Recall Likely For Calif. Governor

With a recall election all but certain this fall, Democratic Gov. Gray Davis branded the Republican-led drive to oust him "a hostile takeover by the right" Wednesday and said he will fight and win.

"In a strange way, this has got my juices flowing," he said. "I'm a fighter."

The governor's remarks came as Secretary of State Kevin Shelley prepared to declare as early as Wednesday night that the recall campaign had gathered the necessary 900,000 or so signatures to put Davis' fate on the ballot.

It would be the nation's first gubernatorial recall election in 82 years.

"I'll own up to my mistakes - I haven't done everything perfect," Davis said in an interview with The Associated Press. "But I do believe we have to stay in the direction voters want."

Davis - who has come under fire over California's $38 billion deficit, its electricity crisis and its slumping economy - called the recall campaign "a hostile takeover by the right," and said that despite widespread unhappiness with his job performance, he was confident voters would keep him in office.

"Remember, there's a lot more people willing to vote against the recall than there are who think I'm doing a good job," said Davis, whose approval ratings have hovered in the low 20s in recent polls. "If you look at those voters, they say, 'It's not fair to blame this on the governor.' It's that sense of fairness that I think will carry the day."

An experienced and often aggressive campaigner, Davis said that in recent days he had become energized by the prospect of taking on Republicans in the recall effort.

"My political obituary has been written at least once a year. The voters, however, have responded different and have put me in office because they have supported what I've done," he said.

Still, Davis acknowledged that with a sagging economy and a colossal deficit, Californians face a variety of problems.

"I know they're hurting, I know these are tough times," he said. "But if I were the only governor in the country doing something wrong, then we wouldn't have 46 other governors struggling with their budgets, making cuts, having to raise taxes."

Figures posted on the secretary of state's Web site Wednesday morning showed 678,472 valid signatures submitted so far. But a Los Angeles Times survey of counties found more than 1.1 million signatures had been validated, far more than the 897,158 required.

If Shelley certifies the effort, it would be the first gubernatorial recall election since 1921, when the North Dakota governor was recalled.

Candidates would have to file campaign papers at least 59 days before any election. The only declared major-party candidate is Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., who bankrolled the recall drive. Other potential Republican candidates include businessman Bill Simon, who lost to Davis in November, and actor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Issa said he expected the governor to be recalled "by a substantial margin."

"The only thing that's in doubt is who will replace him," said Issa. He planned to return from Washington on Thursday or Friday, earlier than expected, to formally enter the race, his spokesman said.

Davis supporters were still pursuing a court challenge to stop Shelley from certifying the recall until a hearing on their allegations that signatures were gathered illegally. No action had been taken on their appeal by Wednesday.

A recall ballot would have two parts: Voters would decide yes or no on recalling Davis, and would then choose from a list of candidates to replace him.

Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante said he would call for a recall election the day after Shelley certifies the recall. It would be set for within 60 to 80 days, possibly as early as Sept. 23.

However, Bustamante said he would not issue a call at the same time for a ballot with candidates to succeed Davis.

The state constitution requires the lieutenant governor to set the date for a recall election of the governor, and to call for an election to replace him "if appropriate."

After consulting with attorneys, Bustamante now believes the succession issue is unclear and that the state Supreme Court should be asked to clear up the issue, his spokeswoman said Wednesday.

"He is going to set a date for the recall and wait for the commission on the governorship to clarify with the supreme court what direction we take on the succession issue," spokeswoman Deborah Pacyna said.

"Clearly this is unprecedented and he wants to make sure that we do the right thing, and the right thing is to get the clarification necessary because the Constitution has a discrepancy," she said.

California, now more than three weeks into the new fiscal year without a budget, is operating for the first time in history completely on borrowed money — cash that is expected to run out in September.

Democrats and Republicans have been deadlocked over how to close a budget deficit that could reach $38.2 billion by next July if taxes are not raised or spending is not slashed.

The two parties have agreed on a variety of smaller spending cuts, fund shifts and borrowing but remain deadlocked over how to clear away the state's existing $10.7 billion deficit.

Recent polls show the governor's standing will improve if a budget is quickly adopted. But Davis supporters also know if they give in to Republicans and agree to fund the deficit by imposing deep cuts, they will hurt Davis among his strongest supporters, especially teachers, public employee unions and inner-city Democrats.

Democrats, led by Davis, want to sell bonds to pay off the existing deficit and pay back the loan with a new half-cent sales tax.