Perot’s Volunteers Say: ‘Run Ross Run’

As Ross Perot flirts with re-entering the presidential race, his Ventura County flock faxed a clear message Wednesday to his California coordinator: “100% GO. RUN ROSS RUN.”

The message of support from Perot’s hard-core volunteers in Ventura County was received about 4 p.m. at Perot’s California headquarters in Los Angeles by Bob Hayden, the state Perot coordinator.

“So far, the response has been good,” said Hayden, a Ventura resident. He said a survey of Perot groups throughout California has shown that 80% of Perot’s former volunteer network in California “will be active again should he become an active candidate,” he said.

Although not an official presidential candidate when he threw in the towel in July, Perot nevertheless angered many of his supporters who thought he was committed to the presidential race.

Many remain disenchanted with Perot and his on-again, off-again candidacy.

“I think he’s a quitter,” said Colleen Burdick of Oak View, a former Perot volunteer. “I think he’s using a lot of people who, out of desperation, are looking for a leader now. He’s using them, dangling all of us in front of the other candidates.”

Burdick said she initially saw Perot as a fresh face in the stale world of presidential politics. But now, she said, “I don’t trust him. The more I listen to him, the more he doesn’t want to commit.”

Hayden said he doesn’t know how many defectors will stay away. “The situation changes every day. We find people coming back in who voiced concern in the past.”

One of those who defected--and returned--is Karrol Maughmer, an Oxnard realtor who recently became the spokeswoman for Ventura County’s Perot organization.

“I defected for a few weeks and came back,” she said. “I was totally upset and disenchanted. But then I calmed down and began thinking about it.

“The movement is far greater than the man alone.”

Yet there is still anger among Perot’s volunteers, she said, “because he hasn’t said whether he will run or not.”

At the Perot headquarters in Port Hueneme, there was an expectation Wednesday that the Texas billionaire would soon throw his hat back into the ring.

“He’s the only one we have to get the message out to the people that the country needs overhauling,” said volunteer Don Peterson, 80, of Oxnard. “The two major parties are too entrenched with special-interest groups.”

Jacques Renau of Oxnard, co-treasurer of the county group, said the polling of volunteers was done verbally, by letter and through telephone banks.

“People are searching their souls,” he said.

If Perot does enter the race, Renau said, he hopes the Texas businessman “doesn’t go in as a spoiler. I hope he goes full-blast.”

Rod Billman, 66, of Thousand Oaks, a co-coordinator of the county Perot chapter, said he felt certain that Perot would decide to become a candidate based on the national response.

“No question about that,” he said. “He will run.”

Bob Reid of Camarillo, an aide to Hayden, said he expected Perot to re-enter the race because advisers to Bill Clinton and President Bush did not offer serious solutions to the nation’s economic problems at their private sessions with Perot on Monday.

“I think he’s going to do it,” he said.

Hayden planned to fax the results of his poll to Perot’s Dallas headquarters by noon today. Hayden’s counterparts in 49 other states are expected to do likewise.

Perot has said he will make up his mind on the basis of this response, possibly as soon as today.

Whatever the Texan decides, Hayden believes Perot has founded a movement dedicated to solving the government’s major problems.

“These people are in the movement to stay and have a commitment to positive change,” he said.

Maughmer agreed.

“We have started a very constructive revolution,” she said. “The voters are the most constructive power there is, and we are just beginning to realize our power.”