Prop. 208 Coauthor Enters Lieutenant Governor’s Race

Former Deputy Secretary of State Tony Miller, one of the authors of last year’s Proposition 208 political campaign reform initiative, announced his candidacy Monday for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor.

Miller, who had previously declared his candidacy for secretary of state, said his announcement Monday “does not signal a withdrawal of my candidacy for secretary of state,” but is instead intended to keep his political options open.

“The office is not the objective, it is the agenda, which is campaign finance reform,” Miller said. “Whether I ultimately run for lieutenant governor or secretary of state will be driven by my determination as to which office will better afford me the opportunity to further campaign finance reform.”

Miller is the best-known author of Proposition 208, which imposes limits of $100 to $500 on individual contributions to candidates for local or state offices, among other far-reaching limits on contributions and spending for candidates and donors. The initiative is being challenged in court.

Miller said his unusual dual-office campaign is prompted by the unique political circumstances today, in which court rulings are pending that could overturn term limits, campaign finance restrictions and the open primary. All of those could affect which other candidates run for which offices.

“I’m not ready to burn any bridges. There are too many uncertainties,” Miller said. February is the deadline for candidates to file for spots on the June primary ballot.

One of the reasons Miller is running for lieutenant governor is that there are no candidates yet for the Democratic nomination for that office, although that could change quickly.

Currently, Democratic Lt. Gov. Gray Davis is running for governor.

Michela Alioto, granddaughter of former San Francisco Mayor Joseph Alioto, announced her candidacy for secretary of state Oct. 30.

On the Republican side, state Sens. Tim Leslie and Richard Mountjoy are running for lieutenant governor, and former Rep. Michael Huffington is a potential third contender. Incumbent Secretary of State Bill Jones, who narrowly defeated Miller in 1994, is unopposed for the GOP nomination for reelection.

Miller, 48, was chief deputy secretary of state under March Fong Eu and advanced to acting secretary of state when she resigned in early 1994 to become U.S. ambassador to Micronesia.