10 for Congress

The most notable characteristic of California’s 45-member delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives is its stability, a result of gerrymandered House district lines drawn in the last 20 years. With so many House members running from safe seats, there has been very little turn-over in the delegation. Among the 45 delegation members, only three are not seeking reelection this year. In the two open races in Southern California, Republicans are overwhelmingly favored to win the secure GOP seats.

When incumbents easily win reelection, they move up the vital ladder of seniority into important chairmanships and other positions of leadership. Twenty years ago, when California’s delegation in the House became the nation’s largest, it lacked both distinction and clout. That has now changed.

Three California members hold committee chairmanships, and a number of others head subcommittees and are working their way into important leadership positions. Most of these are Democrats for two obvious reasons: Since the House is controlled by Democrats--and will be next year, barring the most unexpected of all upsets--Democrats hold all the chairmanships of committees and subcommittees. Democrats also outnumber Republicans by 27 to 18 on the California delegation, and generally have been in office longer.

Seniority is not the only test of good service, however. Southern California’s most hotly contested congressional race is in the 19th District of Santa Barbara and Ventura counties. In that race, we support Democratic state Sen. Gary K. Hart of Santa Barbara over incumbent Republican Rep. Robert J. Lagomarsino of Ojai, a former state senator who was first elected to Congress in a special election in 1974. Lagomarsino has been an especially faithful follower of Ronald Reagan’s foreign policy, serving as a point man in the House for aid to the Contras. We believe that the 19th District, which includes President Reagan’s ranch, would benefit from the energy and creativity of Hart, who has been a leader in shaping forward-looking state education and environmental law.

Another potentially close race is in the 36th District, where veteran Democrat George E. Brown Jr. of Colton merits another term over Republican challenger John Paul Stark. Brown, first elected in 1972, is an unabashed liberal in an increasingly conservative district. But he has been especially important to California for his tireless efforts on the Agriculture and Science, Space and Technology committees and in behalf of environmental and arms-control issues.

There is no contest in most other Southern California congressional elections, but there are a number of outstanding House members who merit special consideration:

20th District--Rep. William M. Thomas , Republican of Bakersfield, is not a spectacular member of Congress, but since his election in 1978 he has become known as one of the GOP’s leading political tacticians. He is adept at forging practical compromises, and currently is a member of the House Budget Committee.

23rd District--Rep. Anthony C. Beilenson , Democrat of Los Angeles, is a member of the critical House Rules Committee and the Intelligence Committee. Not a flashy, out-front lawmaker, Beilenson has become a key player in House operations. He was an author of legislation creating the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, and is in the forefront of efforts to obtain federal funds to buy private land within the designated recreation area.

24th District--Rep. Henry A. Waxman , Democrat of Los Angeles, is recognized as one of the House’s most able legislators. He has used his chairmanship of the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on health and the environment to promote strong clean-air and acid-rain legislation, AIDS research and a number of other health programs.

25th District--Rep. Edward R. Roybal , Democrat of Los Angeles, first elected in 1962, is chairman of Congress’ Select Committee on Aging and a senior member of the important Appropriations Committee.

28th District--Rep. Julian C. Dixon , Democrat of Los Angeles, an outstanding member whose chief characteristics, according to the Almanac of American Politics, are “quietness and thoroughness.” He has been effective in many ways, never more so than as chairman of the House Ethics Committee, a congressional hot seat whose job is to discipline wayward members.

29th District--Rep . Augustus F. Hawkins , Democrat of Los Angeles, the senior black legislator in the United States, first elected to the House in 1962, and chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee. Hawkins is perhaps best known as a co-author of the Humphrey-Hawkins employment act of 1978.

32nd District--Rep. Glenn M. Anderson , Democrat of San Pedro, the recently elected chairman of the House Public Works and Transportation Committee, is critical to Southern California in matters like highways, ports and airports.

35th District--Rep. Jerry Lewis, Republican of Redlands, has built a reputation as an effective, pragmatic legislator since winning election in 1978. Lewis is chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee, and is a candidate for election as chairman of the Republican Caucus in the 101st Congress, making him the third-ranking GOP leader.