Countywide : Johnson and Frizzelle File Reelection Papers

Assemblymen Ross Johnson (R-La Habra) and Nolan Frizzelle (R-Huntington Beach) filed papers with the Orange County registrar of voters on Tuesday declaring themselves candidates for reelection this year.

Incumbents for state or local offices have until Feb. 5 to file their candidacy papers. The deadline for challengers is Feb. 5. Candidates then have until March 7 to pay the $371.50 filing fee or to submit voters’ signatures on nominating papers in lieu of a fee. Johnson paid the fee on Tuesday.

Johnson, 47, is seeking a fifth term in his heavily Republican north county district. The legislator, who in previous years battled against welfare costs and political financiers, spent much of last year unsuccessfully trying to abolish a 40-year-old state board regulating dry cleaners. Johnson got support from consumer groups when he called the board useless and an example of excessive government regulation. But the dry-cleaning industry, which outlobbied him, argued that the board was needed to license businesses and handle complaints.

Frizzelle, 65, is seeking his fourth term in the Legislature in a solidly Republican district.

The former optometrist caused a political stir this year when, in newspaper interviews, he defended South Africa’s policy of apartheid. Democratic strategists claimed last November that they would seek to oust Frizzelle, raising up to $700,000 in campaign money against him from contributors who were offended by his remarks. But so far no Democratic candidate has surfaced.