Robertson Shifts Focus to California Fall Races

The next Republican primary election is in Illinois on Tuesday, but presidential candidate Pat Robertson’s interests now seem to be in faraway California. In particular, the California Legislature.

Robertson, in an interview on Thursday and then at a news conference with Illinois Statehouse reporters Friday, said he wanted to campaign this fall on behalf of conservative Republican candidates for the California Senate and Assembly. Both houses are now controlled by Democrats.

His goal, Robertson said, is to build up GOP clout in the key state. Not incidentally, such a strategy could also enlarge his own political base for a 1992 presidential candidacy. For two days, he mentioned no other state in this context except California.

“I’m particularly anxious to see a change (in partisan control) in the California Legislature. I’d like to spend some time on that,” Robertson told reporters here.

Robertson has been thoroughly briefed on California’s years-old grudge between Democrats and Republicans over reapportionment, the drawing of legislative and congressional district boundaries.

Robertson repeated his hopes that his fading 1988 presidential candidacy will score one big surprise--in the June 7 winner-take-all California primary. Robertson said he hopes to mobilize 100,000 volunteers for “a campaign like has never been run there before.”

In an interview, Robertson said he will fly to California next Thursday for a Sacramento fund-raising dinner and to begin his efforts to rally volunteers.