Antonovich Backed for Governor : Politics: County GOP meeting turns into unofficial effort to draft L.A. County supervisor for race against Wilson.

COSTA MESA —  A meeting Monday evening of Orange County Republicans turned into an unofficial effort to draft Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich to run in a gubernatorial primary against Gov. Pete Wilson in 1994.

The rally at the Westin South Coast Plaza hotel here was led by members of California Young Americans for Freedom, a conservative statewide Republican organization that is hoping to gather support among other Republicans who are discouraged with the track record of the current GOP governor.

Antonovich did not promise a run against Wilson, but clearly left open that possibility.

“Anyone who defends the status quo is in jeopardy of losing their seat,” Antonovich said in response to a question on whether he would accept the invitation reflected in crowd signs reading “Mike Antonovich for Governor.”

The Young Americans for Freedom group’s audacity apparently took top officials of the county’s Republican Party by surprise.

“We are not interested in promoting acrimony within our party,” Greg Haskin, executive director of the Republican Party of Orange County, said before the meeting. He said Monday’s gathering was a regularly scheduled business meeting of the party at which Antonovich was asked to speak.

He said the California Young Americans for Freedom never sought permission to hold a rally.

Orange County Republican Chairman Tom Fuentes said he heard about the draft Antonovich movement at 4 p.m. Monday. “I called Antonovich and he said he had heard it on the radio driving in his car.”

“Their heart is in the right place,” Fuentes said of YAF. “But youthful enthusiasm sometimes puts the cart before the horse.” He added that, by law, the Orange County Republican Central Committee cannot support any candidate before the Republican primary.

Nonetheless, a crowd of about 170 Republicans--a large turnout for a summer business meeting--showed up, many to voice support for an alternative to Wilson in 1994. They listened as Antonovich, 53, a former State Republican Party chairman, blasted Sacramento for levying new taxes.

“The governor and (Assembly Speaker) Willie Brown have ganged up for a drive-by looting of taxpayers,” he said to applause. “Raising taxes during high unemployment is not smart economics or smart politics.”

David Leland, chairman of the Orange County committee to draft Antonovich, said the movement was inspired by polls earlier this month showing two-thirds of Republicans in support of a primary challenge against Wilson.

“We feel it is imperative that the voters have an individual who is electable,” Leland said. “We are impressed by (Antonovich’s) fiscal and social stands.”