GOP Grousing About O.C.’s Pringle Grows

Grumbling has begun within the ranks of Assembly Republicans over the leadership provided by former Speaker Curt Pringle of Garden Grove.

So far, only a handful of the party faithful in the lower house are calling for a new minority leader, but restlessness clearly has surfaced.

Pringle contends the vast majority of the Assembly’s 37 members remain in his corner. In any event, he said, he plans to hand off the minority leader’s position before he is forced out the Assembly by term limits next year.

Among those flatly declaring Pringle should step down and do so now is Assemblywoman Barbara Alby (R-Fair Oaks).

“It’s time for new ideas,” Alby said. “The old guard’s time is finished.”

Assemblyman Larry Bowler (R-Elk Grove) said he wanted a change although not right away, in contrast to “people here who want to do it right now, today.”

Pringle “realizes his effectiveness has been watered down [after] all the bad feelings about decisions that were made during the [1996 Assembly] campaigns,” Bowler said.

Pringle was in charge of election and reelection efforts last November when Republicans lost their Assembly majority to Democrats, who now command a 43-seat majority in the 80-member house. He has been criticized within the party for spending too freely on long-shot contests, frittering away money that could have meant the difference in four or five races the GOP lost by small margins.

Assemblyman Bernie Richter (R-Chico), though stopping short of calling for Pringle’s ouster, was harshly critical of a series of miscues and embarrassments that have plagued the Assembly leadership in recent days.

One such problem involved two lists circulating through the Capitol on Monday. Each list purported to rate the “loyalty” to the Republican agenda of GOP Assembly members and staff. Pringle disavowed authorship of either list although aides conceded that at least one of the lists had its origin from within leadership circles.

Pringle said he understands that “people may have been frustrated” leading to the anonymous circulation of the loyalty lists. “I can understand that I am the likely person that frustration is taken on.”

Richter, however, said either Pringle was misrepresenting the list or it was issued “outside his control.” Either way, he said, “these are not good things for someone who wants to continue being our leader.”

At the same time, the names of likely replacements for Pringle have started making the rounds at the Capitol. The apparent front runner, Assemblyman Tom J. Bordonaro Jr. (R-Paso Robles), said Monday: “I am actively talking to members about becoming [Republican] leader” but quickly added he would not be party to forcing Pringle out.

“When Curt decides to step down is when my hat is in the ring,” and not before, Bordonaro said.

Nevertheless, “I have had more than enough people say that I’m a viable candidate,” Bordonaro said. Additionally, one Capitol insider who has an interest in the outcome said Pringle came out the loser to Bordonaro in a recent informal survey of Assembly Republicans, although most who were queried said they were “on the fence.”

Other Republicans expressing an interest in the minority leader’s job have been Keith Olberg of Victorville and Jim Battin of La Quinta.

If Pringle’s support drops below 19 members, he would become vulnerable and could initiate his departure himself by willingly stepping down as minority leader. Legislative leaders in the past have quit rather than risk a losing vote of the membership, especially those fresh from losing efforts in Assembly election campaigns.