Lungren loses

By Sharon Christensen, On-Line Forty-Niner

Wednesday, November 4, 1998

COSTA MESA - With his family beside him, choking back tears, Long Beach native Dan Lungren congratulated his opponent, Gray Davis, on his election to California governor and vowed that the convictions of the Republican party will not be compromised.

"I would just like to wish him [Davis] well and wish this state well for the next four years," said Lungren, the current state attorney general who lost by a margin of 18 percent. "Our dream does not die because we lose one fight."

The mood of the crowd at Newport Beach's Sutton Place Hotel was hopeful and optimistic, up to the very moment Lungren took the stage. "I am very optimistic. It can go either way," said Long Beach cake designer Pam House, there mainly to support Lungren.

"To hell with the polls! The only poll that matters is what we do on election day," said two-term Republican Gov. Pete Wilson, pumping up the already exuberant crowd.

To a room filled with long faces, Lungren beamed at the silenced crowd. "My deepfelt thanks for the opportunity to serve you for the last 18 years," he said as his daughter Kelly wiped tears from her eyes. "This is an opportunity that very few people get."

"For those who are as disappointed as I am tonight, our cause is not over. We will be heard from in the future," Lungren said.