CA: Battin says he'll seek top GOP Senate job

Press Enterprise ^ | June 8, 2005 | JIM MILLER

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LEGISLATURE: The La Quinta lawmaker emerges as a candidate to succeed Dick Ackerman.

SACRAMENTO - State Sen. Jim Battin, R-La Quinta, emerged as a leading candidate Wednesday to succeed Sen. Dick Ackerman, R-Irvine, as senate GOP leader if Ackerman runs for an Orange County congressional seat.

Battin, who represents most of Riverside County, reportedly has lined up votes from a majority of the 15 Republicans in the upper house. Two other GOP senators also are interested in the post -- John Campbell of Irvine and Dave Cox of Fair Oaks.

"Battin will win it, I'm told," said Assemblyman Ray Haynes, R-Murrieta, who served in the Senate for eight years. "Jim's demonstrated his ability to be a leader."

Battin acknowledged his interest in the leader's post, but declined to say whether he had secured enough of his colleagues' support to take the job.

If chosen, Battin would be the second Inland lawmaker in little more than a year to hold the job. Ackerman replaced former state Sen. Jim Brulte, R-Rancho Cucamonga, as GOP leader last May. Brulte had held the post since 2000.

Ackerman turned his sights to Congress after President Bush on Monday selected Rep. Christopher Cox, R-Newport Beach, to be the next chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

If Cox is confirmed by the U.S. Senate, his congressional seat would be filled in a special election that would be called by Gov. Schwarzenegger.

"Dick Ackerman is the Senate Republican leader and will be as long as he thinks he can do the job effectively and run for that congressional seat," Battin said Wednesday. "Our caucus wants an orderly transition."

Ackerman could not be reached for comment. Peter DeMarco, a spokesman for Sen. Cox, said his boss was interested in the job. Floreine Kahn, a Campbell aide, confirmed his interest.

The possible change in the Senate GOP leadership comes just as talks on a new $115.7 billion budget begin to ramp up. The new fiscal year begins July 1.

Besides being the senate GOP's chief budget negotiator, the Senate Republican leader influences legislation and oversees political strategy and fundraising for GOP candidates.

Republican legislative leaders also generally coordinate with GOP governors, such as Schwarzenegger.

Battin, though, sometimes has been at odds with Schwarzenegger, particularly on the issue of tribal gaming.

Battin vocally opposed the governor's attempts last year to extract more money from tribal casinos.

He also supported a tribal-gambling measure opposed by the governor.