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Davis recall, now thought likely, still lacks high-level support The Republican-led campaign to recall Democratic Gov. Gray Davis has rapidly gained cash and credibility, but it has failed to pick up support from top GOP officials, business leaders or donors. Some of these people fear the recall could hurt the party and distract from President Bush's re-election campaign. And they said the White House has signaled that California donors should stay focused on Bush 2004. "I don't think running around trying to recall the governor is in the best interest of either the party or the president at this point in time," said GOP donor Mark C. Johnson, who was finance chairman for Republican Richard Riordan's failed 2002 gubernatorial bid. The California Business Roundtable, a group of leading executives, announced Wednesday it was opposing the recall. The Republican leaders of the state Senate and Assembly are not getting involved. Meanwhile White House officials have been "gently encouraging" major donors to keep focused on Bush's re-election, said Johnson, who is president and chief executive of a medical supply company in Riverside County. Gerry Parsky, Bush's top adviser in California, said his focus was on Bush and the GOP. "I understand why people might be upset about the financial condition of California. However, my priorities are the re-election of the president and financially strengthening the state party," Parsky said. Bush will be visiting the state June 27 for two fund-raisers, a lunch in Burlingame and a dinner in Los Angeles, expected to draw about $6 million. "The president is coming out here on June 27 and all the donors are going to be told by the Bush forces that's where they should give their money," said a Republican source. Recall organizers said they're unconcerned, and donors and high-level Republicans acknowledged the recall may well qualify without their support. Recall backers must collect nearly 900,000 valid signatures by Sept. 2 to get the measure on the ballot. They claim they've already gathered more than 400,000 signatures and aim to finish by mid-July so they can force a special election in November, instead of sharing a March ballot with a presidential primary that would ensure a large Democratic turnout. Organizers have raised $850,000 to pay signature gatherers, including $445,000 from U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, who has announced he wants to replace Davis and attacked the governor in a full-page ad in the Sacramento Bee Wednesday. Other Republicans considering running are Riordan, former GOP gubernatorial nominee Bill Simon, former Secretary of State Bill Jones and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger. But a recall election could draw Democrats as well, and some prominent Republicans voiced concern that the unpopular Davis could be replaced by a well-liked Democrat like U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, leaving the GOP worse off in the state. Feinstein has not ruled out appearing on the ballot. "There's no guarantee we could put a Republican candidate in the governor's chair right now," said GOP donor Paul Folino, chairman and chief executive of Emulex Corp., who said he has turned down recall supporters' requests for donations. Other donors believe that with Issa apparently prepared to fund the effort recall supporters believe they need about $1.5 million there's no need for them to chip in, Republican sources said. And many would prefer to see Davis continue to suffer the fallout of the state's budget crisis himself rather than put it in GOP hands. Recall organizers said they are not bothered by the scenario of Republicans facing a recall election that the party elite never wanted.
"With Prop. 13 the politicians and the major donors and everybody were all wringing their hands until the last day, and then the day it passed everybody remembered they had been for it all along and
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