Bradley Visits San Diego for Tour of Trolley, Shies Away From Politics

Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley, in his third appearance here in two weeks, shook the hands Friday of hundreds of potential supporters in what some Democratic officials saw as an attempt to stake out greater support for a possible run for governor in 1986.

Bradley’s only stated reason for the trip was to tour San Diego’s light rail trolley system. However, in the course of the day’s activities, which included a luncheon arranged by a staunch Bradley supporter, he had the opportunity to be seen by several hundred people. He is scheduled to return here Sept. 14 for a San Diego County Democratic Central Committee fund-raiser.

“I believe various people who hope to run for statewide or national offices realize now that San Diego County is the most important county for the Democratic Party to capture,” said Tom LaVant, chairman of the central committee and host of the Sept. 14 event. “(Lt. Gov.) Leo McCarthy comes here often too. Any viable Democratic candidate can carry San Francisco and do well in Los Angeles. But you’ve got to cut it well here or you can’t win.”

When Bradley ran for governor in 1982, he lost San Diego County to Gov. George Deukmejian by about 50,000 votes. Bradley said Friday that it is “sheer coincidence” that he has visited San Diego so often lately. San Diego City Councilman William Jones observed, however, that Bradley’s higher visibility in San Diego “certainly couldn’t hurt him” if he decides to run again next year.

In his appearances here, Bradley has been seen with Mayor Roger Hedgecock, who is on trial on felony perjury and conspiracy charges in connection with the financing of his 1983 campaign. Hedgecock, a Republican, won 58% of the vote last November, despite being under indictment.

While expressing respect for Bradley, Hedgecock said Friday that he considers San Diego to be “George Deukmejian territory.” Despite the many smiling pictures he has taken with Bradley in the last few weeks, Hedgecock said he supported Deukmejian in 1982 “and I anticipate supporting him again next year.”

When asked whether he would agree that Deukmejian has an edge in the traditionally conservative San Diego area, Bradley said he “never conceded any section of California, either in the past or the present.”

Bradley shied away from political speeches Friday, saying the trolley tour and his speech honoring 12 outstanding San Diegans were “not the setting for an attack on Deukmejian. There are plenty of opportunities for that.”

One such opportunity apparently will come on Labor Day, when Bradley is scheduled to speak before the Alameda County Federation of Labor. Bradley said Friday that he will make some remarks regarding Deukmejian then, but he would not elaborate.

Bradley had nothing but praise for the trolley, which runs from downtown San Diego to the Mexican border at San Ysidro and is being expanded. He said he likes the light rail’s “honor system” of paying fares, in which passengers are periodically spot-checked to make sure they paid.

Because the honor system cuts the cost of administration, Bradley said, he will ask the Los Angeles officials “to consider it” for the planned Los Angeles-to-Long Beach light rail line and the proposed Metro Rail subway.