Squabble Over the Nomination of Lungren for State Treasurer

Why does Gov. Deukmejian expect California Republicans to rally in support of Lungren?

In virtually every contested primary for statewide office in recent years, California Republicans have chosen the more moderate candidate. Ed Zschau over Bruce Herschensohn for U.S. Senate; Bill Campbell over Don Sebastiani for controller in 1986. Pete Wilson over Barry Goldwater Jr. for U.S. Senate and, lest we forget, the more moderate George Deukmejian over Mike Curb for governor in 1982.

All indications are that the moderates (George Bush and Robert Dole) will far outdistance Jack Kemp and Pat Robertson in this year’s presidential primary in California. So why should anyone expect the GOP faithful to be excited about Lungren, a man who probably could not win his party’s nomination for state treasurer if he were running against any number of more moderate conservative Republican leaders.

Lungren has broken ranks with a majority of his fellow House Republicans on bills important to California. On clean water, on highways, on California wilderness bills, and on mortgage relief to unemployed veterans he has been one of the few House members to vote no. Surely there are other Republicans more in step with California voters.

CELIA REYES

Oakland