TIPOFF EX-RIVAL DAVIS BACKS SCHWARZENEGGER ON REDISTRICTING.

Byline: RICK ORLOV

Facing declining popularity and increasingly heated partisan opposition, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger must be thankful for the support he's received from an unlikely quarter.

Former Gov. Gray Davis, whom Schwarzenegger replaced in the 2003 recall election, said he supports the plan to reform the redistricting process, allowing a panel of judges rather than politicians to draw political boundaries.

``Every elected official should have some sense of jeopardy in a November election,'' Davis told Sacramento radio talk-show host Eric Hogue. ``They should have some obligation to the general interest and not just have to win their primaries.

``People should have the opportunity to decide whether or not they want the Legislature and the governor to continue to draft reapportionment plans or take it out of their hands.''

Davis also said Schwarzenegger should be cut some slack - particularly for some of the comments he has made.

``I like Gov. Schwarzenegger,'' Davis said. ``I think he's a good person, (but) he's made his share of mistakes.

``The one thing I learned early on as governor (is) when you say something as governor, people take it very seriously. I think some of his remarks about nurses and others were misconstrued and it created some friction.''

And Davis did have some advice for Schwarzenegger: Stop the partisan politicking and do what he can do best - developing a consensus among warring factions.

Like father, like son.

Antonio Villaraigosa Jr. is apparently taking after his father, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.

The younger Villaraigosa, who is 16, is in the midst of a five-week program in the Hunan Province of China as part of a program put on by Sias University.

``He was chosen to speak on behalf of his class and he gave a speech in English, Spanish and Mandarin,'' the mayor said proudly last week. ``I told him that he should keep up with the Mandarin if he can.''

Villaraigosa is bilingual and at every news conference asks if Spanish-language media are present so he can give them special remarks.

On another front, it is not all smooth sailing for the mayor as he slowly rolls out his nominees for city commissions - with one in particular drawing some critical attention.

The mayor's nomination of David Freeman to the Harbor Commission is expected to draw close scrutiny, in particular among those who do not fondly recall Freeman's brief tenure as head of the Department of Water and Power.

While Freeman has drawn support among environmentalists, some union leaders have privately expressed reservations about his potential return, as have some City Council members, who must vote on his nomination.

Nick Pacheco is in a quandary.

He doesn't know whether he should try to run as the aggrieved outsider seeking to break the chain of special interests at City Hall or try to convince people he's the incumbent seeking re-election.

In press releases to voters in the 14th Council District, where he is attempting a political comeback, he is Councilman Nick Pacheco, who has brought them dog parks and various other services.

But last week, he complained that Los Angeles Unified School District board member Jose Huizar - the other major candidate in the field of some 14 announced candidates in the Nov. 8 election - was trying to horn in on an official community clean-up and make it look like he was the incumbent.

``We don't need cheerleaders for the 14th District,'' Pacheco complained.

It is expected to be a close race between the two, and with such a crowded field, a runoff is likely.

Staff Writer David M. Drucker contributed to this column.

Rick Orlov, [phone]

rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com