House Democratic leadership races pits Texan against more liberal Californian; third lawmaker to enter

WASHINGTON (AP) _ In the race to pick a new leader for House Democrats, the campaign pitches are personal, the electorate tiny, the campaign short. <br><br>So short that Reps. Nancy Pelosi of California

Friday, November 8th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

WASHINGTON (AP) _ In the race to pick a new leader for House Democrats, the campaign pitches are personal, the electorate tiny, the campaign short.

So short that Reps. Nancy Pelosi of California and Martin Frost of Texas have only a week to round up the votes needed to take over as leader of a minority party struggling to come to grips with the loss of seats in midterm elections.

``We must draw clear distinctions between our vision of the future and the extreme policies put forward by the Republicans,'' Pelosi said in a brief public statement issued by her office on Thursday. ``We cannot allow Republicans to pretend they share our values and then legislate against those values without consequence.''

Frost, the underdog in the race, held a news conference to jab at his opponent. ``I think that her politics are to the left, and I think that the party, to be successful, must speak to the broad center of the country,'' said the Texan, whose rival represents most of San Francisco.

Meanwhile, a third lawmaker, Rep. Harold Ford Jr. of Tennessee, said he would announce Friday that he's entering the race to lead House Democrats.

``My candidacy and leadership would offer a new era of energy and vision for the party,'' Ford, 32, told the Memphis, Tenn., Commercial Appeal late Thursday. ``Nancy and Martin are good people, but the message and the image they would project is I don't think any different than in the past.''

The race began officially Wednesday night when longtime party leader Dick Gephardt informed party leaders he would not seek a new term and Frost and Pelosi began calling fellow lawmakers to ask for support.

Democrats ``need a leader for the next two years who can devote his or her undivided attention to putting our party back in the majority,'' Gephardt said Thursday as he announced plans to step aside.

``It's time for me personally to take a different direction ... and take on this president and the Republican Party from a different vantage point.''

Later, in an interview in the Capitol office he soon will vacate, the Missouri Democrat said he intends to take the oath of office for a new term next month and has no firm plans beyond that. ``I'll look at running for president. I've done it before and I know a lot about it,'' he said of his unsuccessful 1988 campaign for the Democratic nomination.

While Pelosi, 62, and Frost, 60, have served side by side for years, they have charted different courses in the House, and have taken different positions on recent high-profile issues.

Pelosi, who is her party's senior member on the intelligence committee, voted against legislation that authorized President Bush to use force against Saddam Hussein in Iraq. Frost supported it.

Frost, a former party campaign chairman, was a late, reluctant recruit to the battle for legislation to reduce the role of money in politics, expressing concern about the impact of the law on the party's ability to compete for funds with Republicans. One of Pelosi's first successes as party whip was to round up enough votes to pass the measure.

On another key issue this year, though, the leadership rivals both voted against legislation strengthening Bush's ability to negotiate international trade deals.

Several party aides said Pelosi, who won an eighth term from her California district this week, begins the leadership race as the favorite.

She prevailed a year ago in a competition to become the party's whip, and represents a state that will have 33 Democrats in the House next year.

Additionally, Pelosi is likely to begin with the support of many Democratic liberals, and of several Democratic women, as she bids to become the first female leader of either party in either house of Congress.

Frost was elected from his Dallas-area district for a 13th term on Tuesday. In addition to his current leadership post, he was in charge of the party's redistricting effort over the past two years. He served two terms as chairman of the Democratic campaign organization. And while Democrats failed to capture the House in those elections, he noted at his news conference that they gained seats both times.

Party aides said his base in the leadership election would include fellow Texans, as well as moderate lawmakers from Southern and Western districts where Pelosi's brand of liberalism would not be so well received.

Officials said roughly 207 Democrats would be eligible to vote in the leadership election next week, with the precise number dependent on a few races still unsettled. A simple majority will be enough for victory.