Sybert War Chest Filled With His Own Cash : Politics: Former Wilson aide lends his congressional campaign $430,000 to break away from Republican primary rivals in fund raising.

WASHINGTON —  Relying heavily on his own funds, businessman Richard Sybert is financially overwhelming his opponents in the race for the Republican nomination for the politically competitive seat held by U.S. Rep. Anthony C. Beilenson (D-Woodland Hills).

Sybert, a former aide to Gov. Pete Wilson who moved to Woodland Hills last year, has loaned his campaign $430,000 of the $473,080 that he has raised for the June 7 primary, according to campaign reports filed with the Federal Election Commission. These records reflect activity through March 31, the close of the most recent reporting period.

Sybert’s closest fund-raising competitor in the 24th District is Robert K. Hammer, a Newbury Park investment-banking consultant who had garnered $70,367. He loaned himself $61,160 of that total.

“I have necessarily had to pay some attention to my primary opposition, but I don’t consider it substantial and I do expect to win the primary,” Sybert said. “I see my major opponent as Mr. Beilenson in the general election.”

In other San Fernando Valley-area contests, incumbents are running far ahead of their would-be challengers in available cash. And few of the lawmakers have done much serious fund-raising.

Only Democrat Doug Kahn, an Altadena businessman planning a second bid against Rep. Carlos J. Moorhead (R-Glendale), has made headway. He had $93,734 on hand; he has loaned his campaign $62,027. But Moorhead has $386,141 in his war chest.

In the face of the Southern California recession and pervasive earthquake damage, this appears to be the year of the self-financed (and generally underfinanced) challenger. It could also be the year of the rematch in three Valley-area districts.

At this point, none of the challengers to Reps. Howard L. Berman (D-Panorama City), Howard P. (Buck) McKeon (R-Santa Clarita) or Henry A. Waxman (D-Los Angeles) has shown financial muscle. All three lawmakers are strongly favored to win reelection in districts filled with their party’s partisans.

The Republican race in the 24th Congressional District, which runs from Sherman Oaks through the western Valley, out to Malibu and up to Thousand Oaks, is the most closely watched. Five Republicans, none especially well-known, are squaring off in a low-key contest.

Sybert, who was Wilson’s director of planning and research and is now president of a small Santa Barbara toy company, has racked up many endorsements as well as pumped large sums of his own money into his first-time bid. He said he plans to spend $200,000 to $300,000 on numerous campaign mailings and, perhaps, radio and cable television advertising as well.

Also in the Republican primary, commercial real estate broker Emery Shane of Woodland Hills reported raising $48,631 this year, including $37,436 that he has loaned his campaign.

Mark Boos Benhard of Woodland Hills, who owns a media-relations firm, reported raising $7,081 this year. He loaned his campaign $10,000 in December and another $500 this year.

Aside from his own largess, Sybert’s fund-raising has been modest as well. He brought in $8,000 from political action committees, including $3,000 from a PAC representing car dealers nationwide and $2,000 from the Lockheed Employees PAC in Calabasas.

Newbury Park businessman Sang Korman, who poured more than $800,000 of his own funds into three previous unsuccessful Republican congressional bids, did not file a report. Korman is not waging an active campaign.

Nearly two-thirds of Sybert’s 43 individual contributions and funds have come from outside the district, according to a review of his campaign reports. This includes money from the wealthy enclaves of Pasadena, San Marino and Beverly Hills.

Sybert spent $150,165 during the first quarter of the year. The largest expenditures were made to consultants, particularly the Sacramento firm of McNally, Temple & Associates, which handled advertising and mailing costs as well as general consulting.

Sybert emphasizes his fund-raising success relative to the record of his opponents and insists that many of his contributions came from the 24th District. And he said that he had delayed some fund-raising initiatives in the wake of the Jan. 17 temblor.

Still, he acknowledged, “between the earthquake and the new higher tax rates that have really dried up a lot of discretionary income and the Southern California economy, fund-raising is like pulling teeth.”

Beilenson cast Sybert’s efforts in a less charitable light. “He’s failed utterly thus far to show he has any real support other than his own.”

Hammer raised only $7,320 in the first three months of 1994. He spent $41,540 during that period. He reported $10,177 on hand as of March 31.

“There’s never enough money. Never enough time. Never enough resources,” said Hammer, who touted his volunteer supporters. “We have made great gains with the resources we have. I think that’s what people are looking for, not someone who’s going to buy an election.”

