YOUR CHOICE - OCT. 7 STATE SETS RECALL ELECTION, VOTE FOR POSSIBLE SUCCESSOR.

Byline: Harrison Sheppard Staff Writer

Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante set Oct. 7 for a dual election on the recall of Gov. Gray Davis and the choice of his successor if he's removed, launching California on Thursday into a historic era sure to inflame political passions.

Davis immediately came out fighting, though he admitted to unspecified ``mistakes,'' while potential candidates to succeed him and their supporters scrambled for position as they face an Aug. 9 deadline to file for a campaign that is expected to be nasty, brutish and short.

The names of actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, former Gov. George Deukmejian and even former Congressman Jack Kemp were among the names being floated within hours after Bustamante backed away from his idea to schedule only the recall vote and not the election of a successor, a move that would have provoked a constitutional crisis.

Davis, at a Monterey Park news conference where he was flanked by Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca and Los Angeles Police Department Chief William Bratton, said he was forming a new campaign committee and would take his case to the voters.

``I'm going to fight for what's right for the people of this state,'' Davis said. ``I'm going to get my job done - the most important part of which is passing a budget.

``Then if the people want me to present my credentials - and apparently they do - one more time, I'm going to present my credentials. I'm not reluctant about doing that.''

Davis also acknowledged ``I made mistakes'' during his term, but declined to give examples, and aides broke up the press conference before he could be pressed on the issue.

Bustamante dismissed questions raised recently as to whether he had the ability to keep the election of a successor off the Oct. 7 ballot, essentially making him governor if the recall succeeded.

He said he relied on legal advice from the attorney general, secretary of state and legislative counsel, rather than trying to make his own independent judgment because, as he noted, he is not a constitutional scholar.

``I also don't defend myself in court and I don't do brain surgery on myself,'' Bustamante said.

The lieutenant governor is required by state law to set the date of the recall election once it is certified, as Secretary of State Kevin Shelley did Wednesday night. It has to be set on a Tuesday within 60 to 80 days of certification, and can't come after a Monday holiday, so Bustamante took the latest date he could.

Some elections officials have already expressed concern about being able to mail out sample ballots, hire poll workers and prepare polling locations in time, because normally they have a much longer period to prepare for elections. Also, they have been retiring older voting punch-card systems, but didn't expect to need to have the new machines ready so soon.

The announcement gives candidates who want to replace Davis until Aug. 9 at 5 p.m. to file 65 signatures from voters in their own party and pay $3,500, or submit 10,000 signatures in lieu of the filing fee, to nominate themselves for the ballot. That date falls on a Saturday and the secretary of state has asked local election officials to remain open that day to accept papers.

Bustamante's announcement triggered a new flood of speculation about who might run to replace Davis should the recall succeed. So far Democratic leaders have been successful pressuring prominent party members to stay out of the race and focus on fighting the recall.

On the Republican side, Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, has been the only declared candidate, while Schwarzenegger, former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, businessman Bill Simon, Assemblyman Keith Richman, R-Granada Hills, and Sen. Tom McClintock, R-Thousand Oaks, are eyeing the race.

Additionally, there are efforts by some Republicans to draft Deukmejian, Kemp and former conservative commentator-turned-environmentalist Arianna Huffington.

Richman has said he would not run if Riordan or Schwarzenegger do, while Riordan said he would prefer the actor over himself.

``I think he would be a great governor,'' the former mayor said. ``He is someone who knows how to get things done. Look at his businesses and his work with groups like the Inner City Games. He can be quite effective.''

Riordan said he has been talking regularly with the actor and is waiting for a final decision from Schwarzenegger. If the actor does not run, Riordan said, he will decide early next week whether to get into the race.

Schwarzenegger, in Mexico City where he was promoting ``Terminator 3,'' told reporters: ``I have no announcement to make, if that's your question,'' according to The Associated Press.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, who has run for statewide office, has been urging Deukmejian to run.

``I think someone like George Deukmejian, who is a proven leader, would get bipartisan support,'' Antonovich said. ``It would also make it more difficult for Davis.

``All of Davis' campaigns have been attack, attack, attack. With Deukmejian, we would have someone who has proven he can deliver results, results, results.''

Deukmejian, 75, could not be reached for comment. However, he has told Antonovich that he would be interested only if he was the only Republican in the field.

Several supporters of Kemp called him on Thursday, urging him to put his name on the ballot, said three GOP officials with ties to the former Housing and Urban Development secretary, who spoke to the AP. After one of the calls, Kemp chuckled and told an associate, ``Oh, my God.''

They said Kemp was flattered by the requests, but it was unclear how seriously he was considering the race.

Also on the Oct. 7 ballot will be an initiative pushed by Ward Connerly for a constitutional amendment to limit state and local governments' use of data on ethnicity or race, and a legislative proposal by Richman to fund public infrastructure.

Staff Writer Rick Orlov contributed to this report.

Harrison Sheppard, [phone]

harrison.sheppard(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

photo, box

Photo:

California's lieutenant governor has set Oct. 7 as the date for a vote on recalling Gov. Gray Davis and choosing his possible successor.

Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer

Box:

THE RECALL PROCESS