All Eyes on Garamendi and Mendoza
By Robert Warne - March 6, 2002It’s amazing how fast it seems candidates can put aside personal attacks and come together on election night. That’s exactly how it was at the Biltmore, democrat central, March 5.
The celebratory mood pervaded the halls where the major democratic players hosted their victory and some not-so-victorious parties.
The three main democrat insurance commissioner candidates each had a beautiful spread to welcome supporters and thank them for their help. As the results trickled in, Tom Umberg was upbeat and cordial, Tom Calderon made his rounds flanked with a camera crew and John Garamendi donned his million-dollar smile.
With the primary behind us, the focus of the insurance commissioner race narrows on the democrat nominee, Garamendi and republican nominee, Gary Mendoza.
Each party had its own drama and each party had its share of surprises. What originally looked to be a race between Garamendi and Calderon, actually turned out to be closer between Garamendi and Umberg.
Republican candidate Stefan “Watchdog” Stitch surprised many analysts who hadn’t given him much of a chance in the race.
The final results from the Secretary of State’s office for the democratic candidates were: Garamendi 38.5 percent; Umberg 36.4 percent and Calderon 23.1 percent.
The final results for the republican candidates were: Mendoza 41.7 percent; Watchdog 36.4 percent; and Wes Bannister 21.9 percent.
Garamendi drew 723,438 votes and Mendoza pulled in 725,538 votes.
For republicans, the three candidates ran a low budget campaign strategy. Their sails were open to the campaign wind, but the wind never blew hard enough to give them much momentum. Mendoza got slotted early on as the republican favorite because of his association with former Los Angeles Mayor and Governor candidate Richard Riorden.
Mendoza served as the commissioner of corporations within the Pete Wilson administration. While in office he oversaw the transition of Blue Cross from a non-profit to a for-profit company.
As the first elected insurance commissioner in 1991, Garamendi’s tenure in office brought with it a fair share of challenges including: the Executive Life conservation, the Oakland Hills, Laguna and Malibu fires, as well as the Loma Prieta and Northridge earthquakes. Whether these events will shape the dialog for the next seven months is hard to tell. But many are predicting this All-American football, collegiate heavy-weight wrestling champion to be a tough match for Mendoza.
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