GOP Senate Candidates Meet in Debate

Entering the lion’s den of California conservatism Friday night, Rep. Tom Campbell (R-San Jose) received both cheers and jeers in a debate that suggested how far the right wing of the state’s Republican Party may have to bend to unseat U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein.

Flanked by two conservative contenders for the nomination, state Sen. Ray Haynes of Riverside and San Diego County Supervisor Bill Horn, the more moderate Campbell--viewed as the front-runner--held his own before a crowd of more than 800 at the state GOP convention.

“We are Republicans. We are united,” the Harvard-educated law professor confidently told the crowd. “And we have so much in common and so much more to offer the state of California than Dianne Feinstein.”

But just as he won applause for his jabs at the Democratic incumbent, Campbell also drew boos for defending his proposal that local governments be allowed to open drug distribution centers as an experiment in combating drug-related crime.

Quipped Haynes: “Do you go to the [Colombian drug] cartel and ask them to submit a bid?”

The candidates took the stage for the 90-minute debate after a dinner speech by Texas Gov. George W. Bush’s stand-in, brother Jeb Bush, Florida’s governor, extolling his absent sibling’s virtues. The other presidential contenders, including the suddenly surging Arizona Sen. John McCain, are expected to appear in person today.

While Campbell spent much of the debate running against Feinstein, Haynes and Horn sought to spotlight ways in which they more closely reflect the party’s conservative roots. “We should not run away from issues because we’re afraid of losing elections,” Haynes said.

Campbell’s mixed reception was not a surprise at the semiannual gathering known over the years for lambasting moderates.

In 1994, the eventual Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, then-Rep.Michael Huffington, was ridiculed by young conservatives who littered the convention hall with play money. Huffington went on to set a Senate race spending record of nearly $30 million before losing to Feinstein.

Former Gov. Pete Wilson declined to appear at some of these gatherings in the past, even while governor, and Campbell’s appearance was seen by many moderates as a brave gambit.

“He did very well,” said Wilson’s spokesman Sean Walsh. “The people who come to these events are not representative of the Republicans statewide.”

Touching key points of their platforms, Horn advocated doing away with the Internal Revenue Service, and Haynes talked of instituting a flat tax. Campbell also has called for a flat national sales tax of 20%, exempting food and medicine.

Both Horn and Haynes expressed their support for Proposition 22, the initiative on the March ballot that would preclude recognition of gay marriages in California.

Campbell is the only one of the three who opposes the initiative. Barely audible over hisses and boos, Campbell said he does not want to prevent people from registering as domestic partners, which “has nothing to do with homosexuals, necessarily.”

“Nice try, Tom,” Horn responded.

Campbell also came under attack for other views that are anathema to many at the convention, most notably his support of abortion rights. Horn said the federal government should not fund abortions and Haynes opposes them adamantly.

Though Horn and Haynes began the debate united against Campbell, they ended it subtly needling each other.

Horn highlighted Haynes’ poor fund-raising record, noting that the state lawmaker has not raised even half of the $200,000 he predicted he would have by now.

“If you can show me the money by the end of this convention, I’ll drop out of this race,” Horn said.

While many GOP faithful concede that Campbell is the party’s best hope to unseat Feinstein, they lament that they find him indistinguishable from the incumbent.

The undercurrent of hostility toward Campbell was evident hours before the debate. Browsing through Republican souvenir booths, retired San Jose school teacher Norma Schilling made it plain that her congressman was far from her first choice.

“I’m for Ray Haynes,” said Schilling, who sported three elephant brooches. “I can’t stand Tom Campbell.”

“The nitty gritty things that uphold the family and the Constitution, I don’t think he really believes in,” she said, rolling her eyes.

But like many other Haynes and Horn supporters here, Schilling said she would reluctantly vote for Campbell if he won the Republican nomination.

A recent independent Field Poll showed that a third of Republican voters had not decided which of the candidates, including Feinstein, they would vote for. California’s blanket primary allows voters to cast ballots for any candidate, regardless of party affiliation.