California Elections : State’s Hot Political Property: 45 ‘Safe’ Seats in Congress

When Washington political hounds think of California, they ignore the beaches, graceful coast, redwoods and famous mountains. By Potomac standards, the most commanding feature is the state’s 45 seats in Congress, some of the choicest electoral property in the land.

Careful drawing of district lines has ensured that most anyone lucky enough to hold one of the 45 seats is “safe,” in the lingo of campaign consultants. There are Democratic districts and Republican districts, but few where the party preference wavers from year to year. As a result, voters seldom turn out an incumbent from California.

“We’ve had only one seat switch parties since reapportionment,” said Robert Naylor, chairman of the state Republican Party.

Still, the new President who takes office next January will find the California delegation--the largest in the House--somewhat altered from Ronald Reagan’s years. Democrats hold a 27-18 edge now and should keep their comfortable majority, and the delegation will remain an eclectic mix of liberal Democrats, moderates of both parties and Republicans as conservative as any in Congress. The group includes an economist, a rancher, a liberal former FBI agent, two former lieutenant governors and a congressman who includes “store manager--Heavenly Donuts” on his list of lifetime accomplishments.

Two Giving Up Seats

But two Southern California Republicans loyal to Reagan are stepping aside, unleashing a rush to fill their vacancies that offers convincing evidence of how political insiders value the safe California districts.

Twenty Republicans are running in the June 7 primary elections to replace Rep. Robert E. Badham of Newport Beach, who is retiring from politics, and Rep. Daniel E. Lungren of Long Beach, who is quitting Congress to pursue his legal battle to be seated as state treasurer. Badham’s 40th District covers the heart of Orange County, and Lungren’s 42nd District ranges from Torrance and Long Beach over the Los Angeles County line into Orange County.

No incumbents who want to stay face trouble serious enough to warrant writing their political obituary, but two Republicans will have to fight tenaciously to keep their seats.

In the citrus-growing valleys and coastal plains of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, Rep. Robert J. Lagomarsino is being pressed for the first time in many years by Democratic state Sen. Gary K. Hart of Santa Barbara.

In 1984, the district went solidly for Reagan, whose ranch is in the Santa Barbara County foothills. Lagomarsino usually glides to easy wins against weak Democrats, but Hart is more formidable than the others and began campaigning early.

Hart’s term in the state Senate is not up this year, so there is little political risk for him. Neither he nor Lagomarsino, an 18-year House veteran, has an opponent within his own party so they have until November to collect money and fight it out.

On the peninsula south of San Francisco, Rep. Ernie Konnyu (R-Saratoga), a blunt-speaking, conservative elected to the House two years ago, is fighting for survival in a June 7 primary clash between different styles within the Republican Party.

Konnyu’s first term has been marked by controversy over staff defections and accusations that he made sexual remarks to two women aides and caused a ruckus in a Washington restaurant by touching the knee of a woman lobbyist.

The district has a history of electing moderate-to-liberal Republicans to Congress. It is the home of former Rep. Pete McCloskey, the maverick Republican who ran against President Richard M. Nixon in 1972 and who, more recently, campaigned to expose what he said was a phony war record claimed by GOP presidential candidate Pat Robertson. After McCloskey, the district elected Ed Zschau, a moderate who often strayed from the Reagan line and whose strength was in the high-technology of the so-called Silicon Valley in the Palo Alto area.

Two years ago, when Zschau stepped down to run for the U.S. Senate, Konnyu was elected in a victory for Republicans who thought McCloskey and Zschau were too liberal. Konnyu does not hail from the high-powered Silicon Valley and Stanford academic communities that favored McCloskey and Zschau. Instead, Konnyu had served six years in the state Assembly from a more suburban, less wealthy section of the district where Republicans who don’t follow the Reagan line are suspect.

Konnyu is opposed by a Stanford law professor, Tom Campbell, who has the backing of McCloskey and Zschau and some of Konnyu’s former aides. Campbell was once a Democrat who voted for George McGovern, but he has also picked up the endorsement of Kay Naylor, wife of the state Republican chairman.

Major Battle

In Orange County the scramble to replace Badham--with 12 Republicans in the primary--is one of the most contested congressional races in the state’s history.

The leading contenders are Irvine Councilman C. David Baker, who has been endorsed by Badham, Newport Beach businessman Nathan Rosenberg, Badham’s 1986 opponent, and former senior assistant White House Counsel C. Christopher Cox of Newport Beach. All are 35 years old.

Though the three have tried hard to distinguish themselves from each other, and have been visibly annoyed when they are lumped together, there is little in the way of issues to distinguish them. They mostly support Reagan Administration policies on defense, the budget and foreign policy.

That has left an issues vacuum which has been filled to some degree by personalities. In the most dramatic instance, a long-simmering rumor about Baker allegedly engaging in an adulterous affair surfaced when an unidentified man confronted him with the accusation at a candidates forum in Newport Beach. There was widespread speculation that the man, who fled down Pacific Coast Highway after the confrontation, was sent by one of the other candidates. But so far there is no proof of that.

Baker has refused to respond directly to the allegations of adultery, saying only that he and his wife had been “through some tough times” but now are “more committed to each other than ever.”

