Mass. Governor to Serve in Wilson Campaign

In a move that could significantly improve his chances in critical New England primaries, Gov. Pete Wilson announced Thursday that he has enlisted Massachusetts Gov. William F. Weld in an active role in his Republican presidential campaign. Weld will be national finance co-chairman.

Weld will serve in tandem with developer Donald Bren, chairman of the Irvine Co. and a longtime Wilson friend and financial supporter.

Also joining Wilson’s finance team Thursday was former Texas Gov. William Clements, a hard-line conservative. In making that announcement, Wilson declared, “We intend to run and run hard in Texas. And Bill Clements gives us a huge leg up there.”

The Clements endorsement and Wilson’s comment obviously was designed to be a shot across the bow of Texas Sen. Phil Gramm, who is also seeking the GOP nomination. Gramm had sent a similar signal to Wilson, when Gramm told the California Republican convention in Sacramento on Feb. 26, “I am going to run in the California primary no matter who runs for President.”

Wilson aides declined to confirm or deny a report in the Washington Post that former George Bush aide Craig L. Fuller would join Wilson in May as campaign chairman. Wilson is expected to announce in May that he is ending the exploratory phase of his White House quest and launching an all-out campaign for the nomination.

Weld’s support was not totally unexpected. Weld is a fellow moderate on social issues and has had kind words about Wilson since deciding not to run for President himself.

Like Wilson, Weld had to deal with a tough state fiscal crisis early in his governorship--although he achieved a balanced budget in his first year without raising taxes, while Wilson acceded to a $7-billion California tax hike.

Weld’s support can be helpful to Wilson in New Hampshire, which holds the critical first-in-the-nation primary next February and which bears a strong aversion to state taxes and tax-hikers.

But Ray Howell, who is Weld’s political consultant, said he did not believe Wilson’s tax increase--which Wilson has since declared a mistake--would be an insurmountable obstacle to Wilson in New Hampshire, where Weld is popular.

“Wilson has such a good story to tell about having shrunk the size of state government in California,” Howell said.