Bradley, Curb, McCarthy, Zschau Scramble for Loans

With the election only six days away, several top California politicians who are locked in tight races or viewed as underdogs are scrambling to borrow hundreds of thousands of dollars to finance their final campaign push.

The latest campaign finance reports filed with the secretary of state show that among those who have borrowed heavily since the beginning of the month are:

- Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley, the Democratic nominee for governor, who in the last 10 days has reported taking out new loans totaling $284,250. The mayor had already borrowed $557,500 during the first 18 days of October. His total indebtedness is now more than $1.1 million.

- Republican Mike Curb, seeking the lieutenant governor’s office, who has borrowed at least $350,000 since Oct. 1. Curb reported that he had paid off earlier loans totaling $150,000 during the first half of October. His total campaign debt now totals more than $1.1 million.

- Curb’s Democratic opponent, Lt. Gov. Leo T. McCarthy, who received loans totaling $169,900 during the first 18 days of the month.

- Republican Ed Zschau, who is seeking to unseat U.S. Sen. Alan Cranston, took out $200,000 in personal loans last Thursday and Friday. Zschau then loaned the money to his campaign.

Other politicians--all incumbents--reported that they have no loans to pay off.

Among them are Gov. George Deukmejian, whose campaign organization had $2.5 million in the bank Oct. 18, the end of the last reporting period; Atty. Gen. John Van de Kamp, a Democrat, whose campaign reported cash reserves of $344,666; Secretary of State March Fong Eu, also a Democrat, whose organization has banked $286,274; and Treasurer Jesse M. Unruh, who faces no Republican opposition and whose organization reported cash reserves of $1.5 million.

Bradley campaign officials were not available Tuesday to discuss the mayor’s latest borrowing.

However, the latest reports filed with the secretary of state showed that the mayor’s campaign borrowed $127,000 between Oct. 18 and Oct. 23 and another $157,250 through Tuesday.

Reports showed that the mayor’s campaign has received contributions of $116,575 since Oct. 18.

New Contributions

Deukmejian received new contributions of $40,500 during the same period.

Curb, who is seeking to recapture the office he held under Democratic Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr., was not expected to borrow to the extent that he has.

Curb spokesman Fred Karger said, “Some people prefer to loan money rather than give it.”

Curb’s latest financial statements show that he raised $137,040 in contributions and spent $841,721 between Oct. 1 and Oct. 18. As of Oct. 18, Curb reported cash on hand of $218,625 and debts of $1,050,000. Since July 1, Curb has spent $1.85 million.

In the latest reporting period, McCarthy raised $160,017 in contributions and spent $489,421. The lieutenant governor had debts of $233,616 and cash reserves totaling $598,370 on Oct. 18. McCarthy, who, unlike Curb, faced no primary opposition, has spent more than $1.8 million on the general election campaign.

‘Not Taking Any Chances’

Of McCarthy’s loans, campaign manager Rose King said: “What that reflects is not taking any chances. . . . It’s a factor of cash flow. . . . You’ve got to buy your media before the 25th of October to make sure you have enough of a media buy the last week” of the campaign.

King estimated that McCarthy’s expenditures for television advertising will total $450,000 during the last 10 days of the campaign.

A spokeswoman for Zschau noted that the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate had raised more than $6.5 million for the general election and said Zschau this week will pay off an earlier personal loan of $45,000. The $45,000 was drawn from a $300,000 line of credit that Zschau, during the primary, had secured with his house.

As of Sept. 30, Zschau reported debts of $538,406 and cash on hand of $505,774.

Cranston, who is seeking his fourth term in the Senate, said his campaign had debts of $96,013 and cash on hand totaling $731,298.