Silicon Valley's Republican:
L.A.-AREA ALLY OF SCHWARZENEGGER AND BUSH STATE'S MOST VISIBLE CONSERVATIVE IN CONGRESS

By Jim Puzzanghera
San Jose Mercury News
July 12, 2004

He's Silicon Valley's man in the Republican congressional leadership, Gov. Arnold's Schwarzenegger's man in Washington and one of President Bush's main men in California.

Rep. David Dreier of Glendora has a lot of unofficial titles these days. Now he can arguably add another: the most influential Californian in Congress.

Chair of the powerful Rules Committee in the House of Representatives and personally close to Schwarzenegger and Bush, Dreier wields significant clout in Washington and Sacramento. Combining strong political skills with a congenial personality, the 52-year-old Dreier is a rare elected official who is effective both behind the scenes, where deals are made, and in front of the cameras, where they're sold to the public.

''David Dreier is the crossroads of Republican politics in California,'' said Jack Pitney, a professor of government at Claremont McKenna College in Southern California.

Among the examples of Dreier's influence: the California Republican Party's choice of Palo Alto attorney George ''Duf'' Sundheim as chair in 2003 over a more conservative foe, giving the state party an inclusive image; and the 2001 redrawing of California's congressional districts, which gave incumbents -- including Dreier and other Republicans -- safer seats.

Amiable and articulate, Dreier's national profile has soared in the past year. He's become a frequent face on cable TV news shows, first touting Schwarzenegger during the recall, now Bush as the November elections approach. More eloquent than understated House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., and more ingratiating than tough-talking Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, Dreier has emerged as the House GOP leadership's public face on television.

GOP enforcer

''He's a person that everybody looks to as a spokesperson,'' said Rep. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, who also serves on the 11-member House Republican leadership.

Although Dreier is staunchly conservative, his easy smile, quick wit and sometimes non-ideological, pragmatic approach give him a moderate image that helps him not only on TV but also in maintaining friendly relations with many Democrats.

''I genuinely like him,'' said Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Palo Alto, who has worked with Dreier on high-tech legislation, most recently a bill to stop mandatory expensing of broad-based stock options. ''I think he has respect for my judgment.''

But when Dreier's party has a major stake in the outcome, bipartisanship becomes secondary, said some Democrats.

''David carries out the wishes of the Republican leadership right down the line,'' said Rep. Martin Frost, D-Texas, the highest-ranking Democrat on the Rules Committee. ''There's no give at all.''

To conservative activist Ted Costa, however, Dreier is nothing more than a typical politician, putting his own interests above his party. Costa, who started last year's gubernatorial recall petition drive, criticizes Dreier for helping broker the 2001 congressional redistricting deal. Democratic incumbents also got safe districts, essentially locking in their 53-20 advantage over Republicans in the California delegation.

Costa is pushing a ballot initiative to move redistricting authority from state legislators to an independent panel to immediately redraw the boundaries. Dreier has worked to stop it ''for his own selfish purposes,'' Costa said, even though it could increase the number of Republicans in Congress by spreading some GOP voters into Democratic districts.

''He wants a safe district,'' Costa said.

Dreier said the 2001 redistricting deal was good for Republicans because Democrats could have reduced the number of GOP seats to 15 or 16. Dreier favors an independent panel but not until after the 2010 census.

No doubt concerned about his own political prospects, Dreier has a major stake in Republicans maintaining control of Congress so he does not lose his powerful committee chair. Still, his easygoing approach and attempts to forge relationships across party lines stand out in the often bitterly partisan halls of Congress. It was evident last year when he was the only Republican in a sea of Democrats at a boisterous Capitol Hill party celebrating the rise of Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, to House minority leader.

''We disagree clearly on a wide range of issues, but I'm proud'' of Pelosi becoming the first congressional party leader from California, Dreier said one recent afternoon in his spacious office.

Dreier was first elected to Congress in 1980. After spending 14 years under a Democratic majority, he said he understands what it's like to be in the party out of power. And unlike many members of Congress, Dreier said he isn't constantly searching for political confrontations.

''I always like to find areas of agreement,'' he said.

High profile on high-tech

One place he's found it is on technology issues. Although his suburban Los Angeles district is not a high-tech hotbed, Dreier has championed many of the industry's top priorities.

''I consider myself the Republican representing Silicon Valley,'' said Dreier, an ardent supporter of free trade.

Given the dominance of Democrats in Silicon Valley's congressional delegation, Dreier is an important legislator for the high-tech industry in the Republican-controlled Congress.

''If we didn't have David . . . we'd certainly be fighting an uphill battle,'' said Rick White, head of the Palo Alto-based high-tech lobbying organization TechNet.

Dreier's clout in Washington comes from his position as head of the Rules Committee, which decides how much debate each bill gets by the full House and, sometimes more significantly, which amendments can be offered.

As chair, Dreier plays an important role on virtually every piece of legislation. That power has kept him from using his $2.8 million campaign war chest to run for the U.S. Senate.

''I think I'm able to be a greater influence for good and the things I want to pursue in the position I'm in right here than I would be starting out as a freshman senator,'' Dreier said.

Last fall he resisted the urging of Schwarzenegger and other Republicans to challenge Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif. But Dreier said he jumped when the actor phoned him from the set of the ''Tonight Show'' minutes after he declared his candidacy for governor last summer.

''He called and said, 'David, I need your help,' '' Dreier said. The two have known each other since they met at an L.A. fundraiser in the late 1980s.

Dreier's rise to power has been aided by fortuitous friendships. In 1978, at a four-day seminar for Republican congressional candidates, Dreier became friends with a young Texan named George W. Bush. Both lost their bids for Congress that year.

But Dreier stayed in touch with Bush, as he later did with Schwarzenegger.

Dreier said he gets more pleasure campaigning for other people than he does for himself.

''I don't want to say I'm not at all self-promotional,'' he said. ''I don't eat huge humble pie every morning. But I just find it easier and more enjoyable.''

And with Bush facing a tough re-election race, TV viewers probably will continue seeing a lot of Dreier.

Charlie Black, an adviser to the Bush re-election campaign, said the White House attitude on Dreier is, ''Get him on every show you can.''