Deadlocked GOP Rivals Prepare for Key Debate

While U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer sought votes Wednesday by decrying the high cost of gasoline in San Diego, her main GOP rivals remained out of public view, in furious preparation for today’s debate between two increasingly bitter opponents.

Political consultants were at a loss to remember when a debate has been held so close to election day in a contest with two leading candidates deadlocked and so many likely voters--18%, according to last week’s Times poll--undecided.

“I can’t think of a debate in a Senate primary that has been as critical as this one,” said Republican consultant Ron Smith, who is unaligned in the current race. “The public seems to be paying attention finally, and it isn’t just a question of who’s got the most money to buy TV time.”

The debate combatants--state Treasurer Matt Fong and electronics entrepreneur Darrell Issa--spent the day at home talking to advisors about issues and debate tactics. Like prizefighters tuning up with sparring partners, both performed mock debates with surrogates for their opponents, a common preparation method.

Issa staffers--a man and a woman--played the roles of the two journalists--a man and a woman--who will ask the debate questions. Fong got last-minute pointers from Peter Hannaford, former speech writer and media advisor to Ronald Reagan.

And both current candidates engaged in a bit of saber rattling.

A Fong strategist said his candidate is ready to remind people of Issa’s miscues during the campaign, including his reference to President Clinton as a “slut,” and his “feeble” responses to allegations contained in a Times story about Issa’s business background.

An Issa insider said that if Fong attacks, Issa will retaliate. Issa considers Fong a mudslinger and a career politician with a history of taking contributions from people doing business with the treasurer’s office.

Both candidates are expected to portray themselves as the most dedicated tax fighter and budget cutter in the race, eager to go to Washington and cut taxes and slash government spending.

One issue that could surface in the debate is offshore oil drilling. Boxer and Fong oppose drilling off the California coast. Issa has said that he would consider supporting it with environmental safeguards in place. After the debate, Fong will travel to Monterey Bay to restate his opposition to offshore oil drilling and compare his views to Issa’s.

Boxer declined to participate in the debate, arranged by the San Jose Mercury News. Issa and Fong have attended and spoken at the same event three times in the campaign, but the hourlong debate at San Jose State University will be the first time the candidates have been allowed to question each other.

In San Diego, Boxer was joined by county Supervisor Ron Roberts at a news conference outside a gas station in Mission Valley to express outrage that gasoline prices in San Diego are consistently higher than elsewhere in the United States.

At Boxer’s request, the Federal Trade Commission investigated alleged anti-competitive practices in California’s oil industry that have led to higher prices in San Diego and elsewhere. The San Diego County Board of Supervisors is attempting to force oil companies to sell their stations, in hopes that more competition will lead to lower prices.

“Californians are sick and tired of being ripped off at the gas pumps,” Boxer told a small crowd.

Although Boxer has not spent any of her campaign war chest on TV commercials, the Sierra Club this week began running ads on cable TV and radio in Orange County, Monterey and Santa Cruz touting her environmental record, including her opposition to offshore oil drilling.