Floyd Treasury 3 Times Larger Than Bookhammer’s : South Bay Incumbents Lead Challengers in Raising Campaign Funds

Incumbent South Bay lawmakers raised far more money during the summer quarter and have more cash on hand for the fall campaigns than their challengers, according to the latest campaign finance statements filed this week with the secretary of state’s office.

Assemblyman Richard E. Floyd (D-Hawthorne), who faces an increasingly nasty reelection battle, had more than three times as much in his campaign treasury as Republican challenger Charles Bookhammer.

Floyd reported that he had $39,668 in cash at the close of the filing period last Friday contrasted with $11,062 for Bookhammer, a Hawthorne city councilman.

Bitter Battle

The two candidates are in a bitter battle for control of the 53rd Assembly District, a traditionally Democratic area that includes the working-class communities of Hawthorne, Gardena, Carson, Lawndale, Harbor Gateway and Dominguez.

Floyd, a four-term veteran, reported that he raised $145,100 in cash and in-kind contributions during the period from July 1 through Sept. 30, bringing his year-to-date total to $337,802. He listed $22,110 in loans outstanding.

Bookhammer raised $82,836 in cash and non-monetary contributions during the summer quarter, boosting his cumulative total to $100,418, but nearly half of it, $47,981, were non-cash, in-kind contributions. He reported $3,500 in loans outstanding.

Floyd reported spending $163,318 during the summer quarter, while Bookhammer spent $39,979.

Incumbents’ Edge

The quarterly campaign finance statements demonstrate the power of incumbent legislators to obtain large campaign contributions from their legislative colleagues and powerful special interests in Sacramento.

In the summer quarter Floyd received $19,417 in non-monetary contributions from the Assembly Democrats campaign committee controlled by Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco). He also collected $15,000 in cash from Assemblyman Jack O’Connell (D-Carpinteria), $10,000 from the California Democratic Party, $2,000 from Sen. Ralph C. Dills (D-Gardena), and $1,000 from Attorney General John Van de Kamp.

The California Trial Lawyers Assn., which is in an expensive statewide referendum battle with the insurance industry, donated $10,000 to help Floyd beat Bookhammer, an insurance broker.

Floyd has also tapped a traditional Democratic fund-raising source--organized labor, receiving $42,450 last quarter from a variety of unions and police officer associations.

He also received money from industry and professional groups, including $4,500 last quarter from the California Medical Assn., $2,500 from California Society of Industrial Medicine and Surgery, $2,500 from the National Rifle Assn., $2,000 from California Beer and Wine Wholesalers, and $2,000 from the California Cable Television Assn.

Challenge Boosted

Tobacco companies also liked the cigar-smoking Floyd. He received $3,000 from the Tobacco Institute, and $1,000 checks from cigarette makers Phillip Morris Companies and R. J. Reynolds Tobacco.

To boost the Bookhammer challenge, the Assembly Republican political action committee, headed by Assembly GOP leader Pat Nolan of Glendale, donated $26,077 worth of campaign work, a public opinion poll and yard signs last quarter.

The California Republican Party paid $11,912 for a Bookhammer mailer sent last quarter to Democrats and independent voters in the district.

The Republican candidate said he knows nothing about his largest campaign contributor, Engineered Disposal Systems of South El Monte, which gave $5,000 last quarter. They have no public telephone listing.

A Hayward-based motorcycle group, Bikers Against Discriminatory Legislation, gave Bookhammer $2,000 last quarter, as did Partners Motorcycle Club of Gardena, which contributed $105. Floyd authored a bill, vetoed by Gov. George Deukmejian, which would have required motorcycle riders to wear helmets.

Bookhammer received $1,000 checks from developer Ray Watt and Torrance City Councilman Dan Walker.

Top Hawthorne city officials, including City Manager Kenneth Jue, Police Chief Kenneth Stonebraker, housing Director Warner McGuyre, redevelopment Director Leonard Cormier, Personnel Director Mavis Kitchens and City Planner Michael Goodson, all contributed to Bookhammer. The amounts last quarter ranged from $40 to $253.

51st Assembly District

The advantage of incumbency was also helping Assemblyman Gerald N. Felando (R-San Pedro) achieve a commanding lead in fund-raising over Democratic challenger Mark Wirth in the 51st Assembly District.

The solidly Republican area includes Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach and Redondo Beach plus Torrance, Lomita, the Palos Verdes Peninsula and part of San Pedro.

Felando raised $47,892 during the third quarter, bringing the veteran lawmaker’s total contributions this year to $519,078.

He had $32,296 in cash on hand at the end of the reporting period but listed loans of $71,000 from other Assembly Republicans. The loans were made during a grueling GOP primary fight last spring against Deane Dana III, the son of Los Angeles County Supervisor Deane Dana.

Felando’s largest contributions during the quarter came from special interest political action committees, including $4,500 from the Sunrise Co. of Palm Desert; $3,000 from the California Dental Assn.; $2,000 from Arco, the California Cable Television Assn., the Western Growers Assn., and California Beer and Wine Wholesalers; $1,500 from State Fish Co. of San Pedro, and the Koll Co., a Newport Beach developer, and $1,000 from Mobil Oil.

He listed $65,469 in expenditures during the summer for travel, printing, fund-raising and staff expenses plus a $5,000 contribution to Assemblyman William P. Duplissea (R-San Carlos).

Wirth raised just $1,204 during the quarter, boosting his total for the year to $15,238. The Torrance city councilman had $10,431 on hand for his campaign. His largest contribution of $100 came from Torrance City Attorney Stanley E. Remelmeyer.

During the summer quarter, Wirth spent $9,445 on posters, printing, postage, mailing labels and travel.

29th Senate District

The lop-sided nature of fund-raising was also evident in the 29th state Senate District, where incumbent Sen. Robert G. Beverly (R-Manhattan Beach) had a huge lead in campaign cash over Democratic rival Jack Hachmeister.

The sprawling Republican-dominated state Senate district includes El Segundo, the beach cities, Torrance, Lomita, the Palos Verdes Peninsula, San Pedro, Long Beach and Signal Hill.

Beverly had $407,413 in cash on hand last week contrasted with $928 for Hachmeister.

Campaign reports for the 50th Assembly District, where Assemblyman Curtis R. Tucker (D-Inglewood) faces Republican challenger, Michael Davis, were not available.