Robbins to Seek Fifth Senate Term : Politics: The popular state senator is apparently dropping plans to seek a seat on the L.A. County Board of Supervisors.

Despite a renewed investigation of his campaign finances and recent testimony involving him in the state’s political corruption scandal, state Sen. Alan Robbins (D-Tarzana) filed for reelection Tuesday with a Libertarian insurance broker as his sole declared opponent.

With the filing deadline just three days away, no other Democrat has taken out nomination papers to run against Robbins for his seat in the 20th Senate District, according to the office of the Los Angeles County Registrar of Voters.

Two local Republicans have taken out but not returned papers for the seat. But one of them is virtually unknown in local GOP circles and the other--a UCLA professor who also is president of the state Board of Education--said he dropped his plans to run.

Robbins’ decision to seek election to a fifth senate term appeared to end, at least temporarily, his hopes of becoming a member of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. He had held back on announcing his reelection plans pending the outcome of a historic redistricting trial now under way that could result in creation of a new San Fernando Valley seat on the board.

“I have no choice,” Robbins said. “If at some point in the future they resolve it with the creation of a San Fernando Valley district, I’m available. If not, I enjoy doing the job I’m doing in Sacramento.”

The absence of serious opposition to Robbins amid his troubles again demonstrated Robbins’ deep political entrenchment in the 20th District, which covers most of the east and central San Fernando Valley and reaches as far west as Northridge and Tarzana.

A wealthy lawyer-developer, Robbins has shown a remarkable ability to weather the adverse publicity that has repeatedly buffeted him since his surprise 1973 election to the Senate.

Last month, the state attorney general’s office reopened an investigation into whether Robbins illegally used campaign funds to finance a real estate project in Ventura County. Robbins has denied any improprieties.

In addition, Robbins was the target of accusations in the federal trial that ended with last month’s conviction of state Sen. Joseph Montoya (D-Whittier) on corruption-related charges.

Star prosecution witness John Shahabian, a Senate aide who was trapped in the sting, testified that on advice from Robbins, he offered a $3,000 payoff to Montoya for help on a bill benefiting a dummy FBI shrimp importing company.

Shahabian also testified Robbins “suggested $40,000” would be required to win Senate passage of the shrimp company bill.

Robbins has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, saying he was “the one legislator” involved who turned down Shahabian’s bribe offers.

Sensing that Robbins might be vulnerable at the polls, Republican Party political strategists in Sacramento urged Joe Carrabino of Encino, a professor at the UCLA Graduate School of Management and president of the state education board, to run against Robbins, Carrabino said.

But Carrabino said he canceled plans to campaign for the seat to concentrate on his board duties.

Another Republican, David Podegracz of Van Nuys, has taken out nomination papers but not yet returned them. However, Podegracz, who could not be reached for comment, is almost unknown among GOP activists in the Valley.

The only declared candidate so far is William Mirken, a Libertarian insurance broker and Sepulveda resident. Mirken, 45, said the Senate bid will be his first run for public office.

Political observers said that despite his well-publicized troubles, Robbins--who has long enjoyed bipartisan political support in the Valley--appears unbeatable.

“Some people are so strong in a given area that it’s just not in the good interests of the party, in terms of resources like time and money, to go after them,” said Paul Clarke, a Northridge-based GOP political consultant.