Gates Says Wilson Backers Want Him Out of Primary

Los Angeles Police Chief Daryl F. Gates said Wednesday that some Republican Party leaders who hope to unite the party behind a 1990 gubernatorial candidacy by U.S. Sen. Pete Wilson are trying to discourage Gates from pursuing the race.

“Some (GOP politicians) have told me, ‘You are sabotaging the Republican Party,’ ” Gates said in a telephone interview.

Gates, who formed a gubernatorial exploratory committee last month, also said, “I have told them I am not going to stop exploring this no matter who gets in. I really have something to say.”

A letter by state Sen. John Doolittle (R-Rocklin) and other Republican elected officials is being circulated urging Wilson to run for governor in 1990 and asking Republicans to get behind Wilson to avoid a divisive primary.

Similar efforts to draft Wilson are expected at this weekend’s state GOP convention here, where Wilson will be the keynote speaker.

“This is no time for amateurs,” Doolittle’s letter says. “Pete Wilson is a dedicated, experienced statesman (who can) effectively lead our state.”

Wilson, just reelected to the U.S. Senate, has decided to run for governor, according to friends. He is expected to announce the decision soon.

Because of his solid Senate record since 1983 and, before that, the high marks he got as San Diego mayor, Wilson is seen by many GOP elected officials as their best chance to hold onto the governor’s office now that Gov. George Deukmejian has announced that he will retire after two terms.

Wilson backers want him to get the GOP gubernatorial nomination unopposed so that he will be in a strong position when the Democrats come out of what is expected to be a heated primary.

Although he has never run for elective office, Gates, police chief since 1978, is offering himself as a man with executive experience in a tough job and as someone who pledges to carry on the particular interest in law and order issues espoused by Deukmejian.

When he announced the formation of his exploratory committee, Gates said the fact that he is not an elected official will help him at a time when some politicians in Sacramento have been under investigation by the FBI for accepting campaign contributions and honorariums in return for specific help on legislation.

“That line (in the Doolittle letter) about this not being a time for amateurs was directed at me, not at Peter Ueberroth,” Gates said with a rich chuckle Wednesday.

Ueberroth, who retires as baseball commissioner next month, has said he might run for the GOP gubernatorial nomination if Wilson does not.

Gates had not planned to attend the GOP state convention, which starts Friday, but he has changed his mind, according to adviser Eric Rose.

Rose and others around Gates were steaming Wednesday when told of the Doolittle letter. “We elect governors in California; we do not anoint them,” Rose said.

One of the most interesting signatures on the letter was that of state Sen. Ed Davis of Valencia.

Davis was Gates’ predecessor as Los Angeles police chief, and the two have conferred often over the years.

“I signed that letter for Wilson without reading it,” Davis said Wednesday. “But I do think Pete Wilson would make a good governor. I also think Daryl Gates would make a good governor. I want to see us have a good Republican primary, and may the best man win.”

Political writer John Balzar contributed to this story.