Garamendi Moves Closer to Making a Run for Governor : Both State Senator and Bradley Appear to Be on Collision Course

Promises, promises.

Last year state Sen. John Garamendi (D-Walnut Grove) said he would not run against Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 1986.

And Bradley recently said in his race for a fourth mayoral term that he had no plans to run for governor.

But politicians are nothing if not flexible, and within the last few days each has moved closer to a 1986 gubernatorial campaign--and closer to confrontation.

After Gov. George Deukmejian gave a television speech on the new state budget last week, Garamendi gave a self-assured response for the Democrats on one Los Angeles TV station, calling for more aid to community colleges and housing.

Praises Donors

Later that day Garamendi held a fund raiser in Los Angeles and praised the more than 150 people in attendance.

“You’re risk takers. . . . We have all heard the rumors around this city,” Garamendi said, alluding to increasing speculation that Bradley will seek the Democratic nomination for governor next year.

“The time has come to address ourselves not to yesterday but to what is ahead of us,” said the 40-year-old Garamendi, putting out front his desire to lead a new generation of Democratic politicians in California.

The senator handed out a slick brochure entitled, “Old Values, New Vision,” which detailed his “strategic plan for California.”

The brochure carried many pictures of the photogenic Garamendi standing tall from his Calaveras County ranch to the Senate floor. And it called for such actions as linking education to jobs, helping employable welfare recipients get off the dole and controlling toxic wastes.

In his fund-raiser speech, Garamendi repeated one of his favorite charges--that Republican Gov. George Deukmejian is “a caretaker with no vision for our future.”

He also blended his political ambition with his longtime commitment to the disadvantaged, turning over the dais to actors Dennis Weaver and Valerie Harper, who each made a pitch--not for Garamendi’s political future, but for their own projects to feed the hungry in Africa and in the United States.

Served in Peace Corps

Garamendi and his wife, Patti once answered President John F. Kennedy’s call to the Peace Corps and went to live in a village in Ethiopia. Last year, when news of the current Ethiopian famine spread, the Garamendis went back to Africa and are now raising money for the famine victims.

Some of Garamendi’s fellow politicians have been skeptical of his frequent exhortations to help the less fortunate, but no cynics were heard at the fund raiser last week as Garamendi, Harper and Weaver each gave moving speeches.

“John is an interesting combination of ambition and caring,” said Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Sepulveda), a Garamendi supporter. “As for the governor’s race, he’s doing what he has to do for now. I don’t know what he does if push comes to shove.”

Katz was alluding to the possibility that Bradley will get into the race and immediately become a heavy favorite to win the Democratic primary because of his ability to raise money and his standing with party interest groups.

Garamendi got 26% of the vote against Bradley in the 1982 gubernatorial primary. Bradley later spoke at a fund raiser to pay off Garamendi’s campaign debt and Garamendi told a reporter that he would not run against Bradley again.

Rethinking Position

But in an interview before his most recent fund raiser, Garamendi indicated he was rethinking his position.

“What about Tom Bradley’s pledge that he was going to stay on as mayor and not run for governor?” Garamendi said. “The ball’s in his court now. . . .

“Things could stop me. Not being able to put together an organization, not being able to raise money--that would stop me. But this time I’m putting together a campaign and that’s it.”

Bradley, meanwhile, has held a series of meetings around the state with Democratic leaders and activists, including a Sacramento dinner with more than two-dozen legislators.

“It was an open, frank discussion,” said Tom Houston, a Los Angeles deputy mayor and Bradley strategist. “We discussed a whole range of issues, including advice and feedback on a possible governor’s race. It was one of the major exploratory meetings that we have held to date.”

One legislator, who requested anonymity, said the dinner with Bradley was set up because Bradley “did not coordinate very well in the 1982 race (with) Democrats in the Legislature. He did everything the other night but announce that he’s going to run again.”

Bradley barely lost to Deukmejian in 1982. Deukmejian has done well in opinion polls ever since the state economy rebounded from the 1982 recession, leading some Democratic leaders to doubt whether Bradley could win a rematch.

However, Houston said the exploratory meetings “have been very encouraging. But it’s still too early make a decision.”