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Issa may run after giving to Davis recall "This has changed everything," said a Republican strategist who spoke on the condition of anonymity about Issa's moves in the recall effort. "What was always needed was money and leadership. And Issa may be providing the jet fuel. " Sacramento consultant David Gilliard is managing a "Rescue California" recall effort initiated by Issa, which now has a Web site, www.rescuecalifornia.com. "We have 200 paid signature gatherers out on the streets this weekend, and that number will be doubled this time next week." Issa's infusion of cash, and his expected step to establish a campaign committee, would allow the Republican from Vista to lead the effort to unseat the incumbent Democrat -- and step to the head of the pack of possible GOP challengers in a recall election. Issa's committee joins other efforts to recall Davis -- among them, one organized by anti-tax crusader Ted Costa, the other managed by GOP strategist Sal Russo. Political insiders say it may take as much as $2 million to collect at least 1.2 million signatures by September needed to put a recall on the ballot. Despite Davis' narrow re-election in November, his job approval ratings have dropped to 24 percent. Republicans say they are trying to unseat him because he has mishandled a variety of issues, the latest being the state's estimated $34.6 billion budget deficit. Issa's group says they're pushing to gather the needed signatures by July. So far, anti-Davis forces have managed just 100,000 signatures, the organizers say. Interviews with several top state strategists and party insiders this week confirmed Issa appears ready to announce his campaign. "It means he'll start . . . paying people and actively doing things for the purposes of running," said a GOP operative. "If you're going to go out and start building a coalition, you've got to limit the field of challengers, and start rounding up conservative grassroots endorsements." Issa has privately told supporters and party insiders that he would make the strongest candidate for a gubernatorial run, because he is the only proven elected official who will take the risk -- and back it up with action -- to make the recall happen. Issa ran unsuccessfully for the GOP nomination in the 1998 U.S. Senate race. Now, with a formal gubernatorial campaign committee, "you say to fellow Republicans, I stepped up to the plate; I get a shot at it," said one GOP insider. "It makes a powerful argument when you're competing with any other Republican, if they're on the sidelines when (the recall effort) took off. He's got the baton and he'll be out in front of the parade." Garry South, the former senior adviser for Davis, said Democrats will play hardball should Issa go forward. "When an obscure congressman in the fifth month of his second term pops up and says I'm going to try to rip the governor out of there . . . then I think that individual deserves some gubernatorial scrutiny," said South. "If this guy wants to put himself forward as the lead angel . . . that's fine. But he sets himself up as a target -- and he better understand that." Others dismissed Issa's involvement as evidence of partisanship in the recall.
"It just goes to show you there's nothing behind this recall effort but pure political
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