Hart Announcement Gets Mixed Reaction From Ex-Supporters

Bob Stiens, one-time Gary Hart supporter and now Orange County coordinator for Missouri Rep. Richard A. Gephardt’s presidential campaign, said he nearly cut himself shaving Tuesday morning when he heard the news of Hart’s decision to re-enter the race.

“I was really surprised,” Stiens said. “I thought it was another rumor at first.”

It wasn’t.

Hart’s reversal of his decision seven months ago to drop out of the running for the Democratic presidential nomination was having an impact on several Orange County Democrats on Tuesday.

Hart, who won 22 of 23 Orange County delegates to the 1984 Democratic convention, was the leading candidate in the county for the party’s 1988 presidential nomination before he dropped out of the race. Since then, some influential Democrats in the county have lined up with others among the remaining six Democratic candidates.

‘Natural Following’

But others, like Lawyer Bernard Schneider, a Hart supporter who had remained undecided since the withdrawal, said the Colorado Democrat has a “natural following” in Orange County that would help him in California’s June primary.

“The trick is to get to June,” said Schneider, who added that he will try to help Hart do just that.

It is apparent that the Hart decision will cause a lot of shifting around, if it survives the first few days and grows into a credible effort.

Stiens said he could not rule out going back to the Hart campaign.

“I would need to see what kind of campaign he (Hart) would mount before I made any type of decision,” Stiens said. If Hart mounts a serious campaign, he added, “since none of the other candidates have really taken off in Orange County, he may be able to make inroads.”

Developer Mike Ray, a 1984 Hart supporter who turned to Gephardt even before Hart withdrew, said he is “delighted” with Hart’s decision to enter the New Hampshire primary.

‘Terrific for Gephardt’

“I generally think it’s good for the Democrats just because it stimulates interest,” said Ray, state co-chairman of Gephardt’s campaign. “And I think it’s terrific for Gephardt.”

Ray speculated that Hart would further divide the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, which he said now is split between Illinois Sen. Paul Simon and Massachusetts Gov. Michael S. Dukakis. And that, he said, would help his candidate.

Like their counterparts nationwide, county Democrats are mostly undecided about whom to support, according to the Orange County Annual Survey. The survey, completed Sept. 20, indicated that 42% of Democrats polled had not yet made a choice.

South county developer David Stein, the person in Orange County who is closest to Hart, said Tuesday he had “mixed emotions” about Hart’s decision, which he said he learned about Monday afternoon.

“From a personal standpoint, I’m going through a lot of anguish,” said Stein, who in 1984 helped Hart raise $250,000 in the county. “He’s a good friend of mine, and he and the family are going to be exposed to a lot of painful things.”

Stein said he planned to talk to Hart in the next few days about the decision. Until then, he said, he is not sure what, if any, role he would have in the campaign.

“In terms of knowledge and experience, I think he’s got the ability to be a great President,” Stein said. “But you can’t lead unless you have the confidence of the American people.”

Orange County Democratic Party Chairman John Hanna concurred.

“(Hart) wants the public to judge him,” Hanna said. “You’ve got to hand it to the guy.”

‘The Real Test’

Hanna compared Hart’s return to Napolean coming out of exile from Elba. But instead of Waterloo, Hart is facing the New Hampshire primary.

“That’s the real test,” Hanna said. “If he beats Dukakis in New Hampshire, then I think he’s clearly the front-runner. If he doesn’t, I think it will be his Waterloo.”

Hanna said he thought Hart’s decision would have a positive effect by making the Democratic presidential race more visible.