San Diego Leads in Race for 1992 GOP Convention : Politics: The White House is nervous about fallout surrounding Klansman David Duke in Louisiana and the election of Ann Richards as Texas governor, sources say.

The 1992 Republican Convention is likely to be held in San Diego, primarily because the White House is nervous about political fallout surrounding Gov.-elect Ann Richards in Texas and former Ku Klux Klansman David Duke in Louisiana, key GOP sources said Wednesday.

Representatives from Houston, New Orleans and San Diego--the cities competing for the 1992 convention--completed interviews with the GOP’s Site Selection Committee this week in Washington, and sources said San Diego emerged as the favorite. The site committee will make its recommendation by Jan. 11 to the full Republican National Committee, which will make its final choice Jan. 25.

Despite logistic and aesthetic concerns involving the San Diego Convention Center and San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium, where a portion of the convention would be staged outdoors, the sources said California’s pluses far outweigh the negatives of Houston and New Orleans.

“San Diego is not just a front-runner but is in the commanding position,” said a GOP source from California, who asked not to be identified. “At this point, the convention is San Diego’s to lose.”

Among the factors working against Houston was the recent gubernatorial victory of Democrat Ann Richards, who at her party’s 1988 convention delivered a speech that many in GOP circles considered a personal attack on President Bush, the source said.

In the speech, Richards said Bush was out of touch with the needs of most Americans, adding: “Poor George. He can’t help it. He was born with a silver foot in his mouth.”

After the November election, Houston’s chances dimmed considerably, the sources said, because of Richards’ victory over Republican Clayton Williams--for whom Bush actively campaigned.

Despite having one of the best possible sites in the Superdome, New Orleans’ chances have been hurt by the specter of state legislator David Duke, a former Klan member who recently was defeated in his bid for a U.S. Senate seat. The White House is nervous about Duke, who might run for governor or even as a third-party presidential candidate in 1992, the sources said.

Another GOP source said many in the Republican National Committee favor Houston, the President’s hometown, but the White House--in particular, top Bush adviser John Sununu--have made no secret of their preference for San Diego.

“I think it ought to go wherever the White House wants it to,” Angelo said. “And when I say the White House, I mean the President. If that’s San Diego, that’s fine with me.”

In addition to Sununu, San Diego is backed by Sig Rogich, another of the President’s advisers, who several months ago asked San Diego Mayor Maureen O’Connor--a Democrat--to have her city submit a bid.

Paul Downey, the mayor’s press secretary, said Wednesday that meetings with the Site Selection Committee in Washington earlier this week went very well, but Downey cautioned against San Diego celebrating prematurely.

“They wanted to know if we could handle two sites (the Convention Center and stadium), and we assured them we could,” Downey said. “We felt it was a good session. They did not give us any indication whether we were ahead of or behind the others.”