Excuse me, Bill, but it wasn't just Gray Davis meddling in republican elections. Mr. Rove himself deemed Riordan too liberal and funnelled money and pr to that right wing-nut that lost, whatever his name was, Bill Simon.
As I recall (and you do as well, you dishonest old coot), Davis was more than happy to encourage the Bush team in their support of radical mr. Simon, who carried a lot of baggage that Californians didn't care for.
I don't remember Davis twisting Rove's arm into supporting Simon.