Seymour Grilled on Abortion Views by GOP Conservatives

State Sen. John Seymour (R-Anaheim) was surrounded. Standing in the hallway of a hotel, he was trying to explain his views on abortion. But he could not satisfy the dozen or so pro-life advocates who were grilling him, a group that quickly grew to about 20.

“I can’t go anywhere without talking about this issue,” said Seymour, who has been an anti-abortionist in the past but who has said he is taking another look at the question. “What I’m merely trying to say is this is not a black-and-white issue.”

The impromptu encounter took place at the state Republican convention this weekend at the Anaheim Hilton and Towers, where 1,000 members of the state central committee gathered to rally around the party’s issues and candidates as a prelude to the 1990 elections.

But for Seymour, who is a candidate for the GOP nomination for lieutenant governor, the hallway encounter on abortion demonstrated one of the pitfalls of seeking support at an event that draws Republican activists, many of whom are clearly more conservative than the party’s rank and file. For example, public opinion polls show that most voters support the right to abortion, including those who are conservative on most other issues.

GOP strategists admitted privately that they see the convention as “no win” on certain issues, hoping they will be able to get their candidates in and out without any major damage, either among the delegates or in the press.

Consultant Comments

Ron Smith, the political consultant to Seymour’s opponent in the race for the GOP nomination, state Sen. Marian Bergeson (R-Newport Beach), was quick to take advantage Saturday of Seymour’s review of his position on abortion.

“I think he comes off as an opportunist,” Smith said.

For other candidates, however, the chance to bask in the conservatism was a welcome opportunity.

Angela (Bay) Buchanan of Irvine, who is challenging state Treasurer Thomas A. Hayes for the GOP nomination for the office he was appointed to last year, found herself at home with the Republicans she has worked with for 20 years.

Buchanan, 40, billed herself as “the real Republican” and held a news conference at which she hammered at Hayes for not being active in the party. Hayes, 43, registered as a Republican only after he was appointed treasurer by Gov. George Deukmejian. The former auditor-general of the state, Hayes said that his position required that he stay out of partisan politics, so he declined to state his preference even though he considered himself a Republican.

Buchanan told reporters that Hayes had not registered as a Republican even before he was auditor-general. But her efforts to discredit Hayes’ GOP credentials fell flat when virtually no interest was shown in her disclosure.

As for Hayes, a campaign aide, Donna Lucas, said he declined to state a party when he first registered to vote at the age of 21. Later, he worked in the auditor-general’s office, where he considered his nonpartisanship essential, Lucas said.

Defends Campaign

Buchanan, whose candidacy has been criticized by Deukmejian and other GOP leaders as unnecessary, defended her campaign as healthy for the party.

“A good primary battle excites the rank and file,” Buchanan said. “Tom Hayes has never been in a political battle. It should do nothing but strengthen both of us.”

The convention was an opportunity for Orange County’s three statewide candidates, Buchanan, Bergeson and Seymour, to showcase their campaigns. All three invited delegates to hospitality suites.

However, none were given the chance to speak before the delegates. The party limited speakers to the state’s two top GOP officeholders and a visiting congressman, Rep. Newt Gingrich of Georgia.

Brian Lungren, director of Hayes’ campaign, said Hayes has raised about $450,000 for his campaign and plans about a dozen more fund-raisers between now and the end of the year. He said that “several million dollars” will be needed for the primary and general campaigns.

“We are prepared to spend every cent we have in the primary,” Lungren said. He said he was confident that if Hayes’ war chest was depleted in a campaign against Buchanan, he would be able to raise “all we need” for the fall campaign.

“We’ll definitely have the money,” Lungren said.

Plans Meetings

Lungren said Hayes planned to meet with GOP ethnic coalitions and attend GOP gatherings at the convention.

“We’re not going to do anything out of the ordinary or anything to make news,” Lungren said. In keeping with Hayes’ campaign theme of the quiet but competent professional, the treasurer will “be visible in a low-key, professional way,” his campaign director said.