He said he has not sought any PAC money because candidates should not accept contributions from groups whose interests they may vote on. He said that his many years residing in the district--in contrast to Sybert, who moved there last year to launch his candidacy--and activism in Republican circles will overcome his spending disadvantage.

“If you get into six figures, I think you’ll have a credible campaign,” Hammer said. He predicted he’ll be “close to or over that when all is said and done.”

Beilenson, meanwhile, did little fund-raising during the first three months of this year. He faces a nominal primary challenge from Scott Gaulke, a Sherman Oaks businessman who has run previously as a follower of political extremist Lyndon LaRouche. No report was available for Gaulke; candidates who raise or spend less than $5,000 are not required to file.

Beilenson, a nine-term lawmaker, reported that he had $62,142 available. His campaign owes him $50,000, which he said he doesn’t expect to be repaid. In addition, he said he has raised nearly $40,000 since the March 31 reporting deadline.

Beilenson, the third-ranking Democrat on the influential Rules Committee, spent $753,415 to win 56% of the vote in 1992--the first time he ran in the newly drawn “swing” district. He said he was uncertain how much he’ll need for the fall campaign.

“It depends on who wins the Republican primary,” Beilenson said. “It depends on how much he is likely to have. I tend to be responsive.”

Beilenson, who does not take PAC money, raised a surprisingly large total of $786,463 in 1992. The general election campaign is expected to attract a considerable flow of contributions as a nationally targeted race. Sybert has said he would need to spend $1 million to oust Beilenson.

Moorhead also faces a poorly financed primary challenge. The 10-term lawmaker reported that he spent $57,160 during the first three months of the year and had nearly seven times that much on hand. Republican Elizabeth Michael, a Pasadena businesswoman, reported that she raised $7,227 in the first three months of the year. She had loaned her campaign $15,184.

Moorhead’s contributions included $1,000 each from PACs representing home builders, Philip Morris, Sunkist, Viacom International, Transamerica Insurance and Anheuser-Busch.

Kahn, who faces two little-known opponents in the Democratic primary, raised $24,060 during the first quarter and spent $5,795. Reports were not available for Democrats Roger A. Kulpa, a Burbank accounting business owner, and Daniel I. Hurst, a Glendale systems analyst.

Moorhead outspent Kahn by a lopsided margin of $705,814 to $167,898 in 1992 yet won only 50% of the vote. He is the senior Republican on the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee.

McKeon, a former Santa Clarita mayor seeking a second term, also faces a possible rematch with Democrat James H. Gilmartin, a Saugus attorney who received 33% of the vote in 1992.

McKeon, who ended his initial election campaign owing himself about $200,000, reported that he reduced the debt to $130,000 and had $10,742 on hand. He faces Sandra Tully, a Lancaster manager/technician, in the Republican primary. No campaign report was available for Tully.

McKeon received $3,250 from PACs and $815 from individuals during the first three months of the year. He took in $1,000 each from the American Dental PAC and the Federal Express PAC.

Gilmartin reported raising $6,017 this year, spending $3,070 and ending the first quarter with $2,947 available. He is opposed in the Democratic primary by William H. Horning, a Lancaster clerk. No report was available for Horning.

Berman, who chairs a Foreign Affairs subcommittee, had $126,613 available. His contributions include $1,000 from Anheuser-Busch PAC and $500 from the Television & Radio PAC.

His Democratic primary opponents are G. C. (Brodie) Broderson, a Los Angeles businessman who previously ran against Berman as a Republican, and Jose P. Galvan, a Sylmar librarian and community activist. Fund-raising reports were not available for either.

Republican Gary E. Forsch, a Sun Valley businessman who opposed Berman in 1992, faces primary opposition from Bill Glass, a Sherman Oaks accountant, and John A. Furutani, a Los Angeles attorney. Forsch reported that he raised $750 in 1993, loaned his campaign $13,203 and had $8,151 on hand. His 1994 report was not available.

No reports were on file for the other candidates.

Waxman, who chairs the Energy and Commerce subcommittee on health and environment, had $398,244 available. He has a Democratic primary opponent, Jon Rappoport, a Los Angeles journalist. Rappoport reported raising $9,172 and had $4,800 on hand as of March 31.

In the Republican primary, Paul Stepanek, a Los Angeles businessman, is running against Patrick Regan, a Santa Monica filmmaker. Stepanek raised $5,172 during the first three months of the year and had $1,040 on hand. No report was on file for Regan.