1,300 Backers, Pickets Show Up for Fund-Raiser : Some Eat and Cheer, Some Jeer as Antonovich’s Cache Hits $1 Million

For Supervisor Mike Antonovich, Thursday was a lucrative day, even if demonstrators, led by a 16-foot pink kangaroo, tried to ruin it.

In the elegant ballroom of the Century Plaza Hotel, about 1,300 people spent $500 apiece to be at Antonovich’s biggest fund-raiser of the year. Money raised from the event will be deposited in the two-term incumbent’s already fat campaign chest, bringing the total to $1 million.

At this point, Antonovich’s campaign strategists have not decided how much will be needed to ensure his return to his Los Angeles County post in November. He’ll have to beat Baxter Ward, the muckraking former supervisor whom he ousted from office in 1980, along with eight other challengers, who believe he is too cozy with developers.

Ward has vowed not to spend any money in his campaign, which some have characterized as quixotic, and the other opponents have barely raised any at all.

Three of his opponents picketed the fund-raiser Thursday night, along with the kangaroo and about 30 other protesters from a coalition devoted to defeating Antonovich. The supervisor’s guests, waiting in traffic backed up for valet parking, scowled, grinned or tried to ignore the chanting picketers and the kangaroo, which displayed a sign that read: “Who do the developers have in their pouch?”

When Antonovich’s press deputy, Dawson Oppenheimer, drove past the gathering, he waved his hand and joked: “See my friends.”

Glenn Bailey, a conservationist from Encino and one of the supervisor’s opponents, said the protest was organized because people are frustrated with Antonovich’s pro-development policies and “this is one of the few times they can demonstrate it.”

During his 18-minute speech after dinner, Antonovich alluded only vaguely to his critics while he listed his accomplishments.

“It’s easy to take cheap shots, but this is one of the most challenging jobs I’ve ever had,” he said. “It’s many times a seven-day-a-week, 15-hour-a-day job.”

On Friday, the 48-year-old Antonovich said the diverse political crowd at the dinner was proof of his effectiveness and his ability to appeal to constituents of all political stripes.

“The bipartisan representation that I’ve provided in the district has enabled me to solve the problems we encounter,” he said.

Those attending included Sheriff Sherman Block, state Sen. Alan Robbins (D-Van Nuys), Assemblymen Tom Bane (D-Tarzana) and Pat Nolan (R-Glendale), and Republican Assemblywomen Marian W. La Follette of Northridge and Cathie Wright of Simi Valley. Also attending were three Los Angeles city councilmen--Gilbert Lindsay, John Ferraro and Nate Holden--as well as mayors and council members from other cities in the 5th Supervisorial District, which encompasses most of the San Fernando Valley and all of the Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys.

Antonovich’s consultants are still mapping his campaign strategy, but Dick Dornan, the supervisor’s media adviser, said Antonovich will not take the race for granted and will advertise on radio and television.

Dornan said he doesn’t expect the campaign to turn dirty unless Antonovich’s opponents set the mood.

“I don’t like direct attack commercials. . . . We will be on the high road and stay there,” Dornan predicted.