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State poised for historic recall scramble "I don't think they would allow him to have a clear field to become the incumbent governor," she said. On the other hand, Bebitch Jeffe said, a decision by U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein to run as the Democrats' consensus candidate could change all that. "Feinstein could be the Democrats' hope because she has more visibility than any of the constitutional officers," Pitney said. "And her entrance might keep them out." Mike Byron, a political science professor who lectures at Cal State San Marcos, said it might be attractive for the senator to cap off her political career as the one who rescued California from one of its most turbulent chapters. And Byron said her name keeps popping up. "That suggests to me that there is a trial balloon in the wind," he said. No matter who winds up on the ballot, look for "a massively vicious and dirty campaign," said Byron. That is because Davis backers are viewing the recall threat as a "political hit," he said. "In that sense, the gloves come off and there is no etiquette." Recall organizers are aiming to complete the signature-gathering process by mid-July. They need 900,000 signatures of registered voters to force a first-ever recall election for a California governor. . No other California governor has faced a recall election. Despite 31 attempts, no effort gathered enough signatures to qualify for the ballot, Bebitch Jeffe said. "Every modern governor has had one or more recall attempts against them," she said. Just how seriously this latest attempt is being taken, however, is scheduled to be underscored this morning in downtown San Diego when Pro-Choice groups hold a news conference to warn that Issa is against abortion. "Our concern is that based on Mr. Issa's record, one of his objectives will be to recall the right to choose," said Carroll Wills, spokesman for Taxpayers Against The Recall, a committee recently formed to raise money to quash the recall. "The fact that Rep. Issa has put so much of his personal money into the campaign forces everybody to take it seriously," Wills said. "Now that the big checkbook has arrived, signatures are being gathered." In addition to the $455,000 he donated earlier, Issa has contributed $200,000 to the recall campaign, according to records posted Monday on the California secretary of state's Web site. Issa campaign consultant Scott Taylor said Issa opposes abortion except in cases of rape, incest or when a mother's life is in danger. But Taylor said Issa does not support a constitutional amendment banning abortion, as recall opponents said in a press release announcing Tuesday's rallies. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Contact staff writer Dave Downey at (760) 740-3529 or ddowney@nctimes.com.
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