California’s few congressional battlegrounds heating up

Republican Rep. Mary Bono Mack of Palm Springs has a new title these days: “Patriot.”

FOR THE RECORD:
Congressional races: An article in Monday’s LATExtra section about targeted congressional races in California said Republican challenger David Harmer was ahead of Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-Pleasanton) in fundraising, $1.8 million to nearly $1.7 million. However, the source of those figures, the Federal Election Commission website, included fundraising from Harmer’s unsuccessful special-election race in a different congressional district last year. For the current race, he had raised about $783,000 by the end of the last campaign reporting period earlier this summer. —

That’s the term leaders of the National Republican Congressional Committee are using for House members they believe to be most vulnerable to a Democratic challenge this fall.

Rep. Jerry McNerney, who wrenched his Northern California district from GOP hands four years ago, is a “ Frontline Democrat,” the name the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has bestowed on its party members facing strong challenges.

The battlegrounds in the fight to control the House of Representatives have become clearer as both major parties have made most key decisions about where to put their money and other efforts leading up to the Nov. 2 elections. In California — where incumbent-friendly districts wipe out most prospects for real contests in general elections — the lists so far are short. But the contests promise to make up in intensity what they lack in numbers.

In addition to McNerney, a Pleasanton resident who ousted GOP Rep. Richard W. Pombo four years ago, congressional Republicans have decided to go after Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Garden Grove), who first won the then-Republican seat in 1996. The Democrats’ top two targets are Bono Mack and former California Atty. Gen. Dan Lungren, who represents a congressional district in the Sacramento area.

Both parties say their lists could grow. Congressional Democrats are considering also taking on Rep. Ken Calvert in his district in Orange and Riverside County; there, educator Bill Hedrick is campaigning hard again after winning 48.8% of the vote to Calvert’s 51.2% in 2008.

“There are not a lot of swing districts in California, but we do have some exciting races there,” said Joanna Burgos, a spokeswoman for the GOP congressional committee.

Andy Stone, a spokesman for the Democrats’ committee, said that although the Lungren and Bono Mack seats are the party’s only California targets now, the Calvert seat “is on the radar.”

Both parties are likely to help their top challengers and their vulnerable incumbents with ads and other independent spending not subject to federal campaign finance limits and with campaign strategy and organizing.

In Southern California, the two hottest races are expected to be those of Bono Mack in Riverside County, where her victory margins have slipped somewhat, though still wide, and GOP registration (now 42%) has slid closer to that of Democrats (38%), and Sanchez in central Orange County. Hers is the only congressional seat in that county held by a Democrat.

Bono Mack’s Democratic challenger is Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet. By June 30, the end of the latest campaign finance reporting period, he had raised nearly $1.3 million to Bono Mack’s more than $1.7 million, Federal Election Commission records show. Pougnet has easily topped the amounts raised by previous challengers to Bono Mack, who has represented the area since 1998, when she was elected to fill the unexpired term of her husband, former pop music star Sonny Bono, after his death in a skiing accident. She is now married to Rep. Connie Mack IV (R- Florida).

Throughout the campaign, Pougnet, who is openly gay and married to a pharmaceuticals salesman, has attacked Bono Mack for supporting Bush administration policies and voting against a jobs bill while approving congressional pay raises and “protecting tax breaks for companies that ship American jobs overseas.”

Bono Mack has highlighted Pougnet’s Democratic ties, challenging him to denounce House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s refusal to condemn plans for a mosque near the site of the 911 attacks. Last month, Bono Mack’s campaign ran a 60-second radio ad titled “Failure,” which attacks the Obama administration’s record on jobs and the economy and its handling of the massive BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Republicans believe they have a shot at finally unseating Sanchez with termed-out Assemblyman Van Tran of Garden Grove. Congressional Democrats say they aren’t worried, citing Sanchez’ robust fundraising.

By midsummer she had collected $1.3 million and still had most of it in the bank, while Tran had raised about $729,000 and spent virtually all of it on the contested Republican primary. Registration favors Democrats, 47 to 31%.

But Washington-based political handicapper Charles Cook recently changed his assessment from “likely Democratic” to “lean Democratic,” heartening Republicans. Additionally, they believe the presence of independent Cecilia Iglesias in the race adds unpredictability.

In Northern California, Democrats are hoping physician Ami Bera can unseat Lungren. His district runs from the Nevada state line to the Sacramento Delta and includes some Gold Country communities. Registration is nearly evenly split between Republicans and Democrats, and by midsummer Bera had outraised Lungren, $1.6 million to $1.2 million.

Republicans are trying to pick off McNerney with attorney David Harmer, son of a former lieutenant governor, in a Bay Area district that covers parts of four counties and is also nearly evenly split between the two major parties. Unaffiliated voters account for 18% of the registered voters.

Harmer was slightly ahead in fundraising, collecting $1.8 million to McNerney’s nearly $1.7 million.

jean.merl@latimes.com