The Week

■ Ross Perot won’t hire gays and adulterers for his Administration. At last—a practical plan to shrink the size of government.

■ The California primary put paid to the common wisdom that Reagan conservatism was dead in the California GOP. Former Los Angeles TV commentator Bruce Herschensohn handily won the GOP nomination for the Senate seat being vacated by Alan Cranston. Unlike weather-vane moderate John Seymour, appointed to the state’s other Senate seat by accommodationist Governor Pete Wilson, Herschensohn is a politician of conviction. An unyielding advocate of small government, low taxes, and a strong defense, he became the voice of Southern California conservatism during his decade on television. In the primary, he bested a far-better-funded opponent, Representative Tom Campbell of Palo Alto, who is the most liberal member of the state’s GOP congressional delegation, even if he does call himself a “New Conservative.” (Sonny Bono came in a distant third.) Ironically, NOW and NARAL may have given Herschensohn a boost. By pouring big dollars into (unsuccessful) primary challenges to a couple of hard-right GOP officeholders in Orange County, including Representative Bob Dornan, feminist groups ensured a large turnout—of conservatives, roused by a threat to their guys. On primary day, Democratic voters also proved obliging, tapping Bay Area Representative Barbara Boxer as their candidate for the Cranston seat. There isn’t a better example still extant of Sixties left-liberalism than Representative Boxer—and she kited 143 checks.

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William F. Buckley Jr.

■ Ross Perot won’t hire gays and adulterers for his Administration. At last—a practical plan to shrink the size of government.

■ The California primary put paid to the common wisdom that Reagan conservatism was dead in the California GOP. Former Los Angeles TV commentator Bruce Herschensohn handily won the GOP nomination for the Senate seat being vacated by Alan Cranston. Unlike weather-vane moderate John Seymour, appointed to the state’s other Senate seat by accommodationist Governor Pete Wilson, Herschensohn is a politician of conviction. An unyielding advocate of small government, low taxes, and a strong defense, he became the voice of Southern California conservatism during his decade on television. In the primary, he bested a far-better-funded opponent, Representative Tom Campbell of Palo Alto, who is the most liberal member of the state’s GOP congressional delegation, even if he does call himself a “New Conservative.” (Sonny Bono came in a distant third.) Ironically, NOW and NARAL may have given Herschensohn a boost. By pouring big dollars into (unsuccessful) primary challenges to a couple of hard-right GOP officeholders in Orange County, including Representative Bob Dornan, feminist groups ensured a large turnout—of conservatives, roused by a threat to their guys. On primary day, Democratic voters also proved obliging, tapping Bay Area Representative Barbara Boxer as their candidate for the Cranston seat. There isn’t a better example still extant of Sixties left-liberalism than Representative Boxer—and she kited 143 checks.