Umberg to Head State Clinton Campaign
President Clinton’s reelection campaign named former Assemblyman Tom Umberg of Garden Grove on Thursday 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 victories 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.
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.
In 1992, Clinton became the first Democratic presidential candidate since 1964 to carry the state. Winning it again is viewed as essential to his reelection prospects.
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