The Cost of Costly Campaigns

The cost of running a statewide campaign in California had a dramatic impact on the 1998 contest for governor even before the campaign officially began today with the closing of filing for office. The lack of money was either the main reason or a strong contributing factor in the decisions of several qualified politicians not to run for governor this year. That is regrettable.

Money may not have been the major reason Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, a moderate Republican, decided to pass up the race after tantalizing political insiders with his interest during the past 10 days. No doubt Riordan could have raised enough to run a competitive campaign--perhaps $20 million or so. But it would have been an all-consuming chore.

Riordan is not the only one to consider the race, shudder at the cost and then say no. Others we know of include Sen. Dianne Feinstein, who would have been the instant Democratic front-runner in the polls if she had run, state Sen. John Vasconcellos (D-San Jose) and Leon Panetta, the former White House chief of staff. That’s a lot of talent and experience that will not contribute to the 1998 campaign.

All prospective candidates faced the specter of businessman Al Checchi as a Democratic candidate for governor determined to spend up to $30 million of his personal fortune. Checchi’s money can’t buy the election, but it allows a political neophyte to run a highly visible campaign.

If Riordan had run, even with the support of wealthy business friends, he would have had to work virtually around the clock dunning people for money, most of it to pay for television ads. That does not make for the sort of enlightened electioneering California voters deserve.

California Common Cause correctly said Wednesday that the system is spiraling out of control. The reform group’s proposed solution is public financing of campaigns in California. A better first step--not an easy one either--might be to require television stations to devote a considerable amount of free time to elections. In the meantime, as the campaign sinks into the swamp of negative ads, voters should remember what is driving it all. It’s the money.