A Maverick Provides Spice

Former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan made his run for the Republican gubernatorial nomination official Tuesday. No surprise there. Riordan spent the months since he left office learning all he could about California and exploring his chances of being elected its governor. With polls showing him leading two other Republican contenders, he decided his chances looked pretty good. Now it’s up to voters across the state to learn as much as they can about him.

This time around, Riordan can’t portray himself as the “un-politician.” That role belongs to banker and political novice Bill Simon Jr., a friend and fellow millionaire whom Riordan encouraged to run before getting the bug himself. Besides, after eight years in office, the entrepreneur-turned-mayor now has a record to run on. Voters will have to weigh the good Riordan (energetic leadership after the Northridge earthquake) against the bad (abysmal relations with the City Council).

One outsider role, however, still fits the two-term mayor--that of maverick Republican. Secretary of State Bill Jones, one of the two GOP opponents, accuses Riordan of being a Democrat in a Republican suit. Conservative Republicans around the state grumble about his support of gun control, gay rights and legalized abortion and his history of making campaign contributions to Democrats.

Such inclusiveness helped Riordan win crossover votes in Los Angeles’ nonpartisan mayoral races. Some Republicans think it could give him a boost in the general election a year from now against Democratic Gov. Gray Davis. And a new state law that allows independents to vote in primaries could boost turnout and attract more moderates to Riordan’s camp even in the primary. The $100-million question (what does it cost to get elected California governor these days?) is whether that will be enough to offset pressure on Riordan to prove he is Republican enough.

Voters statewide will learn more about Richard Riordan--his genuine passion for education reform and children’s issues, as well as his tendency to mangle language and make gaffes. Even before next spring’s primary election, one thing is certain: His entry in the governor’s race will make it more interesting and less predictable.