Sen. Lewis to Run Carona’s Campaign for Sheriff

Conservative state Sen. John R. Lewis (R-Orange) will run Orange County Marshal Michael S. Carona’s campaign for sheriff in 1998, raising the stakes in a race that already has pit the GOP’s right wing against moderates who have supported incumbent Sheriff Brad Gates.

Lewis, 42, a consummate behind-the-scenes political strategist, approached Carona several weeks ago with the offer of running his campaign. It will mark Lewis’ debut as a paid professional consultant.

The move presents a more pointed challenge to Gates, a Republican who has held the job for 24 years. Gates has been increasingly at odds with conservatives within his party, many of whom slammed him for his support of a failed June 1995 sales-tax increase intended to help the county out of bankruptcy.

Carona announced his campaign in March with a who’s who of conservative endorsements, including Senate Minority Leader Rob Hurtt (R-Anaheim), Assembly Minority Leader Curt Pringle (R-Garden Grove), California Republican Party Chairman Michael Schroeder of Irvine and Dale Dykema, head of the Lincoln Club of Orange County, a GOP fund-raising group.

Gates hasn’t announced his plans Sen. John Lewis

for the 1998 election. He was out of town Thursday and could not be reached for comment.

“I obviously think Mike Carona is better suited for the job,” Lewis said Thursday from Sacramento. “The sheriff and I have been on opposing sides of several things, notably tax increases in Orange County.”

Carona said he is honored that his friend of nearly two decades has agreed to a key campaign role. So far they have a “handshake” agreement for Lewis to run the overall campaign. Carona will also hire someone to handle day-to-day campaign duties.

“All of us have been very impressed with what he’s been able to do [in politics],” Carona said. “It’s a real blessing to have John’s personal commitment and friendship.”

Eileen Padberg, a GOP consultant who has run Gates’ past campaigns, said the involvement of Lewis in Carona’s race shows the commitment of conservatives to challenge the longtime incumbent.

“It raises the stakes and it certainly sends a message,” said Padberg, who is often at odds with the party’s conservative faction. “It says the . . . right wing has a real problem with Brad Gates and they’re going to bring in the big guns. I’m glad John Lewis has so much time on his hands. He ought to be taking care of the business the taxpayers are paying for.”

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The state Senate is considered a full-time job, but senators are allowed to engage in outside jobs, so long as they do not represent clients with business before the Legislature.

Lewis was elected to the Senate in 1991 after 11 years in the Assembly. He served as a key Assembly strategist for the GOP caucus, has been a successful fund-raiser and most recently advised state Sen. Ross Johnson (R-Irvine) in his 1995 special-election win.

Republican consultant Dana Reed, who lost to Lewis in 1991, called Lewis a savvy political manager able to pull together grass-roots volunteers and provide key insight into the race. Reed, who supports Gates’ reelection, said Lewis would make Gates and his record the issue if the sheriff runs again.

“It will be a very aggressive campaign,” Reed said. “Politically, Brad has had three or four fairly easy races. This would not be an easy race for him. This is one very serious challenge and one I’m sure that he’s up for.”

If Gates chooses not to run for reelection, Carona would become the front-runner, Reed said.

“If Brad doesn’t run, I’d bet the house on Carona and Lewis,” he said.

Lewis said he has known Carona professionally and socially for years--they both live in Orange--and that the race represented a way of getting his feet wet in the paid consulting business.

Lewis said he is set to retire in 2000 due to term limits and is considering political consulting as a second career.