Two Candidates Tie Race for Congress to Reagan Coattails : Former Aide Littlefair Casts His Sights on Bigger Fish

President Reagan had a problem at the first summit meeting with Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev in Geneva in 1985. A young White House advance man named Andrew Littlefair was told to solve it.

Reagan had agreed to feed the goldfish while staying at the posh lakeside chateau of Prince Karim Aga Khan IV, head of the Ismaili sect of Shia Muslims.

Reagan was conscientious about feeding the fish, which belonged to the prince’s young son, but on the morning of his first session with the Soviet leader he discovered one of them was dead.

“Oh my God, he’s belly up,” Reagan shouted.

Former White House Chief of Staff Donald T. Regan writes in his new book that “a big, resourceful Irishman named Andrew Littlefair” was sent to find “two replacements for the deceased goldfish.

“Littlefair succeeded, and a somewhat less guilt-stricken President left a note for the little prince, explaining what had happened and expressing the hope that the new goldfish would be an acceptable substitute. All the other fish survived the presidential feeding.”

Instead of searching for substitute goldfish, Littlefair today is after a bigger catch, a seat in Congress. He is one of eight Republicans on the June 7 primary ballot in the 42nd Congressional District, where winning the GOP nomination has been tantamount to election. The district extends from his hometown of Torrance to Huntington Beach.

Not to be outdone by former White House speech writer Dana Rohrabacher, Littlefair is staking his claim to the Republican nomination on his five years of service to President Reagan.

His campaign headquarters on busy Hawthorne Boulevard in Torrance is filled with mementos of presidential trips to Switzerland, Iceland, Belgium and Grenada that he helped arrange.

Although neither Reagan aide has been endorsed by the President, Littlefair’s campaign mailings emphasize the Reagan connection and feature pictures of Littlefair and Reagan conferring in the Oval Office and aboard Air Force One.

“The President is neutral in the race,” said White House political director Frank Lavin. “You are not going to see a presidential endorsement between Rohrabacher and Littlefair.”

Unlike the more conservative Rohrabacher, the tall, preppie, 27-year-old Littlefair represents the more moderate elements in the Reagan Administration.

Regan and former White House political director Edward J. Rollins are promoting Littlefair’s candidacy and helping to raise money for his campaign.

‘Understands Political Process’

“I know Andrew well,” Regan said in a statement. “I’ve worked with him and am confident of his abilities. . . . He understands the political process and is an outstanding example of the kind of young person needed in Washington. The district couldn’t be better represented.”

Rollins said Littlefair has maintained “better ties” than Rohrabacher to his home area and is “more compatible with the district.”

Littlefair’s congressional bid--his first for elective office--has been given a big financial boost by his most recent boss, T. Boone Pickens, the Texas oilman and corporate takeover artist.

Altogether, Pickens, his political action committee and associates have contributed at least $11,000 of the $164,000 Littlefair has raised thus far in the campaign. Littlefair has loaned his campaign $23,000 from his own savings.

En route to a fund-raiser earlier this month at the Beverly Hills home of builder Ray Watt, Pickens offered an unabashed endorsement of Littlefair’s candidacy. “Andrew would be in the top 10% of the Congress,” Pickens said. “He’s bright, he’s young, he’s energetic, he’s been around. He’s a moxie guy. He’d be a good asset.”

After leaving his post as staff assistant to the President last August, Littlefair spent five months as an executive assistant to Pickens in Amarillo, Tex., before returning to California in January to run for the seat being given up by Rep. Daniel E. Lungren (R-Long Beach). On the ballot, Littlefair is listed as a “corporate executive.”

First to Attack Wieder

He was the first in the thick field of GOP candidates to concentrate his fire on the early front-runner, Orange County Supervisor Harriett Wieder. He accused her of being unable to say no to developers, who have contributed heavily to her political campaigns.

In the congressional campaign’s first hit-mailer, Littlefair charged that Wieder has received more than $160,000 from Orange County developers since 1980 and has consistently voted in favor of development projects. The fold-out mailer opens into a 2-foot-long list of 110 developers who reportedly gave from $150 to the $6,252 listed as a donation from the Irvine Co.

At a recent campaign forum in Huntington Beach, Littlefair said growth, traffic and overdevelopment are the most important issues in the congressional district. He endorsed Measure A, the slow-growth initiative on the June 7 primary ballot in Orange County, saying: “We should not rush out and try to pave over every piece of ground down here.”

In an effort to garner publicity and boost his name recognition with voters, Littlefair last month appeared at an Orange County Board of Supervisors’ meeting and accused Wieder of being pro-development and overseeing “the Los Angeles-ization of Orange County.”

At a candidates’ forum an hour later, Wieder, 67, told Littlefair: “You made a fool of yourself.” She suggested that Littlefair “grow up.”

Wieder has also mocked Littlefair’s role as a White House advance man. “What did he do, sharpen pencils for the President?” she asked.

Positive Theme Lacking

Littlefair’s attacks on Wieder and attempts to capitalize on the slow-growth issue in Orange County so far have prevented him from offering a positive campaign theme.

In an interview, he said the real issue before the voters is leadership, and he wondered aloud, “Why in the world would we want to send (Wieder) to Washington?”

Despite his youth and lack of experience in elective office, Littlefair insists that he has the maturity to be a member of Congress.

He points to his tenure as student senate president at USC, where he received his bachelor’s degree in political science in 1983 and won the university’s service award for a graduating senior.

After graduating, he joined the Reagan Administration, then the 1984 presidential campaign staff, assisting in arranging campaign events and presidential travel.

Those who knew Littlefair in the White House speak well of him.

Even a Reagan speech writer and Rohrabacher supporter had good things to say about Littlefair, describing him as “an extremely competent, good-natured young man, earnest and hard-working.”

Littlefair supporter James Lake, Reagan campaign spokesman in 1980 and 1984, said the candidate has the “instincts, judgment and maturity” to be a congressman and is respected for his energy, thoroughness and grasp of problems. “He gets high marks, is well regarded and gets the job done,” Lake said.

‘Professional to Core’

Privately, another Reagan aide said Littlefair’s age is “probably his biggest downside,” although he is “very mature and professional to the core.”

Littlefair, who is partial to monogrammed shirts, says he is a conservative Republican, although his political experience has been with more moderate Republicans, including former Assemblywoman Marilyn Ryan (R-Rancho Palos Verdes) and Torrance Mayor Katy Geissert, who has endorsed his candidacy.

He says the federal budget deficit must be addressed, but has offered few specific areas to cut government spending, other than ending subsidies for the tobacco and dairy industries.

“I don’t think that the first response is to raise taxes,” he said. “I don’t buy that we’ve cut as much as we can.”

Littlefair said he believes the federal government should play “a role in providing for some people who can’t provide for themselves.” He supports help for the homeless, expanded research to combat the AIDS epidemic and protection of Social Security benefits for seniors.

In a congressional district heavily dependent on defense spending, Littlefair favors the President’s defense buildup but wants to ensure that defense spending is well-planned and efficient.

And on trade, another key economic issue, he favors getting “tough with our trading partners” but says that placing tariffs and restrictions on other countries is “not going to create a healthy business environment here.”

“Ronald Reagan is a conservative with conservative principles who works within the system and is pragmatic,” Littlefair said. “I’m a conservative that knows you have to be pragmatic.”