Results Convince Feinstein She Can Win Contest

A beaming Dianne Feinstein basked in the results of the latest Los Angeles Times Poll on Saturday and said that for the first time since she began her quest for the governorship she now believes she can win.

“It’s true that we’ve had our dark days, it’s true we’ve wondered why are we doing this,” said Feinstein at a press conference in Burbank. “But I know why now.”

She accepted the strong endorsement of state Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles), who said he thought Feinstein had surged ahead of Democratic Atty. Gen. John K. Van de Kamp by 19 points in the Times Poll because she represents leadership.

“What we in California have to be concerned about is someone who can bring leadership to solve the tremendous problems facing our state,” said Roberti. “I’m looking for a leader. We have had a number of years where we have had no growth management, we’ve let education slide.”

Noting that Feinstein also leads the presumed Republican gubernatorial nominee, U.S. Sen. Pete Wilson, by 11 points in the new poll, Roberti said, “Dianne Feinstein is the best qualified person to be our party’s nominee in June and to win the November election.”

But Feinstein said she is still concerned that recent attacks on her and her record by Van de Kamp indicate that “the campaign could be down and dirty.”

When he formally announced his candidacy last week, Van de Kamp assailed Feinstein’s record on the environment and accused her of abetting the bribery crimes of recently convicted state Sen. Joseph B. Montoya because she does not support the public funding of political campaigns.

Feinstein has labeled Van de Kamp’s attacks as desperate and she said Saturday: “I think there is a difference between us on how we would like to see this campaign conducted. I think it is very important that we end up in June with a very united party. And this primary should be devoted to what we would do for the people of California. I would hope that from this point on we can take a high road.”

Not so long ago Feinstein was the clear underdog against Van de Kamp in the June 5 primary. She was asked Saturday how her huge lead in the Times Poll might change her strategy.

She laughed and replied, “Our whole team, including the candidate, will continue to run as if we are 16 or 20 points behind.”

Roberti seemed as surprised as Feinstein and others that she is leading Van de Kamp by 19 points in the poll, but he had an explanation.

Van de Kamp, he said, pinned his candidacy on three initiatives that he hopes to qualify for the November ballot, and until recently he attacked Wilson while ignoring Feinstein.

“John’s strategy,” said Roberti, “has been to win the general election without paying attention to the primary.”