California Elections : Governor, Bradley Join Battle for Assembly Seat

Gov. George Deukmejian and Mayor Tom Bradley brought their campaigns for governor to Los Angeles County on Friday, taking opposite sides in a hotly contested Assembly race.

Within hours of each other, the two gubernatorial candidates visited the 54th Assembly District, trading charges at sharply contrasting events in Lakewood and Compton.

Returning to an area he once represented as a state senator, Deukmejian spoke to 250 people at a $100-a-plate luncheon at the Lakewood Country Club on behalf of Republican candidate Paul Zeltner, a Lakewood city councilman who is running for the seat being vacated by retiring Assemblyman Frank Vicencia (D-Bellflower).

Deukmejian, whose campaign style is as bland as that of any California politician, pointed out there is one campaign pledge he has not broken:

“I have made a promise long ago that one thing I would never do is attack my opponent with my charisma,” he said with a smile. “I’ve been really working hard to control my charisma through the course of this campaign. It’s been very difficult.”

Four hours later, Bradley appeared in Compton at a campaign rally for Democratic candidate Ed Waters, son of influential Assemblywoman Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles).

Bradley was joined by Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young and U.S. Sen. Gary F. Hart. His appearance on behalf of Waters was a visible attempt to woo black voters, whom Bradley was accused of ignoring in his unsuccessful bid for governor in 1982.

“George Deukmejian is a Johnny-come-lately to every issue in the state,” Bradley charged “He’s got a slow learning curve . . . We’ll send him back to Long Beach and let him take his retirement.”

The free Democratic event, featuring a jazz band, drew a primarily black audience. The rally was held at Waters’ storefront headquarters on busy Compton Boulevard.

The Zeltner lunch, which raised $20,000 for the retired sheriff’s captain, brought a predominantly white crowd to the aging country club adjacent to the Lakewood Golf Course. During the luncheon, occasional announcements of the golf course starter could be heard in the background.

Ethnic Composition

Despite the differing ethnic composition of the two events, Deukmejian told reporters that race does not figure in the contest between Waters, who is black, and Zeltner, who is white. In addition to Lakewood and Compton, the district also includes, Bellflower, Paramount and part of eastern Long Beach.

“Race is not an issue,” said the governor.

Campaigning earlier in the day in Fresno, Bradley accused Deukmejian of “not being accessible either to the press or the public.” After he criticized Deukmejian for refusing to debate him, Bradley brought out a bogus bag of money, a cloth sack with a large dollar sign on it.

“In as much as he will not appear side by side with me in debate, I have a substitute, a surrogate for George Deukmejian . . . Mr. George Moneybags.”

Holding the bag in his left hand and talking to it like a ventriloquist’s dummy, Bradley asked for an explanation of various Deukmejian stands on toxic waste and insurance rates.

“Come on George,” Bradley said, holding and looking at the bag. “No answer? George Moneybags is not talking.”