Davis, Simon Make Final Bids

MONTEREY —  Gov. Gray Davis crisscrossed California on Sunday in the first half of a final campaign sprint aimed at transforming a steady lead in the polls into triumph in Tuesday’s election.

In a daylong blitz that began at a Sunday morning worship service in Los Angeles and ended with rallies in Monterey and Oakland, the incumbent Democrat touted his record on education, health care, labor issues, gun control and abortion rights.

“We’re moving the state forward, my friends!” Davis said to the cheers of about 200 supporters at a rally at the Scottish Rite Center in San Diego.

Davis chided his Republican opponent, Bill Simon Jr., for having voted only occasionally in recent elections. Davis challenged his supporters to reject that example.

“We’re going to vote for four more years of progress!” Davis shouted. “We’re going to vote for everyone on this stage! We’re going to vote for a Democratic sweep!”

Drawing distinctions between his views and the more conservative ones held by Simon, Davis told San Diego supporters that Simon “has a totally different view of this state’s future.”

Davis has maintained a lead over Simon in polls taken throughout the race. At the same time, many voters -- even Democrats -- say they don’t like the governor.

Lending uncertainty, polls show that an unusually large number of likely voters -- about one in five -- have not decided which candidate to support.

While his campaign strategist, Garry South, predicted Sunday that Davis would win by nine to 12 points, Davis has traveled the state, trying to fire up unenthusiastic Democrats and burnish his image with uneasy voters.

During the Sunday service in the predominantly African American West Angeles Church of God in Christ, Davis made a game effort to rise above his wooden personal style, swaying slightly and clapping uncertainly to the beat of the gospel-style hymns belted out by a 78-voice choir.

Davis was joined at the service by Democratic U.S. Rep. Diane Watson of Los Angeles and some of the Democratic candidates for statewide offices.

The congregation responded with warm applause when Davis strode to the pulpit to sum up the accomplishments of his first term. Davis prefaced his comments by noting that his wife, Sharon, “brought me back to the Lord about 15 years ago.”

Davis emphasized his record on education. “Schools are getting better,” he said. “We’re on the right road.”

He won applause when he talked about expanding access to higher education by creating new scholarships.

“We want everyone’s dream to come true, and education is the passport to a better life,” Davis said.

Throughout the day, Davis carefully avoided any direct reference to the looming state budget crisis, which experts say will force the next governor to make deep program cuts and raise taxes.

Before the church audience, however, Davis noted that he had resisted past pressure to raise community college and college fees, which rank among the lowest in the country.

“Every time you raise fees you freeze somebody out of a better life,” said Davis. “I’m doing my best to not let those fees rise.”

Davis also talked about how he has dramatically expanded the Healthy Families health-care program for the children of working-poor families, from 51,000 children when he took office to 650,000 children. A Davis proposal to expand the program to include adults was scrapped this year because of the state’s $24-billion budget shortfall.

In San Diego, where Davis was joined by other Democratic candidates and a broad spectrum of supporters, some Democratic activists conceded that many people are unenthusiastic about the election.

But many also said that the efforts of Democratic party phone banks, precinct-walking and other get-out-the-vote work will pay off on Tuesday.

“I think there are people who want to defy what the headlines are saying -- that people aren’t going to turn out to vote,” said Arlie Ricasa, 38, a Democratic activist and a school board member running for reelection in the Sweetwater Union High School District. Davis’ strong support among labor unions was evident Sunday, as it has been throughout his campaign. Union activists have provided logistical support at campaign stops and have been a driving force behind Democrats’ voter-turnout efforts.

Art Pulaski, leader of the California Labor Federation, which represents more than 1,200 union locals across the state, reminded people at the San Diego rally that Davis had signed the nation’s first paid family leave bill and other measures important to working families over the last four years.

While pressing his loyalists to vote Tuesday, Davis brushed off the latest round of Simon attack ads calling into question the governor’s campaign fund-raising practices.

“Mr. Simon is just sinking farther and farther into the mud,” Davis told reporters after the Los Angeles church service. Davis also turned aside questions about his lead in the polls and his high negative ratings among voters.

But later, as his campaign plane landed in Monterey, he allowed this much: “I can see victory at the end of the tunnel.”