Candidates for Lungren’s Seat Left in Limbo

The Legislature’s split decision on Rep. Daniel E. Lungren’s confirmation as state treasurer has cast a cloud of uncertainty over the campaigns of five potential candidates for the Long Beach Republican’s seat in the U.S. House, including that of Orange County Supervisor Harriett M. Wieder.

At a Capitol news conference Friday, Lungren indicated that he may run for reelection while he wages an anticipated legal fight to be sworn in as treasurer. “Sure, that’s an option,” he acknowledged.

Lungren, who expects to make up his mind next week, was forced to consider his options after the Senate on Thursday narrowly rejected Gov. George Deukmejian’s appointment of him to succeed the late Jesse M. Unruh. The Assembly approved Lungren.

“I had always assumed that we would get both houses of the Legislature to confirm so we wouldn’t have this question,” Lungren said.

There is disagreement over whether both houses must approve Lungren as treasurer, and the courts are expected to be asked to resolve the issue.

Uncertainty over the outcome of a court battle adds a new twist to the campaign for Lungren’s congressional seat. Even before Thursday’s action by the Legislature, two Republican assemblymen--Dennis Brown of Signal Hill and Gerald N. Felando of San Pedro--withdrew as potential candidates.

On Friday, four of the remaining potential candidates, including Wieder, said they would stay in the race even if Lungren files his reelection papers by the March 11 deadline. They indicated that they would drop out should Lungren lose his court case and seek reelection.

Melissa Warren, a spokeswoman for Secretary of State March Fong Eu, said Eu believes that if Lungren is sworn in as state treasurer he “must indeed resign his congressional seat.”

Lungren’s 42nd District stretches from Torrance and the Palos Verdes Peninsula south through Long Beach and western Orange County. Lungren, who first won the seat in 1978, coasted to reelection in 1986 in the solidly Republican district.

Of the five prospective contenders for the seat, probably the best known is Wieder, who was taking a wait-and-see attitude. “If he (Lungren) puts his name on the ballot, I’ll see what my alternatives are to keep in the race,” she said. “One of them is to file by March 11 to keep a spot to give voters a chance to vote for me if need be.

“Of course, if he’s on the ballot to get reelected, I would throw my support to him,” Wieder said.

Wieder has a $500-a-plate dinner planned for March 10 and said her fund raising has been unaffected by events in Sacramento. She also said she met last week with a group of community leaders in Palos Verdes Estates who indicated they would support her.

“So I’ve got a campaign and we’ll see what direction it goes in,” Wieder said.

However, another potential candidate, Robert Welbourn, a former Palos Verdes Estates councilman, said “it is extremely difficult to generate” enthusiasm from donors “when people are up in the air about what’s going to happen.” Welbourn said he would refund contributions if he drops out of the contest.

Dana Rohrabacher, a presidential speech writer, also said his fund-raising is being hampered by doubts over whether Lungren will be a congressional candidate.

Andrew Littlefair of Torrance said he was sending letters to supporters asking for contributions. Littlefair is a former Reagan campaign aide and assistant to Texas oilman and corporate takeover artist T. Boone Pickens.

A fifth potential candidate, Stephen Horn, former president of Cal State Long Beach, could not be reached for comment.

Times political writer Claudia Luther contributed to this story from Orange County.