■ Conventional wisdom had it that Republican Richard Riordan needed a low turnout to defeat Democrat Michael Woo in June 8 Los Angeles mayoral election. However, 44 per cent of registered voters came to the polls—a turnout higher than any of those that elected Mayor Tom Bradley. Riordan defeated Woo 54 to 46 per cent. … In her resounding defeat of incumbent Democratic Sen. Bob Krueger (68 to 32 per cent), Kay Bailey Hutchison won 19 out of the 34 “yellow dog Democrat” counties in Texas—where people would vote for a yellow dog before a Republican. . . . Also in Lone Star state, George W. Bush plans to seek GOP nomination for governor. Likely Democratic opponent is incumbent, Ann Richards, although she’s being urged to run against Sen. Hutchison in 1994. . . . Another son of President Bush with eyes on a statehouse: Jeb Bush plans challenge of Florida’s Democratic Gov. Lawton Chiles in 1994. . . . Conservatives won the day at Virginia GOP convention. The party chose former U.S. Rep. George Allen as its gubernatorial nominee to face liberal Democrat Mary Sue Terry in November. And Christian Right home-schooler Mike Farris gained Lieut. Gov. nomination. . . . Christine Todd Whitman, moderate GOP nominee for governor in New Jersey, leads beleaguered incumbent, Jim Florio, 49 to 37 in the early polls after her primary victory. Florio strategist James Carville plans a class-warfare attack, highlighting Mrs. Whitman’s financial well-being. . . . Sen. Al D’Amato (R., N.Y.) is being urged by Republican gubernatorial hopeful Pat Barrett to declare candidacy or stay out so rest of field can get going. Barrett reminded D’Amato of the senator’s promise during 1992 re-election campaign not to run for another office if victorious.
■ A Democratic National Committee fund-raising survey asks potential donors to rate a list of eight issues in terms of importance. The list includes health-care reform, combatting AIDS, and campaign-finance reform; no mention of Bill Clinton’s oft-cited goal of cutting the deficit. . . . Time/CNN poll finds that 52 per cent oppose new taxes in order to reduce the deficit. New York Times/CBS poll finds 54 per cent (to 42) saying that it’s not necessary to tax them to reduce deficit. . . . General Mills is closing 27 Red Lobster restaurants to offset higher costs expected when new federal tax and health-care policies kick in. . . . House Speaker Tom Foley backed off his threats to remove from subcommittee chairmanships those who voted against budget. Talk of such a move caused Rep. Charles Rangel to lash out: “It is embarrassing we were going to censure those that walked away from the President, and now [he has] walked away from us.” . . . Sen. Malcolm Wallop is hoping Black Caucus’s dissatisfaction with Bill Clinton can attract Caucus into conservative fold on capital-gains-tax reduction. Rep. Gary Franks flirted with idea of leaving Caucus, but has decided to remain as sole Republican, even though he is continually voted out of the room. . . . In final column before being tapped to save the White House, David Gergen called Bill Clinton “one of the most gifted, dedicated men ever to serve in the Oval Office.”
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