Simon v. Davis In California’s Governor’s Race
by Dave Workman
Senior Editor
California voters pushed staunchly pro-Second Amendment Republican Bill Simon Jr. into the race to unseat anti-gun Democrat Gray Davis in this fall’s gubernatorial election, after Simon trounced his nearest primary opponent, former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan by nearly 20-points in the Mar. 5 state GOP primary.
Simon’s victory was a come-from-behind blowout—at one point polls placed him 30 points behind Riordan—and he had some unlikely help from Davis, who sank several million dollars into the campaign with attack ads against Riordan, the liberal anti-gun Republican against whom Davis wanted least to run in the November election. Davis forces believe he has a far greater chance of beating Simon, a political newcomer, whose positions on a number of issues are almost 180 degrees from Riordan’s.
Riordan had been the choice of Republicans—including the White House—desperate to regain political traction in what many perceive is now primarily a Democrat’s state. California voters went for Al Gore in the 2000 presidential race and both of the state’s US senators are Democrats. Many Republican leaders were convinced that a more moderate, or liberal, GOP candidate such as Riordan would be a stronger candidate against Davis.
Trailing a distant third was Secretary of State Bill Jones, who had earned an endorsement from the National Rifle Association (NRA) early in the primary campaign. This upset a large block of California gunowners, who threw their weight behind Simon. Simon was endorsed by Gun Owners of California.
NRA’s Randy Kozuch told Gun Week that the association backed Jones because he had a “solid pro-gun record, and we go with someone who has a proven record.” He confirmed, though, that NRA had already spoken with Simon prior to the March 5 primary, smoothing the road for a probable Simon endorsement later in the campaign.
Kozuch was particularly impressed with a Simon advertisement that began airing days before the election, in which the conservative Republican businessman, comparing himself to Riordan, noted that he, Simon, supports the Second Amendment.
The gun issue could figure prominently in getting out the conservative vote, since the state has enacted increasing restrictions on gun rights over the past few years.
Davis, since becoming governor, has signed some anti-gun legislation, and rejected a few bills, but he clearly is not the choice of gunowners in the Golden State.
While the gun issue drew firearms owners to Simon in large numbers, it is Davis’ handling of the state’s energy crisis that has the Democrat in big trouble with most voters. Despite that, he drew 81% of his party’s vote in a primary race that saw no serious opposition.
Riordan and Jones both quickly threw their support behind Simon, noting that it is “the only way to get rid of Davis.”
Davis quickly countered; setting the tone for what could become a vicious campaign, calling Simon “a true-blue, think-tank conservative.”