DuBose Takes Early Lead Over Martin

Tom DuBose, the 54-year-old businessman who waged a fierce campaign in the Republican primary for the right to face Democratic Assemblyman Steve Peace of Chula Vista, forged a strong early lead Tuesday over his opponent, Jay Martin.

The campaign between DuBose and Martin, 30, a political consultant, was one of the most spirited and bitter in the county. Emotions in the 80th Assembly District primary ran so high that last week Martin punched DuBose during a debate at a Republican forum in Chula Vista.

Also moving on to run against Peace, who had no Democratic opposition, in the November general election will be Randy Myrseth, a Libertarian.

In another South Bay legislative race, San Diego Police Lt. William M. (Bill) Hoover was far out in front of his Republican primary opponent, former Border Patrol spokeswoman Muriel Watson, after early tabulations. The Republican winner will face state Sen. Waddie Deddeh, a veteran Democratic legislator from Bonita who was unopposed in his primary for the 40th Senate District.

Also on the ballot against Deddeh will be Peace and Freedom Party candidate William Beard.

A close race, however, was being waged in the Democratic primary in the 76th Assembly District, where Alice Keyser, an El Cajon businesswoman, held a slight advantage over Bob White, a labor management administrator from Bonita. The winner will run against incumbent Bill Bradley, a Republican from San Marcos who was diagnosed as having terminal cancer late last year.

The other candidate in the 76th District primary is Libertarian Jill Thornsberry, a businesswoman from Lakeside.

In San Diego County’s nine legislative races, incumbents were in control throughout the primary campaign, as they built up large campaign war chests and rested on the sidelines while partisan opponents--in cases where there were opponents--scrambled for money and voters’ attention.

In the 38th Senate District, Democrats were unable to muster a candidate, thereby leaving incumbent Republican Sen. Bill Craven with only Libertarian Betsy A. Mill, a businesswoman, as his opponent in November. Races in the 74th and 75th Assembly districts followed a similar pattern, where Democrats were unable to find candidates to run against Republican incumbents Robert Frazee, 74th District, and Sunny Mojonnier, 75th District.

In a last-minute attempt to field opponents, Democrats pushed write-in candidates, including Jim Melville, an Orange County Democratic Central Committee member, against Frazee and Michael Lasky, a University City Democratic Club member, against Mojonnier.

In the 77th Assembly District, Republican Assemblyman Larry Stirling of La Mesa will face Democrat Bill Smelko, an attorney from La Mesa, in November. Both ran unopposed.

The first phase of what is expected to be a hard-fought campaign in the 78th Assembly District is over. Incumbent Democrat Lucy Killea, a former San Diego city councilwoman running in a district in which Republicans now outnumber Democrats, will face off against Earl Cantos Jr., a 29-year-old Republican lawyer and former legislative aide. Both candidates were unopposed in the primary.

Two other candidates in the 78th District election will be Libertarian Joseph Shea, a deliveryman, and Charles E. Ulmschneider, who is self-employed, representing the American Independent Party.

Peter Chacon, the veteran Democratic Assemblyman in the 79th District, was unopposed in the primary. His opponents in November will be the Rev. Robert Ard, who, as a Bible-quoting black community activist, is not your typical Republican; Libertarian Pat Wright, a computer operator, and Peace and Freedom Party candidate Bernice Wertheimer, an office manager.