LOS ANGELES (AP) Gray Davis was never a beloved figure, not
even after five statewide election victories over a 30-year career.
Swept out of office on a tide of voter rage, he ultimately fell
victim to his own aloof personality and his cautious political
style.
The practical reasons given for Davis' downfall include
California's gaping budget deficit, once as high as $38 billion,
the tripling of the car registration tax, and the electricity
crisis that caused rolling blackouts.
But some say Davis' lack of personal appeal left many voters
cold and with little reason to support him when times get tough.
``Gray Davis never related to people and people never related to
him,'' said Ann Crigler, director of the Jesse M. Unruh Institute
of Politics at the University of Southern California. ``It's a big
part of why he is where he is today.''
A former assemblyman who also served as state controller and
lieutenant governor, Davis has been known as the consummate insider
who steadily climbed the political ladder by carefully weighing
each decision and aggressively pursuing the next job.
But he never generated much voter enthusiasm. Devoid of charisma
and considered aloof even by those closest to him, Davis was forced
to rely on raw political skill for victory.
Again and again, Davis was able to size up opponents and tailor
a campaign to fit the need. Sometimes that meant going nasty. He
also raised money relentlessly. If the approach brought success, it
also turned off many voters.
``As far as I'm concerned, Gray Davis is one of the dirtiest
politicians I've ever encountered,'' said Ed Troupe, 69.
After serving six years as chief of staff to Gov. Jerry Brown,
Davis won a seat in the state Assembly in 1982. There he launched a
campaign to put pictures of missing children on milk cartons and
grocery bags. Meanwhile, he squeezed campaign contributors for
donations at almost every turn.
He won the office of state controller in 1987 and after getting
re-elected in 1990, he set his sights on the Senate. The race
pitted Davis against Dianne Feinstein and featured attack ads that
linked Feinstein with hotel queen and convicted tax evader Leona
Helmsley.
The ads played a big part in Davis' landslide defeat. He blamed
his campaign managers and vowed never again to allow anyone else to
make his key political decisions.
Although the loss led many to believe Davis' career was over, he
assembled a new campaign team and was elected lieutenant governor
in 1994. Four years later, Feinstein decided not to run for
governor, and he saw an opening.
Davis slipped past Democratic rivals in the primary by running a
moderate campaign and then defeated Attorney General Dan Lungren, a
conservative Republican, with 58 percent of the vote. But in
steering a course up the middle, he rarely received the full
backing of his own party.
``Over the course of his career, Davis was never the first
choice of his own party,'' said GOP consultant Dan Schnur. ``It's
not surprising that once he got to the governor's office, he didn't
feel the need to reach out.''
Davis didn't know it but his career probably crested in
mid-2000, when California was riding high on the high-tech economic
bubble and his name was floated as a possible future contender for
the White House.
Voter frustrations were finally vented Tuesday.
``We've had enough,'' said Jim Hall, 62. With the election of
Arnold Schwarzenegger, ``we're going to see some action now.''
A centrist most of his career, Davis had long ago distanced
himself from the liberal wing of the party, though he did maintain
strong alliances with unions and inner-city ethnic groups.
Davis worked hard in the closing weeks of the recall campaign to
embrace those two voting blocs. He signed a bill allowing illegal
immigrants to obtain driver's licenses. And he signed landmark
legislation aimed at providing millions of poor workers with health
insurance.
But in the end, even those groups abandoned him. Exit polls from
Tuesday show that two key groups Hispanics and union members
abandoned him. While nearly two-thirds of both groups had backed
Davis in his last two elections, about half voted for his recall.
The career politician has not mentioned whether he plans to
resurrect his political career again. In his concession speech
Tuesday night, the famously bland Davis promised a smooth
transition.
``I am calling on everyone in this state to put the chaos and
the division of the recall behind us and do what's right for this
great state of California,'' he said.
(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)