GOP Candidates Assess Statewide Pull : Bergeson, Seymour End 1st Fund-Raising Phase

Orange County’s two Republican candidates for lieutenant governor--both searching for a psychological advantage in statewide campaigns they estimate will cost up to $2 million each--Tuesday announced the results of the first phase of fund-raising: State Sen. Marian Bergeson of Newport Beach, $334,000; State Sen. John Seymour of Anaheim, $254,000.

But these figures, which are what each of them had in cash on hand at the end of the reporting period June 30, do not tell the whole story.

The two Republicans’ goal was to show in this first reporting period that they could reach beyond the borders of Orange County for a base of support wide enough to carry a statewide campaign.

In this, Seymour appears to have an early advantage. He raised $350,000, of which he already has spent nearly $100,000, at more than 15 events and numerous “meet-and-greets” throughout the state. This was after beginning the race virtually from scratch, having given away large amounts of money--including $100,000 to President Bush’s campaign last fall--out of his state Senate campaign fund before he announced in February that he would run for lieutenant governor.

“The fact we’re at $350,000, and the fact it came in small amounts and from all over the state, leads me to believe we have, indeed, that statewide base I thought we had and hoped we had,” Seymour said Tuesday.

Bergeson started with $200,000 transferred from her state Senate campaign war chest, and has raised about $160,000 since she announced her candidacy for lieutenant governor at the beginning of May. About $100,000 of that was raised in Orange County, she said.

Still, even though she spent about $25,000 on fund-raising events, Bergeson was left with a healthy balance of $334,000.

“I think that establishes my credibility and the capability of raising the money that’s necessary (for the statewide race),” Bergeson said.

Bergeson’s campaign consultant, Ron Smith, said Bergeson’s campaign fund total is “very good considering our first fund-raiser was June 26.”

Bergeson and Seymour, who are both widely respected moderate Republicans, put many Orange County GOP activists in a bind when they both announced they would run for the same nomination. The winner of the Republican primary will go on to face Democratic incumbent Leo T. McCarthy in the 1990 general election.

The campaign reports themselves are not yet available--they are due to the state on July 30. But both Bergeson and Seymour said they have identified supporters who will help them in their efforts.

Bergeson said she was especially confident that she could build a strong network in the areas she represents--portions of Orange, San Diego and Riverside counties and all of Imperial County--all of which have strong Republican registrations.

As for Seymour, he said he will continue to tap the real estate business network in the state. He is a former president of the California Assn. of Realtors, which has 125,000 members.

Seymour’s political consultant, Eileen Padberg, said his report will show 1,054 individual contributions, many of them from people in real estate.