Roberti Seeks State Treasurer’s Job : Elections: Also on last day to file for state races, San Francisco prosecutor drops out of the campaign for attorney general’s post.

On the last day to file for statewide races, state Sen. David A. Roberti formally unveiled his candidacy for state treasurer Friday, while San Francisco Dist. Atty. Arlo Smith made the surprise announcement that he is dropping out of the race for attorney general.

Roberti, who earlier had indicated that he might seek a seat on the lower-profile State Board of Equalization, said he opted for the treasurer’s race because he felt that office could be transformed into a crime-fighting unit.

In press conferences in Van Nuys and Sacramento, Roberti reiterated the gun-control themes of the bruising San Fernando Valley recall campaign that has all but overshadowed Roberti’s plans for his political future.

The longtime legislator portrayed himself as a feisty underdog who refuses to give his recall opponents the satisfaction of seeing him pass up a run for statewide office.

Recall backers who are trying to get Roberti booted from his 20th District seat claim he is a soft-on-crime liberal, a carpetbagger who lives outside the district and that he failed to put a halt to Capitol corruption during his 13-year reign as Senate president pro tem.

But because gun-rights advocates are also among the recall’s backers, the campaign to oust Roberti has become a referendum on the 1989 assault weapon ban he authored.

“Let me say this to assault weapon extremists--you will not stop me from becoming treasurer of California,” an impassioned Roberti declared Friday. “Because the people of California want a treasurer committed to finding and deploying all the fiscal resources possible in the fight against violent crime.”

If elected treasurer, Roberti said, he would work hard to protect California’s coffers so more money would be available for crime-fighting programs. In addition, Roberti said he would ensure the state has enough funds to build the prisons needed as a result of the tough new “three strikes and you’re out” sentencing law.

Roberti faces a formidable challenger in Sacramento developer Phil Angelides. Angelides, the former state Democratic Party chairman, has raised about $2 million for his campaign, while Roberti has been forced to shift much of his general campaign money to the recall battle.

The lone GOP candidate for state treasurer is Board of Equalization member Matt Fong of Los Angeles, who charged earlier that Roberti is a career politician who is past his prime.

In other statewide races, the biggest news to emerge Friday was Smith’s early withdrawal from the contest for attorney general.

Smith, who narrowly lost to Republican Atty. Gen. Dan Lungren in 1990 and had resumed campaigning in recent weeks, said he was concerned that neither he nor Assemblyman Tom Umberg (D-Garden Grove), another Democratic candidate for attorney general, could unseat Lungren after an expensive primary battle.

“The negatives and the high cost incurred in a primary skirmish would only aid a sitting attorney general,” Smith said, adding that he will now throw his support to Umberg.

Those filing for statewide office as reported by the secretary of state’s office or by counties are:

Governor--Republican Gov. Pete Wilson; Democrats, state Treasurer Kathleen Brown, state Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi and state Sen. Tom Hayden (D-Santa Monica).

Lt. governor--Democratic Controller Gray Davis, Assemblyman Stan Statham (R-Oak Run) and state Sen. Cathie Wright (R-Simi Valley).

Secretary of state--Democrats, acting Secretary of State Tony Miller, former Los Angeles City Councilman Michael Woo, Assemblywoman Gwen Moore of Los Angeles; former Assembly Republican leader Bill Jones of Fresno.

State controller--Democrats, Assemblyman Rusty Areias of San Jose, Kathleen Connell, a Westside financial consultant and former Los Angeles housing director, and Alameda County Supervisor Don Perata; Republican, former Assemblyman Tom McClintock of Thousand Oaks.

State insurance commissioner--Democrats, Sen. Art Torres and Assemblyman Burt Margolin, both of Los Angeles; Republicans, Assemblyman Chuck Quackenbush of Cupertino, former director of the Department of Consumer Affairs Jim Conran of Orinda and Wes Bannister of Huntington Beach, an insurance agency owner who was the 1990 GOP nominee.

Superintendent of public instruction--Assemblywoman Delaine Eastin (D-Fremont) and Maureen DiMarco, the governor’s Cabinet-level adviser for child development and education.

Craft reported from Los Angeles and Gillam reported from Sacramento.

Cupertino, former director of the Department of Consumer Affairs Jim Conran of Orinda and Wes Bannister of Huntington Beach, an insurance agency owner who was the 1990 GOP nominee.

Superintendent of public instruction--Assemblywoman Delaine Eastin (D-Fremont) and Maureen DiMarco, the governor’s Cabinet-level adviser for child development and education.

Craft reported from Los Angeles and Gillam reported from Sacramento.