125 file papers for California recall ballot

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SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Scores of Californians took the shot to run for governor yesterday in the state's unprecedented recall election as Democrats successfully whittled their own field to one major backup candidate, in case Gov. Gray Davis is ousted.

Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi dropped out two hours before the filing deadline, leaving Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante as the only prominent Democrat on the ballot. That situation raised hopes of keeping the governor's office in party hands if the unpopular governor is voted out Oct. 7.

If voters turn Mr. Davis out of office, Mr. Bustamante will compete against a field that includes the gubernatorial runner-up last year, Bill Simon, actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, former baseball czar Peter Ueberroth -- all Republicans -- and columnist Arianna Huffington, an independent.

The field of more than 125 candidates also includes former actor Gary Coleman, comedian Gallagher, porn czar Larry Flynt and Angelyne, a buxom artist whose likeness appears on billboards around Los Angeles.

Despite the onslaught of wannabes aiming to run the nation's most populous state, Mr. Davis remained confident yesterday.

"Many people are trying to become the governor. I am the governor," Mr. Davis said to laughter after a bill-signing at a health clinic in Santa Monica. "Whether the people of the state want me to stay 60 days or 3 years -- as, hopefully, they will eventually decide -- I am going to do my level best to improve their lives every day I have."

A new Time-CNN poll released yesterday, however, showed voters leaning toward recalling Mr. Davis.

Fifty-four percent of those surveyed said they would vote Mr. Davis out, while 35 percent were opposed. Of the better-known candidates, 25 percent chose Mr. Schwarzenegger, 15 percent chose Mr. Bustamante, but others were in single digits. The poll of 508 voters was conducted Friday and has an error margin of plus or minus four percentage points.

Mr. Davis, who has seen his approval ratings plummet in recent months, is the first governor of the Golden State to face a recall.