Locals indifferent to race for governor

Paul Clinton

A lackluster governor’s race, between a fund-raising machine of an

incumbent and a relative political novice of a challenger, isn’t

burning any barns here, mirroring the state’s response.

George Henry, who was shopping at South Coast Plaza on Monday,

echoed the sentiment of many, saying he had no plans to vote on Nov.

5. Henry, a Santa Ana resident, said he has been put off by the

negative tone of the race between Gov. Gray Davis and Republican

businessman Bill Simon.

“I don’t think either one of them is qualified,” Henry, 66, said.

“Too much trash. They only talk about how bad the other guy is.”

Even though he has raised an unprecedented $67 million, Davis is

leading Simon by less than 10% with one week to go in the race for

the state’s top elected post. And Simon, who has stumbled with a

number of campaign miscues, brings out only faint praise in one of

the state’s Republican strongholds.

Republicans in Newport-Mesa acknowledge that Simon, who has never

run for public office, has been given a rude welcome to the political

arena.

“You’ve got a guy who has never been through the big-league

vetting process,” said Buck Johns, a prominent Newport Beach

businessman and Republican donor. “He has made some very fundamental

mistakes.”

Still, Johns said he was optimistic about Simon’s chances, since

Simon is still within striking distance of Davis, who Johns said has

“set an embarrassing standard in the pay-for-play game.”

Johns held a viewing party of the campaign’s sole debate at his

Koll Center office on Oct. 7.

During a campaign that has gathered little interest among voters

since the two candidates emerged from the March 5 primary, Simon has

called Davis a “coin-operated governor” and criticized him for what

he says was the governor’s mishandling of the state’s energy crisis.

On Monday, a judge ordered the unsealing of decade-old records in

which former Coastal Commissioner Mark Nathanson, a convicted felon,

implicated Davis in a bribery scheme. Simon said Nathanson’s claims

are “serious allegations.”

It isn’t the first time Simon has leveled accusations at his

opponent. Earlier this month, Simon accused Davis of taking a payoff

on state property. He was forced to retract the charge when the photo

he was using as the basis for his allegations turned out to have been

taken at a private home in Santa Monica.

Through the summer and fall, Simon has failed to gain much steam,

due largely to his own missteps, including a multimillion-dollar

investment in a failed savings and loan.

A shopper at South Coast Plaza who identified herself only as

Michelle said Monday she would probably vote for Davis because he has

signed several pieces of important legislation, including bills to

extend paid family leave and reduce harmful greenhouse gases.

“I feel like Gray Davis has some kind of track record,” she said.

“I don’t have a lot of confidence in Bill Simon.”

Jim Toledano, the former Orange County Democratic Party chairman

who lives in Costa Mesa, blamed Davis’ “negative charisma” for his

lack of a substantial lead over Simon.

“It’s typical that the incumbents don’t want to talk about the

hard issues,” Toledano said. “But you have a candidate [in Simon] who

is so inept. When he opens his mouth, it’s just to change feet.”

* PAUL CLINTON covers the environment and politics. He may be

reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail at paul.clinton@latimes.com.