Democratic Legislator Switches to Perot Party

In a surprise move, Dominic L. Cortese, a veteran Democratic assemblyman from San Jose, has become the first state lawmaker to switch affiliations and join Ross Perot’s Reform Party.

In papers filed with Santa Clara County election officials, Cortese also declared his intention to run for the state’s 13th Senate District seat--a position that is also being sought by Assemblyman John Vasconcellos (D-Santa Clara), his friend since high school.

“State government is just not delivering,” said the 63-year-old Cortese, chairman of the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee, who is prevented by term limits from seeking another stint in the Assembly.

Kathy Rus, a California Reform Party board member, said she spoke Tuesday with Cortese and was pleased to welcome him as the first lawmaker to make the party switch. She said Cortese indicated that it was difficult getting much done at the Capitol or being a mediator on issues.

Cortese, who has drawn support from Republicans and independents, scheduled a news conference for today in San Jose to discuss his defection. The lawmaker has until the end of the month to file the final papers for his Senate candidacy.

If he makes good on his promise to run for the Senate, the moderate Cortese would probably pose a threat to liberal Vasconcellos in the Democratic-leaning district that is being vacated by Sen. Alfred Alquist (D-San Jose), possibly allowing a Republican to capture the seat.

“Cortese wanted to run and didn’t like the idea of going against Vasconcellos in a [Democratic] primary,” said a Democratic political consultant familiar with legislative contests.

Cortese, 63, a former county supervisor and businessman, has kept a low profile during most of his 15 years in the Assembly. After reapportionment in the early 1990s, Vasconcellos deferred to Cortese, clearing the way for his colleague to run in the more heavily Democratic Assembly seat in San Jose.

A year ago, Cortese seriously considered backing a Republican for Assembly speaker against longtime Democratic Speaker Willie Brown. But at the last minute, Cortese stayed in Brown’s camp.