California: Parkinson's Law

In hopes of damping down the perennial feud between California's Republican moderates and conservatives—and thus lessening Democratic Governor Pat Brown's third-term prospects—State G.O.P. Chairman Gaylord Parkinson last fall handed the troops an Eleventh Commandment. "Thou shall not speak ill of any Republican," he ruled, and to everyone's surprise, Parkinson's law became holy writ.

As the June 7 primary neared, Actor Ronald Reagan, a fervent supporter of Barry Goldwater in 1964, and San Francisco's longtime (1956-64) Mayor George Christopher, an equally outspoken champion of Nelson Rockefeller in the same campaign, had hardly ever mentioned each other's names—and for good reason. "There's feeling," notes one G.O.P. chieftain, "that the first guy who throws a real mud ball will get ten back in his face from party rank-and-file members who just don't want the apple cart upset."

High Asparagus. This year, by contrast with the 1964 campaign, there is no bitter ideological division between the Republican rivals. Both know that to offset the Democrats' 3-to-2 edge over registered Republicans, the winner must have at least 90% of the G.O.P. vote and not less than 20% of the Demo cratic ballot to beat Brown.

Reagan, still handsome and preternaturally youthful-looking at 55, has carefully eschewed support of extreme right-wing causes in favor of a pragmatic middle-of-the-road approach—and his managers have made certain that the far right has no place in his campaign organization. Speaking to housewives in vegetable-growing Salinas, he conveyed just the right blend of humor and concern at the rising cost of living. "You ladies," he charmed, "know that if you stand in front of the asparagus counter at the supermarket these days, it's cheaper to eat money." To the charge that he is without experience in government, he has a simple, homely retort: "I don't know of anybody who was born holding public office. I am not a professional politician. The man who currently has the job has more political experience than anybody. That's why I'm running."

Low Man. Christopher, 58, a Greek-born, self-made dairy tycoon, is as nubbly as Reagan is smooth. He points proudly to his distinguished mayoral record, seeks to widen his liberal-Republican base by supporting such conservative causes as fiscal integrity and increased support for local police. Most important, he asserts, he is the only Republican with sufficiently broad support to win in November; recent polls, his aides note, show him beating Brown by a margin of 15%, whereas a Reagan-Brown battle would be a dead heat. The same polls, however, show Christopher trailing Reagan in the primary race, and most observers think he is unlikely to catch up by June.

In their attacks on Brown, few Republicans can outshout Los Angeles' Mayor Samuel Yorty, 56, who hopes to win the Democratic nomination. Unembarrassed by his own record of nonaccomplishment, Yorty has outraged most Democrats with irresponsible charges that Brown has sought and received Communist backing, is given little hope of an upset.