Daughter of Robert Badham to Launch Campaign for Gil Ferguson’s Assembly Seat : Politics: Phyllis Badham hopes her family name makes her the GOP front-runner in the 70th District. It hinges on the incumbent’s quest for a Senate seat.

Phyllis Badham--born into a political family and reared in Orange County--said Tuesday that she is on the verge of making her first run for elected office.

Badham, daughter of former U.S. Rep. Robert Badham, said she has “been meeting with a lot of people, and getting a lot of encouragement” to run for the Republican nomination in the 70th Assembly District. That post is held by Assemblyman Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach), but he is vying for the state Senate seat in District 31.

If Ferguson wins that race, his vacant seat would likely be contested by several local Republicans. But if he loses, most if not all are expected to back out.

Tuesday, Badham refused to speculate on how Ferguson’s fate in his race would affect her decision on whether to run.

“We’re all waiting to see what happens,” she said, “but I’m putting my campaign together today.”

For Badham, 30, the race would mark her first attempt at elected office, but she said her family background, as well as her experience in public relations and lobbying, would make her the early front-runner. Badham added that she is still completing position papers, but said she was “pro-choice” on the issue of abortion and advocates ocean and beach cleanup.

“I’ve been called the wild card, and I love that,” she said. “I know how to get things done in Sacramento, and I am the only professional woman running. I think those things will help me.”

Her likely opponents are less convinced that Badham’s credentials would propel her into the spotlight. Chuck Devore, for instance, believes that Badham would help “liven up the race” but added that he does not consider her an automatic front-runner.

“Taken as a whole, I’m more than willing to match up my credentials against any other candidate,” said Devore, a former aide to Rep. C. Christopher Cox (R-Newport Beach) who has already set up a campaign office and raised several thousand dollars in his quest for the Assembly seat.

Badham is public affairs director for Ricoh Electronics in Tustin.

Previously, she has worked with Rockwell International, the National Assn. of Manufacturers and a Los Angeles consulting firm.

She attended Newport Harbor High School and received her bachelor’s degree in political science and communications from Cal State Chico.