RUNNER TO HELP STATE REPUBLICANS REGROUP.

Byline: Charles F. Bostwick Daily News Staff Writer

Foiled in his bid for leadership of the Assembly Republican caucus, Assemblyman George Runner has been named to a transition team that will develop GOP goals and strategy for the Legislature.

Runner, new GOP caucus leader Rod Pacheco and five other Republican Assembly members will devise political and legislative strategies to deal with the Republican loss of five Assembly seats - down to 32 out of 80 - and the Governor's Office.

``Obviously, our concern now is to create a unified effort,'' Runner said in a telephone interview Friday from his Santa Clarita office. ``It's bad enough we got 32. It would be worse if our 32 were going different directions.''

Pacheco, a two-term assemblyman from Riverside, was picked last week over Runner to replace outgoing caucus leader Bill Leonard of Rancho Cucamonga. Leonard stepped down after his party lost the five seats in the Nov. 3 state election.

Runner, a former Lancaster mayor, remains vice chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee. He said the GOP's best chance of influencing state government policy remains in budgetary and financial matters.

Those require two-thirds votes by the Assembly, and Democrats - despite the Nov. 3 gains - are still six votes shy of that without Republican help, Runner said.

Runner said primary GOP goals for the coming year include reducing the size and scope of state government, reducing taxes on working families and improving California schools.