Prop. 209 Foes Push Democrats to Counter GOP Drive

SACRAMENTO — Now that Republican television commercials have turned Proposition 209 into a vehicle for GOP candidates, opponents of the ballot measure are stepping up pressure on Democrats to respond.

But Democratic leaders say they are lagging far behind Republicans in fund-raising. Privately, they also see widespread support for the initiative to end government affirmative action programs and they are reluctant to engage in a partisan battle from the losing side.

The situation has caused some in the Democratic rank-and-file to criticize party leaders for choosing politics over principle.

“This party receives 80% of the African American vote, and they have said they will not defend an issue that is key to the community,” said Connie Rice, western regional counsel for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund. “It’s just too bad they wouldn’t take their heads out of the sand to see that if Gen. Colin Powell could speak up on this, they could too.”

Until this week, the battle over Proposition 209 has been waged by two sides that were struggling for cash and unable to finance a major television campaign.

Opponents hope to broadcast a television commercial starting Tuesday. But on Thursday, the Republican Party tipped the scales by announcing a $2-million TV campaign supporting the ballot measure. The ads were scheduled to begin Friday and continue through the election.

Republican officials said they decided to back the initiative because GOP candidates are on the winning side of an issue that offers a sharp contrast with most Democrats.

A Los Angeles Times poll released Friday showed that 54% of those likely to vote in California support Proposition 209, 31% oppose it and 15% remain undecided.

Last July, the 350-member executive board of the state Democratic Party voted unanimously to oppose the initiative. But spokeswoman Julie Buckner said the party so far has determined that its resources are better spent elsewhere.

Buckner and other Democratic officials said there are a number of tight legislative and congressional races where Democrats are being outspent by Republicans.

“Very early on in this campaign cycle the California Democratic Party decided it would work very hard to deliver 54 electoral votes for the president, increase our margin in the House, hold our own in the state Senate and win back the Assembly,” she said. “And our resources are very much limited.”

Other Democrats described Proposition 209 as a minor issue for voters, despite its high stakes and hot emotions.

Most voters, they said, don’t believe the issue has a direct effect on their lives or that it is a major problem.