Voter Survey

What the effect of the charges will be on the race is anybody’s guess. A survey taken by one of the candidates indicated that 73% of the voters questioned would be less likely to vote for someone who was having an adulterous affair. But the survey also found that they would be 65% less likely to vote for the candidate who raised such an issue against another, and the other candidates have been trying to distance themselves from the incident.

In the sweepstakes to replace Lungren, the front-runner had appeared to be Harriett M. Wieder, the chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors.

But Wieder’s campaign was rocked last week by the revelation that for many years she asserted in resumes that she held a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Wayne State University in Detroit. Under pressure, Wieder admitted that she had never attended college.

Wieder tried to minimize the damage by saying that she allowed an error made by someone else to perpetuate itself because she was “ashamed” of not having a degree. But Tuesday her campaign suffered another blow when a transcript of a deposition she gave last October revealed that she had claimed under oath to hold the bachelor’s degree from Wayne State. That turned a fib into a lie, and is expected to gravely harm her campaign.

Besides Wieder, the top contenders to replace Lungren are Cal State Long Beach President Stephen Horn, 56, former White House speech writer Dana Rohrabacher, 40, of Palos Verdes Estates, and Andrew Littlefair, 27, of Torrance, a former White House advance man who later worked for corporate takeover expert T. Boone Pickens.

Rohrabacher, who revealed Wieder’s fib, and Littlefair have been trying to top each other’s identification with Reagan. As for Horn, he is well known in the district from his years as president of Cal State Long Beach. But some of his image may be negative now that he is stepping down in June after a public confrontation over the school’s budget with California State University Chancellor W. Ann Reynolds.

Development Issue

Horn and Littlefair have also been jabbing Wieder in what appears to be her most vulnerable spot on the issues--her support for increased development in traffic-choked Orange County during 10 years on the Board of Supervisors. She has not been helped by a recent recall threat by the leader of the county’s slow-growth movement, Tom Rogers.

Wieder’s age, 67, also has been raised, although no one questions her vigor or her grasp of local issues. But several of the candidates question whether she would remain in Congress long enough to build up the seniority that builds clout in Congress.

Another Republican who faces a June challenge is Rep. Elton Gallegly of Simi Valley, in his first term as the replacement for Bobbi Fiedler, who did not seek reelection in 1986. Gallegly’s main opponent, Sang Korman, is a wealthy businessman who is spending a lot of money.

But Korman, whose name may invoke memories of the longtime Democrat whom Fiedler ousted in 1980, Jim Corman, is faced with trying to dislodge an incumbent who was strong enough two years ago to defeat Bob Hope’s son. Gallegly has also succeeded in attaching his star to Reagan, good strategy in a district that voted 72% for the President in 1984 and where the Reagan Library will be built.

Republican leaders would rather see some of the state’s Democrats endure all the intra-party friction, but only two incumbents face any kind of measurable challenges by other Democrats.

Monterey Park Area

Rep. Matthew G. Martinez (D-Montebello), who rose from the Monterey Park City Council to the state Assembly and then to Congress as the beneficiary of the political ambitions of Rep. Howard Berman (D-Panorama City), is opposed in June by the former mayor of Monterey Park, Lily Chen.

Republican officials in Washington and Sacramento are watching to see how much bruising these Democrats do to each other’s reputations in the primary. By registration, the district that ranges along the Los Angeles River east and south of downtown has a sizable Democratic leaning, but the voters preferred Reagan to Walter Mondale in 1984, and some Republicans think the district could be ripe to switch parties in November.

CONGRESSIONAL PRIMARY BATTLES Democrats, who now hold a 27-18 edge in the California congressional delegation, should keep their comfortable majority, but there are interesting challenges in two area districts being vacated by Republicans.

Rep. Robert E. Badham,

R-Newport Beach

His announced retirement has drawn 12 Republican challengers. Among the leading candidates:

Irvine Councilman C. David Baker,who has been endorsed by Badham.

Nathan Rosenberg, businessman

and Badham’s 1986 opponent.

Newport Beach Councilman C. Christoper Cox, ex-White House aide.

Rep. Daniel E. Lungren,

R-Long Beach

He wants to pursue a legal battle to become state treasurer. Among the leading candidates to replace him:

Harriett M. Wieder, chairman

Orange County Board of Supervisors.

Stephen Horn, President of Cal State Long Beach.

Dana Rohrabacher, Palos Verdes Estates, ex-White House writer.

Andrew Littlefair, of Torrance,former White House advance man.

Other Races of Note

In the peninsula south of San Francisco, Rep. Ernie Konnyu (R-Saratoga), is fighting for survival against liberal Republicans. Opposing him are Republican Stanford law professor, Tom Campbell, who has the backing of former Reps. Paul McCloskey and Ed Zschau.

In Simi Valley, Republican Rep. Elton Gallegly, in his first term as the replacement for Bobbi Fiedler, who did not seek reelection in 1986. Gallegly’s main primary opponent, Sang Korman, is a wealthy businessman who is spending a lot of money.

Rep. Matthew G. Martinez (D-Montebello) is opposed by the former mayor of Monterey Park, Lily Chen, a Democrat.