Bucked Up by Reaction, Ward Still Spurns All Donations

When Baxter Ward became a politician again Thursday morning, he walked right past his hotel suite crammed with reporters and cameramen.

“I thought it was somebody else’s press conference,” Ward said later. “I was afraid no one would come. I was relieved.”

But the former county supervisor with a broadcaster’s velvety voice and the look of a professor emeritus discovered he could still command attention. He is, after all, a political anachronism--as demonstrated when he announced how he hopes to knock off his old nemesis, Supervisor Mike Antonovich, in the Nov. 8 election.

Ward said he will accept no contributions and seek no endorsements. And, after he pays for the hotel room used for the news conference, he said, he doesn’t intend to spend any more of his own money--except to buy a roll of 22-cent stamps to mail back any contributions he receives.

Another new entry to the 5th Supervisorial District race is Jules Kimmett, 69, a custodian from Burbank and a perennial candidate.

Another Candidate

Ward’s political strategy is almost identical to his 1980 game plan, which blew up in his face when Antonovich thrashed the two-term incumbent at the polls by a margin of 55% to 45%. Ward spurned most contributions in his reelection bid, whereas Antonovich spent hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“I need the money, but I refuse it because I think it’s important to remain independent,” said Ward, once considered the board’s maverick. “I think this might be the year of the backlash. I want to test it.”

Ward, who intends to make campaign contributions a central issue, accused the 48-year-old supervisor, who has nearly $750,000 in his campaign war chest, of selling his office to the highest bidders.

“I doubt he will vote ‘no’ on a single issue affecting a campaign contributor,” said Ward, 68, a retired television broadcaster from Tarzana.

Antonovich, denying that he is “beholden to any vested interest,” said he was not impressed by Ward’s tactics.

Used ‘Gimmick’ Before

“He used that gimmick when he ran before,” Antonovich said, “and he was defeated.”

Ward is entering an already crowded nonpartisan race. Besides Ward, there are eight challengers, most of whom are running at the urging of a homeowners coalition fueled by the area’s slow-growth movement.

Dick Hubbard, leader of the Coalition for Planned Growth and Responsive Government, said he thinks Ward’s participation will heighten voters’ awareness of the issues.

“He will generate the interest for people to take a look at Antonovich’s record, which is a disaster,” Hubbard said.

The showdown for Antonovich and his opponents will be the June 7 primary. Antonovich will need 50% of the vote to avoid a November runoff with the second-place finisher.

At the news conference, reporters wanted to know whether Ward thought voters might laugh at him for running such an unorthodox race.

“Thats a danger everybody who gets up to brush their teeth faces,” Ward replied.

Kimmett, an outspoken critic at Burbank City Council meetings, is the chairman of the two-member Concerned Citizens Committee of Burbank. He has unsuccessfully run for governor and the Burbank council.