Horcher Recall Election Is Scheduled for May 16 : Politics: Renegade assemblyman’s three suits to block the ouster bid fail. He says GOP will try to replace him with ‘right-wing robot.’

Maverick Assemblyman Paul V. Horcher (I-Diamond Bar) will face a recall election May 16, retribution for renouncing his affiliation with the Republican Party and voting to continue the reign of Speaker Willie Brown, officials announced Thursday.

Gov. Pete Wilson set the date for the recall election Thursday afternoon, just hours after the last of three lawsuits filed by Horcher to block the recall failed in Los Angeles Superior Court.

After the final court hearing, the Los Angeles County registrar of voters quickly announced that the Recall Horcher campaign had collected 19,012 valid signatures, 251 more than needed to qualify the recall for the ballot in Horcher’s 60th District. The district includes Diamond Bar, La Mirada, Rowland Heights, Walnut and West Covina, and parts of Covina, City of Industry, La Habra Heights, Pomona, Valinda and Whittier.

Horcher said Thursday that he is considering further legal action, but is prepared for an all-out campaign to retain his seat. The assemblyman said he expects help from Brown as well as Democratic allies and moderate Republicans.

“The issue will be reform,” Horcher said. “Their goal will be to replace me with some right-wing robot who represents party bosses and not the district.”

With the lawsuits decided and the election certified, recall proponents said the vote is a formality. Horcher’s lawsuits sought to throw out thousands of signatures, alleging that they were collected on illegal petitions on which the argument for the recall was in effect longer than the argument against.

“We’re going to be out walking precincts, making phone calls, just doing a good old-fashioned campaign,” said Jim Camp, director of the recall drive. He said Wilson, who already sent out a letter urging voters to put the recall on the ballot, will help with the final push.

Horcher drew the wrath of Republicans when he prevented them from capturing the coveted speakership. With Horcher’s vote, the GOP Caucus would have had the 41 votes needed to give the speakership to Republican Leader Jim Brulte.

When Horcher bolted, the vote was deadlocked, 40 votes for Brown and 40 votes for Brulte. Brown retained the speakership on a 40-39 vote after former Assemblyman Richard Mountjoy (R-Arcadia) was forced to take the state Senate seat he won in a special election in November.

The recall election will be the fifth aimed at a state officeholder in California history, a spokeswoman for the secretary of state said. Two of the recalls succeeded.

The most recent recall election was last April, when opponents of former state Sen. David A. Roberti (D-Los Angeles) failed to oust him.