Political Notes : Five GOP Legislators Endorse Herschensohn

Saying that the Republican U.S. Senate election is “coming down to a two-man race” and that Orange County could be the key, five conservative GOP state legislators Wednesday endorsed television commentator Bruce Herschensohn.

“The race is between Bruce Herschensohn, who is a conservative, and Ed Zschau, who is liberal,” said Sen. Edward R. Royce of Anaheim at a press conference in Sacramento attended by Assemblywoman Doris Allen of Cypress and Assemblymen John R. Lewis of Orange, Gil Ferguson of Newport Beach and Nolan Frizzelle of Huntington Beach.

The five lawmakers said front-runner Herschensohn has a philosophy more akin to their own and to President Reagan’s, while Zschau’s is closer to Democratic incumbent Alan Cranston.

The five said they would support Zschau if he wins the primary, less than a week away. But Zschau, they said, could not attract any significant numbers of conservative Democratic voters, and the GOP effort on his behalf might lack enthusiasm.

“I think what you would see is a lot of people diverting their attention,” Lewis said.

The legislators said that they expect Herschensohn to carry Orange County and that their endorsement might widen the margin. The difference could be significant, they said, in what is likely to be a close statewide race.

Rep. Robert K. Dornan of Garden Grove endorsed Herschensohn on Tuesday.