Sen. Marks Reportedly to Jump to Democrats

Veteran state Sen. Milton Marks (R-San Francisco) reportedly was on the verge Tuesday night of bolting the Republican Party to take a leadership position among Senate Democrats, legislative sources said.

One Democratic senator, who asked to remain anonymous, said that Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles) spent much of Tuesday contacting fellow Democratic senators individually to inform them of his decision to name Marks as the Democratic caucus chairman, the No. 3 post in the party’s hierarchy.

Neither Marks nor Roberti could be reached for comment. But two Democratic legislators, both familiar with the dramatic party switch, confirmed that Marks planned to announce his decision shortly, perhaps today.

A switch by the liberal Marks would bring to 26 the number of Democrats in the 40-member Senate. It also would give Roberti one more supporter among his Democratic colleagues, providing protection against a possible coup against his leadership.

Marks’ immediate elevation into a party leadership role after switching parties would be unprecedented in modern California legislative history.

However, Marks’ selection for the coveted job of caucus chairman met with opposition from at least one Democratic senator, who questioned what assets the longtime San Francisco politician could bring to the post in a year when 16 Democratic Senate seats are up for election.

“God help us if Milton is going to organize us,” the senator commented.

Marks would replace Sen. Paul Carpenter (D-Cypress) as caucus chairman. Carpenter is giving up his Senate seat to run for the state Board of Equalization.

Marks, 65, is a maverick Republican who has often voted with Democrats throughout his legislative career. He was elected to the Senate in 1967 after having served two years as a Municipal Court judge and, before that, eight years in the state Assembly.

Marks in the past has run unsuccessfully for mayor of San Francisco and for Congress. He embittered many San Francisco Democrats in the 1982 Congressional race because he took on then-Rep. John Burton.

As caucus chairman, Marks would play a key role in raising funds to help Senate Democrats retain their majority in this year’s elections.

But Marks himself still owes about $150,000 from his own losing congressional campaign. And some Democrats on Tuesday night speculated that his switch was designed, at least in part, to help erase that debt.

Marks has long been considered a friend of Democrats, frequently providing the majority party with a key vote when one is needed. His voting record has been a major factor in his ability to survive in San Francisco. Democrats outnumber Republicans by a margin of more than 2 to 1 in Marks’ 5th Senate District, which includes about half of San Francisco and all of Marin County.

He gets higher ratings from liberal groups, such as Americans for Democratic Action and the state Federation of Labor, than many Democrats and was the only Republican legislator who was endorsed for reelection in 1984 by the state AFL-CIO.

Marks also has been endorsed by environmental groups that have considerable clout in the Bay Area--the Sierra Club, Friends of the River and the League of Conservation Voters.