SAN FRANCISCO —  Republican Congressman Darrell Issa (search), who bankrolled the effort to get the California gubernatorial recall on the ballot, said Monday he was adamant that either state Senator Tom McClintock (search) or Arnold Schwarzenegger (search) drop out of the race.

If neither does, Issa said he would urge Republican voters to reject the recall because it would assure a victory by Democratic Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante.

Speaking in San Francisco, Issa said, "As someone who some people call 'the godfather of the recall,' nobody should be more determined to remove Gray Davis from office."

Issa spent $1.7 million of his own money putting the recall question on the ballot.