State Sen. Davis Recovering After Lung Cancer Surgery : Legislator: The former L.A. police chief, 74, is out of intensive care. He plans to attend a Nov. 15 fund-raiser.

State Sen. Ed Davis (R-Santa Clarita) is making a strong recovery after removal of 20% of a cancerous right lung and expects to be out of the hospital by early next week, an aide said Friday.

Davis still plans to attend a campaign fund-raiser featuring Gov. Pete Wilson on Nov. 15, the senator’s 75th birthday, aide Hunt Braly said.

Two abnormal clusters of cells, discovered during an annual physical examination, were removed from Davis’ right lung during surgery on Monday, Braly said. Tests showed they were malignant.

“But he is progressing very nicely, and there is no evidence of spreading to the lymph nodes or to any other part of his body,” Braly said. “They think they got everything. And they’re confident he will have a full recovery.”

Davis, a senator since 1980, represents a district that sprawls over three counties, covering much of Ventura County, the Santa Clarita Valley and parts of the northwestern San Fernando Valley, including Chatsworth.

He remains at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, recovering from the three-hour operation, but is out of intensive care.

Doctors said there will be “no need for any extraordinary follow-up except for his regular checkups, maybe on a more frequent basis,” Braly said.

Though he lost one-fifth of one lung, Davis will still be able to breathe normally, the aide said. The veteran senator smoked a pipe for decades. He quit about two years ago, not because of health considerations but because he stopped enjoying it, Braly said.

Davis has never had cancer before and is generally in excellent health, aides said. Braly said the senator will recuperate from the surgery at his Valencia home.

A former Los Angeles police chief and a gubernatorial candidate in 1978, Davis has not been seriously challenged since he won his Senate seat 11 years ago. He plans to run for reelection next year.

Assemblywoman Cathie Wright (R-Simi Valley), also a conservative Republican, considered running against Davis in 1988, and Davis adviser Charles Fennessey said she is a potential opponent next year. Braly unsuccessfully ran for Wright’s assembly seat last year.

If Davis’ health falters, another potential candidate for his seat is Assemblyman Tom McClintock (R-Thousand Oaks), a former administrative aide to Davis.