Umberg to Head Clinton’s State Reelection Effort

President Clinton’s reelection campaign on Thursday named former Orange County Assemblyman Tom Umberg to head its effort to win the state’s 54 electoral votes in November.

Working with Umberg will be political consultant Bill Carrick, who guided Dianne Feinstein to two hard-fought U.S. Senate wins in the state, in 1992 and 1994.

The naming of Clinton’s California political team had been delayed for months as various candidates were considered--a debate complicated by ethics laws that preclude most administration officials from taking campaign jobs. Clinton, moreover, has yet to appoint a national campaign manager.

Umberg was a rare Democratic success story in Orange County, serving two terms as an assemblyman before giving up that office to run for attorney general in 1994. He lost the general election to Republican Dan Lungren.

But his appointment as Clinton’s campaign director could prove the first step to a political revival, if the president is reelected. There is talk in some circles of the campaign post being a springboard for Umberg to another run for political office, or perhaps an appointment within the Clinton administration. Umberg dismisses such musings.

In recent state polls, Clinton has held a broad lead over presumptive Republican nominee Bob Dole. But political analysts expect the California race to tighten as the general election approaches.

Clinton in 1992 became the first Democratic presidential candidate since 1964 to carry the state. Winning it again is viewed as essential to his overall reelection prospects.

Part of the Democrat strategy will be to make a big dent in the Republican vote in Orange County, where the GOP has routinely counted on its 200,000 registration edge to power statewide and national candidates to victory.

“Orange County is very important,” Umberg said. “Bob Dole cannot win in California unless his margin of victory is more than 200,000 votes in Orange County.”