Democrats Slug It Out in Bid for Hertzberg Seat

The race to succeed powerful Assemblyman Bob Hertzberg has transformed from the anointing of his handpicked successor to a roiling, no-holds-barred political street brawl.

Both Hertzberg’s choice for his San Fernando Valley district, Andrei Cherny, and his opponent, Lloyd Levine, are young, ambitious and backed by powerful forces in the Democratic Party. Both are running for office for the first time and are expected to spend more than $500,000 by their party’s primary on Tuesday.

In a district where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 49% to 31%, liberal credentials are crucial. Though a Republican will face Tuesday’s winner in November, the Democrat will almost certainly be the 40th District’s next representative.

Cherny’s credentials were questioned last week by the Valley chapter of the National Organization for Women, which broke with tradition to endorse Levine. The group was incensed that Cherny had portrayed Levine, who is rated 100% pro-choice by several groups, as anti-abortion rights in mailers.

The flier was “really dirty politics,” said Jan Tucker, spokeswoman for NOW’s San Fernando Valley/Northeast Los Angeles chapter. Then Thursday, actor and environmentalist Ed Begley Jr. withdrew his endorsement of Cherny, citing mailers he called “false, libelous and racist.”

Cherny’s camp deflected the criticism without answering it, and tried to revive its offense by accusing Levine’s side of stealing one of their fliers before it was mailed. (Coincidentally, it was about crime.)

Observers call the 40th one of the closest primary contests in the state, and its shrill tenor supports that. A top Democratic strategist calls the race between former Assembly aides a “knockdown, drag-out” street fight.

“I don’t know anybody who thinks they know what’s really going to happen,” Darry Sragow said.

In the final days, the two Valley natives have been inundating voters daily with full-color fliers on their campaigns’ key issues: education, crime and traffic.

From Cherny’s manifesto on contemporary American politics, “The Next Deal: The Future of Public Life in the Information Age” (Basic Books, 2000), Levine’s backers picked passages to portray Cherny in alignment with Republican positions on Social Security, school vouchers and missile defense.

For an Assembly district that is stably Democratic, the competition between Cherny and Levine has been especially volatile.

Although some Democrats were surprised when incumbent Hertzberg (D-Sherman Oaks) tapped a 26-year-old aide to succeed him, they nevertheless assumed the former White House speech writer would be the heir to the southwestern Valley district.

But late last year, 32-year-old Levine stepped in with a lineage of his own--his father has run the campaigns of many of Southern California’s most prominent Democrats and is a leader of the group trying to keep the Valley a part of Los Angeles. Both Cherny and Levine say they oppose Valley secession, but think a public vote should settle the question.

Levine’s family connections quickly became an issue when his parents loaned him $88,000 for his campaign. Cherny complained the loan was illegal, but the state’s watchdog commission has not ruled. When Cherny brought up the loan at a recent debate, after Levine had returned the money to put the issue to rest, Levine shot back, “I guarantee you my parents aren’t corrupting me.”

Much of the spending in the race has been by outside groups. The California Alliance, a coalition of lawyers, environmentalists and nurses, has put more than $70,000 behind Levine, while Cherny has benefited from roughly the same amount from a political action committee of the California Chamber of Commerce. Californians for Common Sense, a committee representing the beer, oil, construction and energy industries, has spent about $20,000 to support Cherny, according to the “California Target Book,” which tracks campaign finances and handicaps races.

“The Valley business-types are going with Cherny, and labor and the more liberal groups are going with Levine,” said Target Book Publisher Allan Hoffenblum.

Despite that divide, Hoffenblum pointed out, “I don’t think there’s that much difference between the two when you get right down to it.”

The lone Republican in the race said she hopes to inject some difference in the general election, despite the GOP’s long odds in the 40th District, which encompasses Van Nuys, Reseda, Northridge, Canoga Park, North Hills and Woodland Hills.

Connie Friedman, who is recovering from surgery to remove a brain tumor, said she has been following the race between the “two young men” and both have impressed her.

Friedman, 60, said her experience running a human-resources consulting business gives her an edge.

The Democratic side of the race is too close to call, unless, of course you ask the candidates.

“I don’t think it’s a close race,” Cherny said.

Levine’s prediction: “I think I’m about to win.”