Jones Takes Aim at Riordan’s Support for Democrats

In a feisty speech aimed at his most prominent primary election rival for governor, Secretary of State Bill Jones suggested Tuesday that fellow GOP candidate Richard Riordan may be better suited to run as a Democrat.

Jones implied that Riordan, the former mayor of Los Angeles, has no business running for governor as a Republican because of his “record of support for liberal Democrats.”

“I agree that the Republican Party must open its hearts and our arms to all,” Jones told the Sacramento Press Club. But the party’s gubernatorial nominee, he said, should “at the very least have exclusively supported Republican candidates.”

An aide to Riordan scoffed at that notion, and called the speech “remarkably narrow.

“It sounds like it’s from someone who’s a candidate for chairman of the college Republicans instead of governor of a diverse state of over 30 million people,” said Kevin Spillane, Riordan’s political director.

Jones said Riordan’s support for Democrats dates back at least 20 years and includes a $20,000 contribution to Gov. Gray Davis.

Last year, he said, Riordan gave $5,000 to Senate Leader John Burton’s fund to beef up the Democrats’ majority in the Legislature. In 1998, Riordan hosted a fund-raiser for Assembly Democrats at his Brentwood home, an event that raised hundreds of thousands of dollars, Jones said.

“He has spread his money all around,” Jones said. “The problem is, most of it has gone to Democratic candidates--by a ratio of almost 2 to 1.”

Jones charged that Riordan is relying on Democrats within his own campaign. In recent weeks, several prominent Democratic consultants have signed on as unpaid advisors to the former mayor’s gubernatorial effort, although Riordan aides say they have no operational control.

Spillane said the Democrats’ support is evidence that Riordan has “tremendous appeal across the political spectrum as an effective leader.”

Jones argued that it proves, “The political and ideological company Dick keeps is quite strange . . . for someone seeking the Republican nomination for governor.”

The 30-minute speech was unusually pointed for a politician universally regarded as a mild-mannered sort. Jones made no mention of his agenda for California, dwelling almost entirely on his opponent.

Riordan has yet to officially declare his candidacy for governor, but he has been traveling around the state making appearances, and an official campaign launch is scheduled for Nov. 6. Also running in the GOP primary is millionaire businessman Bill Simon Jr.

Jones is the only Republican in statewide office and is emphasizing his political experience and record as he pursues the gubernatorial nomination.

Despite his standing as the most seasoned candidate, however, Jones has struggled to raise money and stir up much excitement. The latest accounting showed Riordan with $2.3 million in the bank. Simon had $2.1 million and Jones trailed the pack with $1.2 million.

Jones said he has proven before that he can “come up with the resources to win statewide” and will do so again come March.