Dole’s Wife Pledges California Campaign

In the first visit by a Dole to California since before the March 26 Republican primary election, Elizabeth Dole pledged to state GOP leaders that she and presidential candidate Bob Dole would campaign vigorously for California’s electoral votes in the 5 1/2 months before the Nov. 5 election.

Elizabeth Dole, former secretary of transportation and now on leave as president of the American Red Cross, sought Thursday night to reassure Californians that her husband will not write off California this year.

In 1992, the reelection campaign of then-President George Bush virtually folded its California operation to focus on more winnable states. California Republicans bitterly complained that the Bush concession of California to Bill Clinton cost the party dearly in terms of lost congressional and legislative seats.

The audience at a GOP unity dinner applauded--and a few cheered--when Elizabeth Dole said: “Let me assure you that we are going to spend a lot of time with you in California. You are probably going to get sick of the Doles before this is over.

“We are going to take California, aren’t we? With your help, and God willing, we are going to succeed in California.”

The fund-raising dinner served as a surrogate Golden State kickoff for Bob Dole’s revised campaign on the day after the Senate Republican leader announced that he will quit Congress to run full time for the presidency.

About 600 people attended the dinner at the Beverly Hilton Hotel at a cost of $1,000 each. State party officials estimated that the event raised about $500,000. More money was collected at an exclusive cocktail party with Elizabeth Dole beforehand.

The audience was heavily attended by Republican state lawmakers and prominent lobbyists from Sacramento.

Elizabeth Dole also told of joining her husband and other Republican senators in Dole’s office Wednesday as he stunned them with the news that he was giving up his long congressional career.

“As I walked in, there was not a dry eye in the room, including my husband’s,” she said. “It was an incredibly warm and poignant and just a very emotional time--something I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.”

The dinner originally was scheduled for March and was to have included Bob Dole and his opponents for the Republican presidential nomination.

By then, the Kansas senator virtually had locked up enough delegate votes to win the nomination at the Republican National Convention in San Diego on Aug. 12-15, and conservative commentator Patrick J. Buchanan was the only other active candidate.

When the party was unable to pin down a date for Dole and Buchanan, in part because of Dole’s Senate schedule, the dinner was postponed until May. Elizabeth Dole was penciled in as his surrogate.

Republican Gov. Pete Wilson did not attend the dinner. He went instead to a graduation ceremony for one of his wife’s sons. Wilson, House Speaker Newt Gingrich and about a dozen Republican congressmen from California sent greetings via videotape.

Also Thursday, Californians learned that their delegation to the Republican National Convention will be housed at the Sheraton Harbor Island Hotel, a five- or 10-minute drive from the convention hall. State party officials said they were pleased with the selection.