Local Elections : Wirth Soft-Pedaling Democratic Stance in Tough Challenge to Incumbent Felando

Assemblyman Gerald N. Felando is confident about the outcome of next Tuesday’s election in the 51st Assembly District, but that hasn’t stopped Democratic challenger Mark Wirth.

As the campaign enters its final weekend, Wirth, a two-term Torrance city councilman, concedes that he is fighting an uphill battle.

The district, which hugs the coast from Manhattan Beach to the edge of San Pedro and includes Torrance and Lomita, is solidly Republican in voter registration and history.

Felando, a five-term lawmaker from San Pedro, has survived every election challenge he has faced during his 10-year political career, including a bitterly contested GOP primary fight last spring against the son of Los Angeles County Supervisor Deane Dana.

In an effort to buck the district’s long-established allegiance to Republicans, none of Wirth’s last-minute mailers mention that he’s a Democrat.

Wirth’s mailers accuse Felando of being on the wrong side of quality-of-life issues such as the environment. To bolster that claim, he points to Felando’s environmental voting record, which the California League of Conservation Voters considers one of the worst in the Assembly.

Would Not Debate

He complains about Felando’s declining to participate in any debates. “He’s hiding. He’s just riding on the (Republican) registration and my lack of resources,” Wirth said. “If he came out and debated, he’d hurt himself.”

Felando defends his performance in office and takes Wirth’s attacks in stride. “I’m very confident,” he said in an interview Thursday.

To blunt Wirth’s attacks on his environmental record, Felando has accused the Torrance councilman of supporting development projects that have aggravated already serious traffic problems.

Unlike Wirth, who stresses environmental concerns, Felando believes voters are more worried about gangs, drugs and crime.

Throughout his legislative career, Felando, 53, has cultivated an image of a tough-on-crime lawmaker. In the just-concluded legislative session, he authored a bill to crack down on gangs by establishing a strike force in the attorney general’s office.

Felando is still angry that Gov. George Deukmejian, a fellow Republican, vetoed the measure. “I think the governor made a serious error,” Felando said, vowing to try to enact the bill next year.

Governor’s Endorsement

Ironically, it was Deukmejian’s endorsement that helped Felando win last spring’s Republican primary against Deane Dana III.

Wirth said a state strike force “may be the correct approach,” but he suggested that Felando might have better luck if he talked to interested parties before the measure was sent to the governor. He noted that district attorneys in the state opposed the measure, which was the reason cited by the governor for vetoing it.

Both candidates agree that local law enforcement agencies should have the financial resources to fight crime. They both favor the death penalty, but differ over gun control. Wirth favors waiting periods before firearms can be purchased.

Felando said he wants to use the U.S. military to intercept drugs. Wirth favors providing more resources to the Coast Guard. Both favor a zero-tolerance program to seize the assets of drug dealers. Felando also wants to target drug users.

They support anti-drug education programs in the schools, although Wirth said “the ultimate responsibility for kids staying off drugs” rests with their parents.

Disagree on Environment

On environmental issues, the two part company.

In the 1987 session, Felando voted with environmentalists 22% of the time, down from 30% a year earlier, according to the League of Conservation Voters.

Wirth opposes offshore oil drilling and rejects Felando’s claim that he always has opposed drilling in Santa Monica Bay.

While running for reelection two years ago, Felando said he supported offshore oil drilling--including placing platforms in Santa Monica Bay. But today, Felando opposes such drilling and calls Wirth “a liar” for suggesting otherwise. He said there isn’t enough oil under the bay to make drilling worthwhile.

Felando said decisions about drilling elsewhere off the California coast should rest with local communities. But last year, he voted against legislation to protect the coastline off Mendocino and Humboldt counties.

On transportation issues, Wirth and Felando agree that a gasoline tax increase is needed to pay for highway and transit improvements.

Felando’s voting record has earned high marks from business groups. The California Chamber of Commerce said the GOP lawmaker voted correctly on 20 of 25 issues this year, an 80% positive rating.

On education issues, the two agree that South Bay school districts need financial assistance to deal with declining enrollments.

Wirth criticized Felando for getting involved last year in the divisive battle over an effort to close Miraleste High School in Rancho Palos Verdes.

Felando initially called for a state audit of the Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District’s finances and management, siding with parents who wanted to secede from the district and keep the school open. Later, Felando said he was not in favor of dividing the district. Today, he said he is neutral on the issue.

Abortion, AIDS Stances

The two candidates differ over abortion, with Felando opposed and Wirth in favor of women being able to make that choice.

Both support state-funded AIDS research, but take opposite stands on Proposition 102, which would require that anyone who tests positive for the AIDS virus be reported to health authorities. Felando said he favors the ballot measure; Wirth opposes it.

They also disagree on worker safety questions. Felando endorses Deukmejian’s decision to turn the California Occupational Safety and Health program over to the federal government. But Wirth, 38, a communications technician for GTE, wants to revive the state agency.

The two also take opposite positions on problems at the troubled Mobil Oil Corp. refinery in Torrance. Felando said the refinery has had some “unfortunate incidents” but he said he believes Mobil officials have “done everything in their power to run a safe operation.”

Wirth said he favors a new state role in overseeing refineries and he blames the accidents on inexperienced, non-union contract workers at the oil company.

During the primary campaign last spring, challenger Dana often accused Felando of having a “cozy relationship” with the Legislature’s most powerful Democrat, Assembly Speaker Willie Brown of San Francisco.

Felando said he would not rule out voting again for Brown if his reelection to the post was assured. “I wouldn’t insult the speaker, if it’s a done deal,” he said.

Campaign Spending

Felando has raised and spent far more than his challenger this fall.

Campaign finance reports show he received $106,947 between July 1 and Oct. 22, the end of the last reporting period.

He spent $138,042, though much of it was for expenses related to the primary campaign. He sent only one district-wide mailer this fall.

Felando continued to receive most of his contributions from interests including oil companies, beer and wine wholesalers, cable television companies, commercial fishermen, insurance companies, medical and dental groups, utilities and developers.

Wirth had raised $21,365 through Oct. 22 and spent $15,757. Labor unions were his biggest contributors, along with developers and Torrance municipal employees.

A PROFILE OF THE 51ST DISTRICT

Party Registration, 1988 Republican 98,890 51.9% Democrat 70,170 36.8% Independents 18,144 9.5% American Independent 1,983 1.1% Libertarian 819 .4% Peace and Freedom 412 .2% Other Parties 253 .1% Total 190,671 100.0%

Population--1980 Census* White 264,519 87.7% Asian 22,305 7.4% Other 11,959 4.0% Black 2,867 .9% Total 301,650 100.0%

* The 1980 Census does not include a separate category for Latinos, who make up 7.2% or 21,694, of the district’s population. Communities Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach, Torrance, Lomita, Palos Verdes Peninsula, part of San Pedro Candidates Democrat: Mark Wirth, Torrance city councilman Republican: Gerald N. Felando, incumbent Sources: U.S. Census, Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder