Gubernatorial Prospects Make Campaign Pitches at GOP Event
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Six of the seven prospective Republican candidates for governor pitched their campaigns in Costa Mesa Thursday, with former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan blaming a scheduling conflict for his absence.
Investment banker Bill Simon Jr. criticized Democrat Gov. Gray Davis for plunging the state budget into a multibillion-dollar deficit--a recurrent campaign theme. He called himself a builder of “companies and character” and plugged the family-friendly television channel Pax TV that he launched with his brother, drawing loud applause.
Secretary of State Bill Jones arrived at the Federation of Republican Women luncheon armed with endorsements from several Orange County legislators. He pledged to reverse the party’s shaky statewide fortunes, stressing his experience in government over his opponents’ fund-raising advantages.
Other lesser-known prospective gubernatorial candidates at the event were Orange County Republicans Edie Bukewihge, Nick Jesson and William Crosby, and Danney Ball of Hemet.
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