Gallegly Bets on Force of Incumbency : Campaign Avoids Mentioning Unconventional Challenger Korman in GOP Primary

In his first campaign brochure, freshman Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley) included a photo of himself disembarking from Air Force One with President Reagan. And as the race hit the home stretch last week, Gallegly summoned Reagan’s would-be heir to his defense.

Seeking to fend off a well-financed Republican primary challenge by Newbury Park developer Sang Korman, Gallegly, 44, hit the radio airwaves last week with $8,000 worth of 60-second ads featuring Vice President George Bush singing his praises.

“Elton is a respected and energetic leader for the 21st District, and he reflects the true Republican spirit,” Bush says of the ex-Simi Valley mayor. “I ask you to vote for my good friend.”

Reflects Strategy

The ad reflects Gallegly’s strategy: wrap yourself in the mantle of Reagan and his No. 2 man in a district that the President carried with 72% of the vote in 1984; stress your first-term record and don’t mention your opponent. Political professionals believe this formula will produce an overwhelming victory in the staunchly Republican, suburban district.

“You have to give Republicans a reason to replace an incumbent in the primary,” said GOP pollster Arnold Steinberg, who is not affiliated with either campaign. “You can’t just say, ‘I’m a little bit better.’ That doesn’t work.”

Recent history bears Steinberg out. Only two incumbent congressmen in California have lost primaries in the past decade, and both were embroiled in well-publicized scandals. Moreover, Korman, 51, is a most unconventional candidate.

An immigrant from South Korea who has become a U.S. citizen and millionaire in the past eight years, he has mounted a challenge with his own open checkbook, shoe leather and irrepressible energy. But he has had to overcome his previous minimal political and community involvement, choppy English and lack of a base of support within the district.

“The good steward has the will to serve, a desire and a duty to employ the personal resources society has made possible to leave society better and stronger,” Korman says in explaining his motivation to run in an unusual 8-page glossy brochure that his campaign sent to 39,000 Republican households.

Charging Gallegly with failing to exhibit leadership, Korman maintains that he would bring much-needed vitality, independence and integrity to Congress. Moreover, he says his knowledge of Asian values, educational methods and trade practices could help make the United States more competitive with the economically powerful Pacific Rim nations.

He has certainly put his resources where his mouth is. He said last week he has lent his long-shot campaign another $40,000, bringing his total investment to $245,000. Overall, he said he expects the campaign to spend $330,000--twice Gallegly’s projected budget. Gallegly, however, maintains his money will buy more voter contact because Korman spent so much on consultants and overhead.

Korman’s fund raising is extraordinary in another respect. The rest of his campaign money has come primarily from fellow Korean-Americans outside the district. Though Korman says he is buoyed by the reception he’s received, this lack of financial support by voters does not bode well for him at the polls.

Largely White District

He also acknowledges that racism could hurt him within the district’s conservative, largely white populace. In a politically risky move, his campaign has emphasized the contrast between his background and that of most voters by including large photos of Korman and highlighting his Asian heritage in brochures.

Gallegly, meanwhile, received a quarter of his money from special interest political action committees, and took numerous donations from real estate developers and contractors. Before going to Congress, he operated a real estate brokerage firm.

Korman’s campaign sought to make an issue of the real estate support with a mailing last week suggesting that, by association, Gallegly was to blame for mounting traffic woes in the district’s fast-growing areas. “A man is known by the company he keeps,” the flyer charged.

A third Republican candidate, David Desko, a catering manager from Canoga Park, has no previous political experience and has raised little money.

The battle for the allegiance of the district’s 161,447 registered Republicans has been unusual. No overriding issues emerged. There were no debates or joint appearances. At times, it seemed the contest was between Gallegly and Bob Lavoie, Korman’s full-time campaign manager, who was quoted more than the candidate, often criticizing Gallegly.

During his first 15 months in office, Gallegly sought to build his identification with voters through an aggressive taxpayer-funded constituent mail program. During the campaign, he has boasted of his near-perfect attendance record, frequent return trips to the district from Washington, prompt response to tens of thousands of constituent letters and assistance to hundreds of individuals who have problems with the federal government.

He also has highlighted his opposition to tax increases and new federal government spending and his support for Reagan’s defense initiatives. As well, he says he supports tougher penalties for criminals, particularly drug dealers.

Gallegly listed as a top first-term accomplishment authorship of the proposed Law Enforcement Officers Death Penalty Act. The measure, introduced on March 30, would empower federal courts to give death sentences for killing federal law enforcement officers.

Korman’s campaign charged that the bill is merely an election-year ploy since it was introduced during the primary race and similar measures have stalled in House committees. Gallegly’s bill was sent to the House subcommittee on criminal justice, where it faces uncertain prospects.

Less uncertain is Gallegly’s record as a vote-getter. In his 1986 GOP primary, he won a surprising 50% of the vote in a three-way contest that included entertainer Bob Hope’s son, Tony, before crushing an under-financed Democratic opponent that November. Gallegly said last week he hopes to do at least as well this year.

His campaign polling indicates he should have no problem. In a telephone survey of 303 registered Republicans within the district conducted for Gallegly by pollster Arthur J. Finkelstein on May 23-25, 51% of the respondents said they would vote for Gallegly, 8% for Korman and 3% for Desko with 37% undecided, said Ben Key, Gallegly’s political consultant. The margin of error was 4.5%.

Korman, who says he has knocked on more than 13,000 doors and has done his own polling, scoffed at Gallegly’s numbers.

“I think I will get around 45,000” votes, Korman said, with typical bravado. “Gallegly will get maybe 22,000.”