Compton Council Candidates Plot Runoff Strategies

In balloting marred by a 9% voter turnout that stands as one of the poorest in city history, Councilman Maxcy D. Filer posted a solid reelection victory Tuesday. But Councilwoman Jane D. Robbins was forced into a runoff after a surprising showing by businessman Richard Bonner.

Although Robbins beat Bonner and three other candidates by a margin of at least 2 to 1, carrying all but four of the city’s 32 precincts, she failed to get the necessary 50% of votes cast to win outright.

“It’s a doggone shame, but it’s one of those things,” Robbins said Wednesday. “It’s hard to beat four people percentage-wise.”

Robbins said she was especially surprised that Bonner, making only his second attempt to win public office, defeated veteran political figure Manuel (Manny) Correa, a 22-year member of the Compton school board and a Compton police officer for three decades until he retired.

Admits Lack of Aggression

Correa attributed his showing to the “tremendous amount of financial backing” that Bonner enjoyed. Bonner spent about $3,000 to Correa’s $1,000. But Correa also blamed his own “lack of a real aggressive campaign.”

“I’m somewhat relieved now that the thing is over,” Correa said.

Robbins, a retired schoolteacher seeking her third full four-year council term, won 47.2% of the ballots compared to Bonner’s 22.1% and Correa’s 13.4%. Businessman Andrew Manley finished fourth with 12.5% and civic activist Edward S. Loney was last, with 4.8%.

Robbins will face Bonner again on June 2.

“I really had hoped to really win,” Bonner said. “But a runoff, I’ll settle for that. I’ll have to roll up my sleeves a little higher. I think that people are interested in a change and I think they’re expressing that.”

A 17-year Compton businessman who operates a beauty salon and is a partner in a trade show, Bonner said he plans to change the style of his campaign and “do more walking” through voter precincts. He had previously relied on newspaper advertisements and the endorsement of City Treasurer Wesley Sanders.

Robbins said she plans to keep attending block club meetings and telephoning voters, but may also “be a little more visible with (campaign) flyers.”

“The voter turnout was not very good and this is one of the things that we’re going to have to work on,” Robbins said, adding that she might have won outright if more of the city’s 37,629 register voters had gone to the polls. (The primary was decided by only 3,350 voters, according to City Clerk Charles Davis, who acts as chief elections officer.)

Large Transient Population

“We’ve had this in the past, it’s really nothing new,” said Robbins, explaining that Compton still has a large transient population.

Robbins and Bonner both said they would welcome the backing of other candidates, particularly Correa.

“I’ll be looking for all the support I can get,” Bonner said, “especially from those who ran. They must feel the same way I do.”

However, Correa said he doesn’t intend to lend his name to either candidate.

Filer won a third four-year term by capturing 58.1% of the votes, while 41.9% went to challenger John Steward, who like Correa is a member of the Compton Unified School District board of trustees.

“I never expect, per se, to win,” Filer said. “I feel good, but I attribute (the win) to going door to door.”

Steward, who watched the ballots being counted at City Hall on Tuesday night, expressed disappointment at his loss but said he was proud of his showing against Filer, a formidable candidate often referred to as “Mr. Compton.”

“There are a lot of people who do not wish to see me leave the school board,” Steward reasoned. “I would hope like hell, and be sure to say ‘like hell’, that they would give me some help in November” when some of Steward’s philosophical opponents on the school board are themselves up for election.