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California Secretary of State Bill Jones, Republican candidate for governor, attacked his rivals and touted a statewide voter registration drive during an appearance at UC Berkeley Wednesday. 

Jones, speaking before several hundred students in professor Alan Ross’s “Election 2002” class, said former Los Angeles Mayor Richard Riordan, who is leading in the polls for GOP primary, is too moderate for his party. 

“I’m a Republican, and I’m proud to be a Republican,” said Jones, attacking Riordan, who has endorsed and funneled campaign contributions to Democrats, and taken a pro-choice position on abortion.  

Jones also assailed Riordan for failing to break Los Angeles Unified School District into several smaller districts, arguing that smaller, local governance is more in line with Republican philosophy. 

“The mayor is a Republican, everyone knows he’s a Republican,” responded Matt Szabo, deputy press secretary for the Riordan campaign. “He’s running an inclusive campaign, and when he’s elected, he’ll be a governor for all Californians – Republicans, Democrats and Independents.” 

Szabo added that Riordan does support the division of the Los Angeles Unified School District into many smaller districts. Darrel Ng, press and communications assistant for the Jones campaign, said that Riordan should have worked with the local school board to break up the district during his time in office. 

Jones, who served in the State Assembly for twelve years before becoming Secretary of State, also said he has more government experience than businessman, and rival gubernatorial candidate, Bill Simon.  

“I have actually walked the walk,” he said. “I have passed legislation.” 

“While Bill Jones has career politician experience,” retorted Jamie Fisfis, communications director for the Simon campaign, “Bill Simon has private sector experience.” 

A recent California Field Poll, conducted Jan. 23-27, shows Riordan with a commanding lead in the race for the Republican nomination, with 47 percent of voters favoring the former Los Angeles mayor, compared to 13 percent each for Jones and Simon. The primary will be held March 5. 

Professor Ross said that, with the primary just around the corner, Jones has little hope of closing the gap with Riordan, who has a significant fund-raising edge.  

“It’s going to be very tough to beat that kind of money,” he said. 

According to the latest figures, provided by the state, Riordan has raised over $7.9 million, compared to Jones’s $2.9 million. The former mayor of Los Angeles has $2.3 million on hand, compared to Jones’s $1.1 million. 

The Secretary of State also spoke at length about “Vote America,” a voter registration initiative, out of his office, that calls on Californians to serve as poll workers, conduct voter registration drives in their communities, or pledge to “take five” – registering and recruiting five voters to go to the polls. 

“Without any question.” Jones told the students, “we have the ability to change the world by virtue of our participation in elections.” 

Jones also touted the “three strikes and you’re out” legislation that he crafted as an Assemblyman in 1993, which imposes enhanced sentences for three-time felons. 

Several students raised concerns about the law, arguing that it has a disproportionate effect on African-Americans and Latinos.  

Jones said the law does not target any particular ethnic group, and added that, as governor, he will push for “pre-strikes” legislation that would beef up intervention services for young people. 

Jones said that legislation could include more pre-school and after-school programs, but Ng said the campaign has not ironed out the specifics. 

Bruce Cain, director of the Institute for Governmental Studies at UC Berkeley, said the Secretary of State was the clear winner in a Jan. 22 debate in San Jose between the Republican gubernatorial hopefuls. But oddly, he said, that performance has not provided a boost. 

“He will go down in the annals of history as unique in the sense that I have never seen someone win a debate,” Cain said, “and go down in the polls.” 

Cain’s explanation: “It all comes down to one word – money.” 

Jones, responding to a student’s question about his financial disadvantage Wednesday afternoon, said that if money was all that mattered, there would have been a President Perot.