Feinstein Stands Behind Davis, Will Not Run

U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein has ruled out running for governor in the recall election, complicating the plans of California Democrats who are seeking a strong Democratic candidate.

Feinstein says in a statement issued this morning that she thought about the recall “a great deal.” She says the recall has what she calls “a misguided nature.”

Feinstein defeated a recall attempt when she was mayor of San Francisco in 1983.

The state´s senior senator says Governor Davis should be given the chance to finish his second term, which he won last November. But Feinstein was silent on the issue that has preoccupied Democrats in recent days: whether they should field a candidate for governor in case voters decide to oust Davis.

Even so, her decision is a boost to the efforts of Davis and his allies to keep the October 7 ballot free of Democratic candidates since Feinstein is the state´s most popular politician.