RECALL FOES LOSE AGAIN.

Byline: Harrison Sheppard Staff Writer

The state Supreme Court cleared away a key legal hurdle to the Oct. 7 recall election as Gov. Gray Davis campaigned in East Los Angeles on Friday to keep his job and the circle of candidates looking to replace him grew wider.

The court's action was the fourth time this month that recall opponents were stymied in their efforts to block or postpone the vote with allegations of misconduct in the collection of signatures. Davis acknowledged that the election is now likely to occur as scheduled.

``People are entitled to have another election,'' Davis said at a women's shelter in East Los Angeles. ``They're also entitled to have the laws that surround that election obeyed.''

He added that he was ``energized'' by the campaign and he criticized Assembly Republicans for blocking a state budget and proposing a deal that would take funds from women's shelters such as the one he was visiting.

Recall supporters said they were not surprised by the court's decision.

``I think the Supreme Court is not going to involve the judiciary in a political contest,'' said Chris Wysocki, spokesman for Rescue California. ``These lawsuits were entirely politically motivated. It was an attempt to use the judiciary to effect a political outcome. I think the judiciary rightfully said no.''

With the election looking all but certain, more candidates - including some on the fringe - began emerging Friday.

Republicans still eyeing the race include businessman Bill Simon, former Mayor Richard Riordan, actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, and state Sen. Tom McClintock, R-Thousand Oaks, while Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista is a declared candidate.

Former Oakland Assemblywoman Audie E. Bock, a Democrat, is expected to appear as a candidate today at a Sacramento rally.

Republicans were attempting to draft former Gov. George Deukmejian and Los Angeles native and former vice presidential candidate Jack Kemp.

Former Rep. Michael Huffington, R-Santa Barbara, was said to be giving serious consideration to a run. Separately, an effort has been under way to draft his ex-wife, columnist Arianna Huffington.

Several lesser-known minor party and unaffiliated candidates also declared, including Ron Gulke of the American Independent Party and Brian Flemming, a filmmaker and playwright who said his sole platform would be, if elected, to resign so Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante would become governor.

In the San Fernando Valley, a poll of the Mid-Valley Chamber of Commerce found 58 percent of members in favor of a recall, although the chamber itself has yet to take an official position, said officials of the business group. The chamber's board will decide next month whether to take a position.

NARAL Pro-Choice America, an abortion-rights group formerly known as the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League, on Friday launched a nationwide e-mail effort asking its network of supporters to oppose the recall because of concerns it would erode abortion rights.

The pro-recall side planned a rally in Sacramento with potential candidates from several different parties speaking, along with a number of conservative radio hosts who have been supportive of the effort to oust the governor.

Davis' supporters, in their efforts to get the courts to stall the recall, have claimed that petition gatherers from out of state did not properly register as California voters before they collected the more than 1.6 million signatures submitted. The case is scheduled for a hearing in Los Angeles Superior Court next month.

In the meantime, the pro-Davis group Taxpayers Against the Governor's Recall had asked various courts to halt the election until the case can be heard, which both the lower courts and now the Supreme Court declined to do.

Harrison Sheppard, [phone]

harrison.sheppard(at)dailynews.com