California Primary Vote Blocked by GOP

A Republican stumbling block developed Thursday in the state Senate to a proposal for an early California presidential primary that is designed to give the state a bigger voice in picking the nation’s chief executive in 1992.

The bill, already passed in slightly different form in the Assembly, was expected to come to a vote Thursday but Senate GOP leader Ken Maddy of Fresno requested a delay for at least a week. Maddy said he has concerns about shifting the primary from June to March and wants to talk with Gov. George Deukmejian.

Maddy said some Republican caucus members fear that the change might force them to run for reelection in their current districts in 1992, instead of in newly drawn districts that might be more favorable to GOP candidates. Legislative and congressional districts will be reshaped on the basis of the 1990 census, a process that could last well into 1992.

“I want California to become a major player in presidential politics,” Maddy said, “but I don’t want to be forced to go into the decade of the 1990s with only 13 (Republican members of the 40-member Senate). And we fully anticipate court action on the reapportionment issue.”

He noted that two initiatives on this year’s June ballot also deal with legislative redistricting--which is now done by the Legislature. One of the initiatives would create a 12-member citizens commission appointed by retired judges to pick a realignment plan. The other would require voter ratification of any plan that is adopted by the lawmakers themselves.

Maddy said he intends to talk with the governor about the presidential primary proposal on Tuesday when he, Deukmejian, Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles), and Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) gather for their regular weekly meeting.

Later Thursday, in answer to a reporter’s question after a speech to the YMCA model legislature, Deukmejian indicated that he shares Maddy’s concerns.

Deukmejian once opposed moving up the California presidential primary on grounds it would be too costly and unnecessarily stretch out the campaigning period. He said that he had changed his mind after the 1988 primary election in which the state played basically a bystander role.

Although not part of the current bill, one way to assuage the concerns of some Republican legislators might be a split primary--with the presidential primary held in March and the legislative and congressional primaries held in June.

But Roberti said Thursday he will insist that the presidential and the state primaries be held concurrently.

“I am vigorously opposed to a split primary,” Roberti said. “That would cost a bundle (of money) and reduce voter turnout.” He added that he has informed Maddy about his position.

The early primary bill’s sponsor, Assemblyman Jim Costa (D-Fresno), said he believes he will have sufficient votes to obtain Senate approval next Thursday. If it is approved by the upper house, the legislation still must return to the Assembly for concurrence in Senate changes before it can go to the governor’s desk.