Democrats in Marin Focus on the Political Facts of Life

Marin County residents love laid-back, leisure-filled weekends, as their congresswoman Democrat Barbara Boxer, acknowledged.

But on this sparkling Saturday, with only wispy clouds in the blue sky, about 400 Marin residents were out at the College of Marin to hear U.S. Sen. Alan Cranston and gubernatorial candidate Tom Bradley launch a grass-roots organization effort designed to keep this affluent San Francisco Bay suburban area in the Democratic camp.

“We all feel we have a great deal of work to do,” said Boxer (D-Greenbrae). “We had a great setback in the last presidential election.”

Successful Example

The rally was one of the more successful examples of what Democratic leaders have been trying to encourage around the state--strong registration and get-out-the vote efforts in Democratic-prone areas, along with a fund-raising drive that brings in many small contributions.

The Republicans have been far ahead of the Democrats in this nuts-and-bolts political work.

For example, the GOP surprised the Democrats in 1982 with an innovative plan of encouraging absentee voters, who have tended to be older and more conservative. The influx of absentee ballots helped Republican George Deukmejian defeat Democratic Los Angeles Mayor Bradley that year.

In addition, Deukmejian has been far more successful than Bradley in obtaining donations from small contributors, those who give under $200.

“I am making an effort to have my best registration drive,” Cranston said. “I am convinced we would have had Tom Bradley elected governor of California if we had had an adequate get-out-the-vote and registration drive” in 1982.

Faces Deukmejian

Bradley is facing Deukmejian again this year, with the governor strongly favored to win. Cranston is up for reelection and a large field of Republicans are competing in the June primary campaign to run against him in the fall.

Democratic leaders consider Marin County an example of how efforts to register and get out voters in key areas can keep an area Democratic in the face of what has appeared to be a Republican trend.

Democratic registration in the county now totals 51%, according to David Strand, the county Democratic chairman. It was, he noted in a speech at the rally, one of only five California counties that voted for former Vice President Walter F. Mondale, the Democratic presidential candidate in 1984.

Bradley carried the county against Deukmejian in 1982, winning 54% of the vote.

Those attending the rally were asked to fill out cards that would enroll them in Operation Grass Roots, the local Democratic drive that is sparked by Boxer, an energetic and popular representative who got the loudest applause of the day.

Money for Registration

Operation Grass Roots participants pay between $1 and $100, with the money being used for registration efforts.

Boxer explained that letters will be mailed to strong Democratic areas in western Marin County, beginning the process of enlisting Democrats for the fall.

Bradley did the same sort of organizational work on Friday, speaking to students at the University of California, Santa Cruz, to older, prosperous looking and predominantly white men and women at a reception at the Monterey Aquarium and to a largely black audience in Seaside.

At each stop in the tour of the Monterey Bay area, Bradley aides signed up volunteers and Bradley asked for help. In Monterey, he also asked for money.

“We want you to sign up,” he told the Monterey audience. “We’re going to need your money, we’re going to need your volunteer efforts. The sign-up sheet is outside. Put your name and address down. Let us know how to contact you.”

He added half jokingly, “You don’t have to put out payment today.”

Focus on Key Issues

In addition to displaying candidates, the meetings Friday and Saturday indicated that the Democrats are organizing around four or five key issues.

Peace was a main one on Saturday in Marin County, as was Reagan Administration policy in Central America.

A Democratic victory, Cranston said, is needed to “keep us from getting into another Vietnam in Central America.” Both he and Bradley criticized Deukmejian for allowing California National Guard units to be sent to Honduras, and the audience hissed and booed, showing that it, too, was unhappy.

Cranston, Bradley and Lt. Gov. Leo T. McCarthy, another speaker, also criticized Republican regulation of toxic wastes, a consistent theme of the Bradley campaign.