The Races at a Glance

Competitive elections have returned to the Westside. Redistricting has cut the number of safe legislative and congressional seats in this liberal Democratic stronghold. Some residents may even be represented by (gasp!) Republicans starting in 1993. Add to the mix the widespread antipathy toward incumbents and it makes for a volatile election season--and one of the most interesting in years.

State Senate

23RD DISTRICT--Covers most of Westside north of Santa Monica Freeway (10); southern part of San Fernando Valley. (Note: 26th and 28th districts do not hold elections until 1994.)

Candidates--Democrats: Tom Hayden, assemblyman; Catherine O’Neill, public relations consultant; Herschel Rosenthal, state senator. Others: R. William Weilburg, businessman, Libertarian Party; Shirley Rachel Isaacson, school psychologist, Peace and Freedom Party.

Synopsis--This is the marquee event among the region’s legislative primaries, involving two well-known lawmakers pushed into a clash by redistricting and an outsider, O’Neill, who also has the backing to mount a credible campaign. All three have solid liberal credentials, but the campaign has been nasty--and expensive. Hayden is financing his effort mostly with his own money contributions from his own political organizations. Rosenthal has backing from many Sacramento special interests, Senate colleagues and the organization led by Reps. Howard L. Berman and Henry A. Waxman. O’Neill has support from women’s groups and entertainment industry figures. Republicans aren’t contesting the seat.

Assembly

41ST DISTRICT--Covers Santa Monica, Brentwood, Pacific Palisades, Malibu, southwestern San Fernando Valley.

Candidates--Republicans: Fred Beteta, retired engineer; Paul Foote, accounting professor; Scott Meehan, attorney; Christine Reed, former Santa Monica councilwoman; Stefan (Stu) Stitch, businessman. Democrat: Terry Friedman, assemblyman. Other: Roy A. Sykes Jr., business owner, Libertarian Party.

Synopsis--Friedman has represented much of the territory since 1986, but reapportionment puts this new district up for grabs. On the GOP side, Reed has the most name recognition and the most money.

42ND DISTRICT--Covers most of Westside east of San Diego Freeway (405) and north of Wilshire Boulevard; Hollywood Hills and southern edge of the valley.

Candidates--Republicans: Businessmen Robert K. Davis and Chauncey J. Medberry. Democrats: John J. Duran, attorney, and Burt Margolin, assemblyman. Others: Andrew J. Rotter, historian and retired lawyer, Libertarian Party; Timothy Burdick, office worker, Peace and Freedom Party.

Synopsis--Margolin has represented much of this territory since 1980 and is strongly favored, but Duran has mounted a spirited challenge, targeting the gay and lesbian voters. Democratic registration edge makes GOP nomination a dubious prize.

47TH DISTRICT--Covers Culver City, Palms, Mid-City, Baldwin Hills, Crenshaw.

Candidates--Democrats: Gwen Moore, assemblywoman. Republicans: Michael Quinn, attorney; Jonathan Leonard, businessman. Others: Chuck Hammill, mathematician, Libertarian Party; Yassin A. Saededdin, hotel manager, Peace and Freedom Party.

Synopsis--Moore faces no threat. This is all but hopeless turf for the GOP.

53RD DISTRICT--Covers Mar Vista, Westchester, coastal communities from Venice to Redondo Beach, Torrance.

Candidates--Democrat: Debra L. Bowen, attorney. Republican: Dan Walker, businessman and former Torrance councilman; Brad Parton, Redondo Beach mayor; Barbara Doerr, Redondo Beach councilwoman; George Young, political consultant; Marleah Sena, substitute teacher; Steven Zak, video merchandiser. Libertarians: William N. Gaillard, road construction materials salesman; Sal Princiotta Jr., artist, massage therapist. Other: Roger Donaldson, systems analyst, Green Party.

Synopsis--Republican registration advantage and lack of incumbent have drawn a large GOP field. Walker, Parton and Young have had the most money-raising success. All the Republicans are campaigning as pro-business conservatives; all except Parton favor abortion rights.

Congress

24TH DISTRICT--Covers Malibu, western San Fernando Valley, portions of Ventura County.

Candidates--Democrat: Anthony C. Beilenson, U.S. representative. Republicans: Tom McClintock, assemblyman; Bill Spillane, pilot; Robert Colaco, businessman; Jim Salomon, trade consultant; Nicholas T. Hariton, attorney-businessman; Stephen M. Weiss, attorney, business consultant; Sang R. Korman, businessman; Rob Meyer, attorney; Harry Wachtel, attorney. Other: John Paul Lindblad, architect, Peace and Freedom Party.

Synopsis--New district contains much of Beilenson’s old district, but now it leans Republican--hence the crowded primary. McClintock is the best known, but his conservatism may be a bit hard-line for this district. Korman, a wealthy Korean-American developer, is spending a fortune to finance a media campaign. Salomon, a moderate, has also had some fund-raising success. Spillane’s late loan of $300,000 to his own campaign gives him wild-card status.

29TH DISTRICT--Covers Santa Monica-Pacific Palisades to Hollywood-Los Feliz, including Santa Monica Mountains and Hollywood Hills.

Candidates--Democrats: Henry A. Waxman, U.S. representative; Scott M. Gaulke, property manager. Republican: Mark A. Robbins, attorney. Others: Felix Tsvi Rogin, rabbi and accountant, Libertarian Party; Maggie Phair and Susan C. Davis, Peace and Freedom Party.

Synopsis--With no big-name or big-money challengers, Waxman should be able to coast to a 10th term.

32ND DISTRICT--Covers Mar Vista, Culver City, Palms, Mid-City, Baldwin Hills, Crenshaw.

Candidates--Democrat: Julian C. Dixon, U.S. representative. Others: Bob Weber, motion picture technician, Libertarian; William R. Williams, retired truck driver, Peace and Freedom.

Synopsis--Only 15% of the district’s voters are registered as Republicans, so the GOP isn’t even mounting a token challenge to seven-term veteran Dixon.

36TH DISTRICT--Covers coastal area from Venice to San Pedro.

Candidates--Republicans: John Barbieri, consultant; Don Karg, manufacturing manager; Bill Beverly, attorney; Bill Fahey, former assistant U.S. attorney; Wayne T. McDonald, aerospace engineer; John (Scott) Stevenson, lawyer-businessman; Joan Milke Flores, Los Angeles city councilwoman; Maureen Reagan, former Republican party official and talk-show host; Wayne Westling, inventor; Bart Swanson, Redondo Beach school board member; Parker Richard Herriott, actor. Democrats: Jane Harman, lawyer-businesswoman; Paul P. Kamm, community college teacher; Bryan W. Stevens, retired teacher; Colin Kilpatrick O’Brien, writer; Gregory Stock, author and scientist; Ada Unruh, president, nonprofit organization; Charlene A. Richards, nurse. Others: Richard H. Greene, environmentalist-consultant, Green Party; Marc F. Denny, businesman-attorney, Libertarian Party; Owen Staley, college teacher, Peace and Freedom Party.

Synopsis--Republicans outnumber Democrats 46%-42%, so the GOP nomination has considerably more value. Flores, Reagan and Beverly are the best-known and best-financed of the Republicans, with Barbieri and Fahey also campaigning aggressively. Reagan is getting fund-raising help from her father, the ex-President, but is drawing flak as a carpetbagger. She and Beverly are striking a generally moderate tone, and favor abortion rights. Flores, the most conservative of the top-tier candidates, favors government limits on abortion. Of the Democrats, only Harman has raised enough money to make her name and views widely known. She too is accused of carpetbagging, having moved to the district early this year.