Riordan Backs Out of GOP Test Vote Among Party’s Die-Hard Members

Republican gubernatorial candidate Richard Riordan has pulled out of a straw poll set for this weekend’s state GOP convention--after trying unsuccessfully to kill it.

In an open letter to delegates attending the three-day gathering, which starts today in San Jose, Riordan campaign chief Ron Hartwig said the straw poll threatened to divide the party when its main focus should be defeating Democratic Gov. Gray Davis.

Further, Hartwig suggested the poll is not a true test of Republican sentiment, since anyone paying the convention’s $55 registration fee will be eligible to vote.

“This will only result in campaigns spending tens of thousands of dollars to bus in supporters and will only measure who spends more money and rents more buses,” Hartwig wrote.

Behind the scenes, however, Riordan’s campaign pushed hard to scrub the straw poll, viewing the balloting as a no-win prospect.

As the overwhelming front-runner in campaign cash and public opinion polls, a victory might seem preordained. But Riordan has run well to the left of the party’s grass-roots activists, the kind of die-hard Republicans most likely to be in attendance this weekend.

So rather than risk potential embarrassment, Riordan withdrew his name from consideration.

He will join his two main rivals, Secretary of State Bill Jones and businessman Bill Simon Jr., at an hourlong debate Saturday at the convention.

It will be the second such meeting of the top GOP contenders. A third and final debate is set for Wednesday at Cal State Long Beach.