McClintock Looks Into Bid for Lt. Gov.

State Sen. Tom McClintock, who raised his public profile while splitting the Republican vote in last year’s gubernatorial recall election, said Tuesday that he was considering a run for lieutenant governor in 2006 and expected to set up a committee next month to explore that option.

McClintock, a conservative lawmaker from Thousand Oaks, prompted the ire of moderate Republicans when he refused to drop out of the recall race to make way for Arnold Schwarzenegger, who later won.

Since then, the new governor has made peace by hosting a lucrative fundraiser for the senator, despite McClintock’s criticisms of Schwarzenegger’s budget.

Now, McClintock said he and Schwarzenegger may have the opportunity to unite California’s fractious Republicans by forming a conservative-moderate ticket that would be difficult for Democrats to beat.

“Clearly, such a ticket would unite the party in a manner that would have an important positive effect for the entire ticket,” McClintock said. “It’s something I’m seriously considering and do expect to file papers to establish an exploratory committee in the next several weeks.”

The committee would raise money to pay for statewide polls to find if McClintock is still highly regarded by voters and how he would run against a variety of possible opponents, both Republican and Democrat.

Polls shortly before the recall election found McClintock was considered favorably by more than 60% of frequent voters, a level of admiration surpassing even Schwarzenegger’s. The former actor received nearly half the vote to 13% for McClintock. Voters told pollsters McClintock was too conservative to win or to work well with the Legislature.

If he runs, McClintock would likely face stiff competition, said Barbara O’Connor, executive director of the Institute for the Study of Politics and Media at Cal State Sacramento.

State Sen. Jackie Speier (D-Hillsborough) is expected to run, as is state Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi, a Democrat, O’Connor said.

“You couldn’t get three more different people,” she said. “It will provide voters with quite a choice, especially if Arnold runs again.”

If Schwarzenegger and McClintock end up on the same ticket, “that would be fascinating to watch. Their personal styles are different; and their ideologies are bipolar. And I think in McClintock’s heart he’s very upset about the deals that Schwarzenegger cut on the budget.”

McClintock’s possible run for lieutenant governor represents a change of direction. He had said that he would consider running only for governor or controller, among statewide offices, because both jobs hold sway over spending in California. The budget is his area of expertise. He has lost twice in runs for controller, although narrowly to Steve Westly in 2002.

But Tuesday he said he had decided the lieutenant governor’s post could be a fine bully pulpit to spread his message that California should do much more to balance its budget.

“It’s a particularly attractive platform for proposing policy reforms and major policy initiatives,” McClintock said.

During the recall campaign, Schwarzenegger embraced several of McClintock’s initiatives and has partially implemented them during the last year. Included are slashing a tax on cars, reforming worker’s compensation insurance and beginning a process to streamline state government.

But McClintock said he wasn’t satisfied with the worker’s comp reform, and he maintained that many supposed cuts in Schwarzenegger’s restructuring were not real reductions. He said the state has not moved toward contracting out for state services, a key reform.

“A number of the most important reforms have not been adequately pursued,” McClintock said.

For now, however, McClintock said he must focus on getting reelected to the state Senate. He is opposed in the Nov. 2 general election by Democrat Paul Graber, a high school government and history teacher in the San Fernando Valley.

“I’ve learned over the years to take one election at a time,” McClintock said.