic front, complicates the Republicans' overall task.

If a Democrat enters the race, officials with the state Republican Party are expected to convene a meeting of the Republican hopefuls. The idea, Mr. Stutzman said, would be to narrow the field and rally Republicans around a single candidate to improve the chances of a Republican's winning.

But it seems that very few of the likely candidates from the party, which has a weak central organization and has been historically afflicted with infighting, like that idea.

"This is a grass-roots-led movement," Mr. Simon said. "At the end of the day, I am not going to be telling other people not to run."

A possible result would be a field of Republican candidates who campaign against one another, much to the satisfaction of Mr. Davis and the Democrats.

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