CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS: GOVERNOR : Wilson Stresses Fiscal Restraint in New TV Ad

Republican Pete Wilson, taking a few jabs at Democratic rival Dianne Feinstein, revved up his campaign for governor Thursday with a new television ad emphasizing his fiscal conservatism as mayor of San Diego.

For the second day in a row, Wilson unveiled a low-key commercial designed to acquaint voters with his record and counter the huge amount of publicity Feinstein received in winning the Democratic nomination.

“Pete Wilson, vision and leadership while watching the bottom line,” the announcer intones before giving Wilson credit for reducing San Diego property tax rates in the 1970s and balancing the city’s budget.

For Wilson, a U.S. senator who has spent most of the last eight years in Washington, the ad represents an effort to remind voters that he once ran a city in California and that he hews to the GOP anti-tax line.

While his latest television commercial adopts a positive tone, Wilson had a few choice words for Feinstein at a Sacramento luncheon for Republican officials and supporters.

Feinstein had charged on Wednesday that Wilson was persuaded to run for governor by the “Republican big cigars” who wanted to increase their control of state government.

But on Thursday, Wilson noted that he has long wanted to be governor, running an unsuccessful campaign for the office in 1978. “What hurts my feelings is that she doesn’t remember my prior effort and how long I’ve wanted to be governor,” the senator said. “I have wanted the job for a long time and I want it very badly.”

Offering Feinstein a bit of “friendly advice,” Wilson suggested she steer clear of the subject of “big cigars”--a description that he said might best fit her husband, investment banker Richard Blum. Wilson noted that Blum has contributed $3 million to her campaign but so far has not identified any of his individual clients.

“We don’t know really who it is who is behind the biggest cigar, from whom she received the $3 million because Dick refuses to disclose his client list,” Wilson said. “I think we’re entitled to know who is on that client list. Somehow, I have difficulty with Dick and Dianne as Mr. and Mrs. Working Californian.”

Wilson also sought to emphasize Feinstein’s alliance with the two top Democrats in the Legislature, Assembly Speaker Willie Brown of San Francisco and Senate President Pro Tem David A. Roberti of Los Angeles.

“I would definitely advise her to abandon any references to the old boy network as long as she is taking her wisest counsel from Willie Brown and David Roberti,” he said.

During the luncheon, Wilson praised the GOP’s slate of candidates for the general election and said he would work for a Republican sweep of all the top state offices.

Afterward he told reporters that he was not bothered by the fact that state Sen. Marian Bergeson of Newport Beach, the GOP nominee for lieutenant governor, opposes abortion. Wilson lists himself as a supporter of abortion rights.

“I have differed (on abortion) with two presidents of my own party for whom I have enormous respect and affection,” he said. “We’re not going to agree on everything. But we agree on a great deal so I have enormous comfort with everybody who is on this ticket.”

Wilson also declined to discuss how he would handle the state’s current budget crisis, saying he did not want to “undercut” fellow Republican Gov. George Deukmejian.