Garamendi Seeking Support for Another Gubernatorial Bid

State Sen. John Garamendi said Wednesday he is actively lining up support for a run at the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 1986.

“This is not a time to be making announcements, so I am not announcing,” Garamendi said in a telephone interview. “But I am doing all I can to be the party’s nominee.”

The Times called Garamendi after two Democrats said the senator told them at a meeting Tuesday night in Orange County that he was definitely a candidate for the Democratic nomination.

Asked what he has been doing, Garamendi said, “I am traveling and talking to people all around the state, building support. And I have to tell you, we are very pleased with the response.”

On Tuesday night, Garamendi spoke to the Democratic Associates, a group of young Orange County lawyers and businessmen.

“John spoke to our group and later some of us were sitting around talking about issues, and I wanted to cut through it and get John to tell us what he is doing,” said John Hanna, an Orange County lawyer who belongs to the group.

“John said, ‘I’m running. I’m doing all I can to run for governor,’ ” Hanna said.

The conversation was confirmed by James Wisely, executive director of the state Democratic Party in Southern California, who was also present.

Garamendi, 40, a member of a wealthy ranching family from Walnut Grove, sought the Democratic nomination in 1982, getting 26% of the vote in a race that was dominated from the start by Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley. Bradley got the nomination with 61% of the primary vote and then lost to Republican George Deukmejian by only 93,000 votes.

Later, Bradley was the guest speaker at a fund raiser organized to pay off Garamendi’s debt, and Garamendi said he would not seek the gubernatorial nomination in 1986 if Bradley decided to try again.

However, Bradley, who is locked in a race for a fourth term, has not revealed his plans for 1986, and some Democrats have gotten restless. Among them is Sen. Gary K. Hart of Santa Barbara, who has said he is interested in the Democratic nomination.

Hart’s exploratory effort has the backing of the potent Los Angeles political organization headed by Democratic Reps. Henry A. Waxman and Howard Berman.

Garamendi acknowledged Wednesday that Hart’s decision to travel the state seeking support had “activated” him to do the same.

Asked if he would run against Bradley, Garamendi refused to speculate: “I won’t talk about hypotheticals. I want to deal with reality. The announcement will be made at the appropriate time.”