I wouldn't be so loyal to Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata if I were Sen. Dean Florez. The bungled recall attempt of Denham has given Florez's potential rival for lieutenant governor in 2010 something he desperately needed: campaign cash and statewide voter recognition.

Florez wants to run for the Democratic nomination for light guv in two years, and Denham is intent on winning the Republican nomination for the same office. They could meet in the 2010 general election if the stars line up properly.

Florez, the Shafter Democrat, was the better known of the two, and has a more substantive legislative record. But Perata's obsession with recalling Denham turned the GOP backbencher from Atwater into a hero for California Republicans. They sent checks from across the Golden State to fight the recall, and showed up in the 12th Senate seat to walk precincts. Now they know him.

Denham's good fortune came from Perata's miscalculation. I would be very angry if I ended up as collateral damage from the recall.

There are a lot of reasons to dislike Perata. He's a bully and likes to send his goons after political enemies. He's the worst kind of public servant. Fortunately, he's termed out this year. I think he should be censured by the Legislature and tossed out on his rear immediately. That won't happen in the clubby Senate. They'll hold a big party for him and say what a great Democratic leader he's been. If they do, they're not telling the truth.

The recall of Denham was a bad idea from the start, and now it's having a domino effect on other Democrats. In two years, it may not matter a lick in the race for lieutenant governor. But right now Denham is the big winner from the recall mess and Senate Democrats are the losers. They can thank Don Perata for their plight.