70th, 64th Assembly Races : Ferguson and Johnson Appear Sure Winners

Assemblyman Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach), holding off a challenge from Newport Beach Councilwoman Evelyn Hart and Laguna Beach environmentalist Michael Mang, in early returns Tuesday appeared to be headed toward victory in the 70th District Republican primary.

The winner will face San Juan Capistrano Democrat Michael Gallups in the fall.

In the county’s only other contested Assembly race, incumbent Ross Johnson (R-La Habra) was easily defeating Ron Newton of Fullerton for the Republican nomination in the 64th District, where the winner will face Democrat Donald Heuer of Fullerton in the fall.

In state Senate primaries, Donald Knabe of Cerritos was leading Maggie Vineyard of Hawaiian Gardens for the Republican nomination to face Sen. Cecil N. Green (D-Norwalk) in the 33rd District. Janice Graham of Laguna Hills was leading Stan Caress of West Covina for the Democratic nomination in the 31st District, where the victor will challenge Republican Sen. William Campbell of Hacienda Heights in the general election.

None of the other Orange County legislative primaries were contested. Here is how the fall lineup for those races will look:

In the 35th Senate District, which stretches from Anaheim to Newport Beach, incumbent John Seymour (R-Anaheim) will run against Democrat Mike Balmages of Santa Ana and Peace and Freedom candidate Maxine Quirk of Orange.

In the 37th Senate District, Marian Bergeson (R-Newport Beach) will run against Democrat Pat McCabe of Huntington Beach and Libertarian J. Mark Sugars of Irvine.

The district reaches from Huntington Beach to San Clemente along the coast and inland to include parts of Riverside and San Diego counties and all of Imperial County.

In the 58th Assembly District, Dennis L. Brown (R-Signal Hill) will defend his seat against Democrat Andrew Kincaid of Long Beach; Richard Green of Long Beach, the Peace and Freedom candidate, and Scott Stier of Huntington Beach, a Libertarian.

The district includes Seal Beach and Sunset Beach, and parts of Rossmoor, Westminster and Huntington Beach.

In the 67th District, John R. Lewis (R-Orange) will run against lawyer Bruce Fink, a Santa Ana Democrat. The district stretches from Anaheim to Irvine and east to the Riverside County line.

In the 69th District, Assemblyman Nolan Frizzelle (R-Huntington Beach) faces Democrat Marie H. Fennell of Huntington Beach. The district includes parts of Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa, El Toro, Garden Grove, Irvine, Newport Beach, Santa Ana, Westminster and Tustin.

In the 71st Assembly District, incumbent Doris Allen (R-Cypress) will face Art Brown, a Buena Park Democrat. The district includes parts of Anaheim, Buena Park, Garden Grove, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Rossmoor and Westminster.

In the 72nd District, first-term Assemblyman Richard E. Longshore (R-Santa Ana) will run against Democrat Christian F. Thierbach of Santa Ana. In the 74th District, incumbent Robert C. Frazee (R-Carlsbad) will face Democrat James S. Melville of San Clemente and businessman John Flanagan, a Libertarian from Carlsbad.