Firestone May Run for State’s No. 2 Job or Schools Chief

Republican Assemblyman Brooks Firestone said Wednesday that he is seriously considering a bid next year for either lieutenant governor or state superintendent of public instruction.

Firestone, whose district includes portions of western Ventura County, said that both jobs are equally appealing to him and that he will make a final decision on which he will pursue within 60 days.

Firestone, vice chairman of the Assembly’s Higher Education Committee, began hinting last year that he might run for superintendent of public instruction in 1998, when Democratic incumbent Delaine Eastin comes up for reelection. The state’s schools chief oversees the public education system.

But Firestone of Los Olivos said he only recently began thinking of entering the lieutenant governor’s race after Republican officials approached him and encouraged him to run. He said that job is attractive for a number of reasons, especially the fact that it would allow him to continue working on higher education issues.

“It just seemed to strike a nerve,” Firestone said in a telephone interview from his Sacramento office. “I didn’t mean to say anything about it at this time, but this place leaks like a sieve. Now that everybody knows, it brings a little pressure on a decision.”

Republican state Sens. Richard Mountjoy of Arcadia and Tim Leslie of Carnelian Bay have already announced plans to run for lieutenant governor to replace Democrat Gray Davis, who is a candidate for governor. But Firestone said their candidacy would not have any bearing on his decision.

“I like them both,” he said. “We would have a lively and productive debate among two people I respect. I think it would be healthy for California and healthy for the Republican Party.”

Grandson of the wealthy tire magnate, Firestone could enter either statewide race with financial resources that other candidates--bound by strict new campaign finance rules--could not immediately muster.

A senior Republican Party official said Wednesday that Firestone would make a good candidate because he has strong name recognition, is well regarded within the party and “is a self-funder.”

The lieutenant governor’s job, Firestone said, includes a number of plum assignments, including chairmanship of the state’s Economic Development Commission. He said he would be well-suited for the post because of his business background--he owns and operates a winery in Santa Barbara County.

Another big attraction to the state’s No. 2 job is that it would give Firestone a seat on the University of California Board of Regents, as well as on the Cal State University Board of Trustees.

Firestone said he is already well versed on issues involving the two university systems and would welcome the opportunity to continue working in this area.

Firestone, who was elected to the Assembly in 1994, said he has still not ruled out running for a third two-year term in the Assembly. But he acknowledges that the other two jobs may be too attractive to pass up.

“Both would be very interesting careers for a 60-year-old guy with two terms in the Legislature,” he said. “I’d like to devote myself to serving California, and these would be very interesting areas to serve.”