Ward to Enter Race Against Antonovich

Baxter Ward, a former Los Angeles County supervisor who developed a reputation as a maverick during his 8-year tenure, wants his old job back.

At a news conference today, Ward is expected to announce that he will run in the June primary against Supervisor Mike Antonovich, who defeated him in 1980.

Ward, 68, a former longtime television broadcaster who lives in Tarzana, said he felt compelled to enter the 5th Supervisorial District race because he believes Antonovich is allowing his campaign contributors to influence his votes.

Ward accused Antonovich of accepting countless contributions from developers in return for consistently voting in favor of construction projects--which, Ward maintained, only serves to congest the county’s freeways, sewers and schools.

“I feel very strongly about the . . . influence of campaign contributions,” said Ward, who had disappeared from the political arena in recent years. “They are the greatest single evil in government on any level.”

Antonovich, the two-term incumbent, confidently predicted in an interview that he would win in June and denounced Ward for “character assassination.”

“It’s been his style in government to attack people recklessly instead of solving problems,” Antonovich said. “There are too many problems to be solved. We don’t need character assassination and demagoguery.”

The danger of campaign contributions was an issue Ward raised frequently as a two-term supervisor and the issue apparently contributed to his defeat. While in office, Ward said, he refused contributions of more than $45 and accepted no money from developers.

Ward declined to change his tactics when Antonovich, a former schoolteacher and state legislator, buried him in a blizzard of aggressive television commercials in the 1980 campaign.

Ward said he will accept no campaign contributions for the already crowded June 7 primary race. So far, seven candidates--urged to enter the race by a grass-roots coalition of homeowner activists angry at Antonovich’s development policies--have announced they will challenge Antonovich in the nonpartisan contest.

A Republican campaign consultant, who asked to remain anonymous, predicted Ward’s policy on campaign donations will handicap him. He also said it is too early to say whether Ward will be remembered, except by older longtime residents.

But the consultant said Ward’s entry into the race should heighten the possibility of a November runoff.

“Anybody would reasonably have to say putting in a former incumbent increases the chances of a runoff,” he said.

Antonovich, who has accused the seven announced challengers of being supported by fringe-element homeowners, said he is proud of his record and will rely on endorsements from Gov. George Deukmejian, Sheriff Sherman Block and other politicians and groups in the district.

Ward said he will not join the homeowner coalition, called the Coalition for Planned Growth and Responsive Government, but he called their goals “honorable” and “lofty.”

“I don’t want any obligation to anyone,” Ward said.

The former supervisor said that, if he survives the primary, he will consider taking small contributions from supporters. He would not speculate on his chances.

Ward said his campaign will consist of appearances at community functions and, he hopes, debates with Antonovich.

The seven previously announced challengers to Antonovich are Sally Chase Clark, 48, of Canyon Country; Don Wallace, 47, of Calabasas; Peter O’Neil, 25, of Pasadena; Glenn Bailer, 32, of Encino; Jose Galvan, 45, of Sylmar; Robert N. Benjamin, 41, of Glendale; and Martin A.C. Enriquez-Marquez, 27, of Pasadena.

Antonovich, 48, needs 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff.