SACRAMENTO, Calif. — While Democrats urged one of their own to drop out of the recall election yesterday, the list of Republican contenders grew as former baseball Commissioner Peter Ueberroth announced his candidacy a day before the filing deadline.
Mr. Ueberroth, who successfully organized the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, said that although he is a registered Republican, he will run an independent campaign. He pledged to serve only the remainder of Democratic Gov. Gray Davis’ term.
“Between now and Oct. 7, California voters will be subjected to the same bitter partisanship that too often interferes with getting California to work again,” Mr. Ueberroth, 65, said in a statement. “Once the campaign has ended, I believe that I will be the best qualified person to get the tough job done.”
Other Republicans on what promises to be a crowded election ballot include actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, businessman Bill Simon and state Sen. Tom McClintock.
Two high-level Democrats, Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante and Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi, also announced they would run this week. But some in the party, fearful that a split vote could cost the Democrats the governor’s office, were trying to urge one of the candidates to pull out.
U.S. Rep. Brad Sherman, California Democrat, said he had spoken with U.S. House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi, state Senate President Pro Tem John Burton and Assembly Speaker Herb Wesson about meeting with the candidates and anointing one as the party’s choice.
Mr. Garamendi said yesterday he was pressured by three fellow Democrats to step aside within 24 hours of announcing his candidacy.
“My comment to them is, ’No, I’m not getting out,’” Mr. Garamendi said. “I’m in this race until Oct. 7.”
Mr. Sherman said he spoke with Mr. Garamendi yesterday morning. Asked if he tried to dissuade him, he said, “Not really.”
“If either one of them wants to cancel their registration by Saturday, I’ll take them out to the fanciest dinner in California,” Mr. Sherman said of Mr. Bustamante and Mr. Garamendi.
As Mr. Bustamante made his candidacy official yesterday by filing papers with the Secretary of State’s Office, he said he hadn’t been approached to step aside.
“No, in fact I’ve been getting a tremendous amount of calls in support, saying, ’Thank you for putting your name in,’” Mr. Bustamante said.
In entering the race this week, Mr. Garamendi and Mr. Bustamante broke earlier pledges not to run and dashed Mr. Davis’ hopes that no top Democrat would challenge him. The state’s most popular Democrat, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, announced Wednesday she would not run.
Leading Democrats had long resisted the idea of having a Democratic alternative to Mr. Davis in the recall election, saying it would hurt the incumbent’s chances.
Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe denied yesterday that Democrats are breaking ranks, and said their efforts are focused on keeping Mr. Davis in office.
Speaking in Tampa, Fla., Mr. McAuliffe said Mr. Bustamante assured him that his candidacy is a “safety valve” and that Mr. Bustamante’s first interest is in defeating the ballot question that would oust Mr. Davis.
Recall opponents also are fighting the election in court, but so far have only a string of losses to show for it. Yesterday, a judge refused to grant a preliminary injunction halting the election over accusations that petition signatures had been gathered improperly.
The recall ballot will ask voters whether Mr. Davis should be recalled and to select among the qualified candidates to replace Mr. Davis. If Mr. Davis survives the recall, the winner of the replacement election is irrelevant.
Mr. Schwarzenegger’s first full day on the campaign circuit began at 2:30 a.m. yesterday, when he awoke to make the rounds on the national morning news-show circuit.
He continued to hammer away at Mr. Davis and promised a business-friendly atmosphere that would help resolve the state’s fiscal problems, but offered few specifics. He said he will give education his full support and will remain fiscally conservative and socially centrist.
“I have so much energy. I have so much fire,” he said at the opening ceremonies of the Inner-City Games in Los Angeles. “I will be going from home to home to talk to the people of California. I will be going from school to school, knock on doors, meet with business leaders and all that.”
President Bush talked up Mr. Schwarzenegger yesterday, saying, “I think he’d be a good governor,” but did not answer when asked whether he will stump for the actor during a two-day trip through California next week.
White House officials have stressed that Mr. Bush will stay out of the campaign and say it is very unlikely the president will try to promote Mr. Schwarzenegger, but Mr. Bush acknowledged he’s closely watching the race.
“I think it’s interesting,” Mr. Bush said. “I’m a follower of American politics.”
Mr. Garamendi, undaunted by the prospect of leaders asking him to step aside, began his first campaign stop at a Los Angeles farmers market. He criticized the political neophyte Mr. Schwarzenegger, who has said he would clean up Sacramento, the capital.
“He doesn’t even know where Sacramento is, let alone where the broom is to get it done,” Mr. Garamendi said.
Mr. Garamendi said he will remain in the race even if Mr. Bustamante gets the backing of California Democratic leaders, scoffing at the idea that they could influence the race. “There are no governor-makers in the state other than the voters,” he said.
Mr. Garamendi expected to make his candidacy official today by filing required signatures, a $3,500 filing fee and a candidate statement.
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