Fiedler Backs Boland for La Follette’s Assembly Seat

Former Rep. Bobbi Fiedler, in a move that may help pave the way for a political comeback, said Thursday she is endorsing real estate broker Paula Boland to succeed retiring Republican Assemblywoman Marian La Follette of Northridge.

Fiedler joins a list of prominent conservative Republican political figures in the San Fernando Valley who are backing Boland against her chief opponent, longtime La Follette aide Robert Wilcox.

Boland also has been endorsed by Assemblywoman Cathie Wright (R-Simi Valley), Los Angeles City Councilman Hal Bernson and Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich.

Boland, Wilcox and three less well-known Republicans are competing for the GOP nomination in the 38th Assembly District, which arcs across the northern San Fernando Valley.

Political observers have speculated about a possible comeback by Fiedler, who gave up a Valley-based congressional seat to make her failed 1986 run for the U.S. Senate. In an interview, Fiedler, 52, said she is interested in running for Bernson’s council post or Antonovich’s supervisor seat, if either left office voluntarily. If Boland wins the Assembly seat, she could provide Fiedler with valuable assistance in a future campaign.

Fiedler pledged to “do everything I can” to help Boland raise money. Fiedler said that, last month, she accompanied Boland to the state GOP convention in Santa Clara, where Fiedler introduced Boland to various elected officials and party activists.

“Paula is a longtime personal friend who I’ve had the privilege of working with on a broad base of issues,” Fiedler said. “She’s been a strong supporter, and she has an incredibly fine background.”

Fiedler cited Boland’s grass-roots involvement in local Republican political campaigns, her efforts to promote tax-cutting Proposition 13, and her involvement in anti-busing efforts and with local chambers of commerce.

She also mentioned Boland’s efforts to promote construction of the Simi Valley Freeway and her membership on the Los Angeles County Local Agency Formation Commission, which oversees efforts to expand existing cities or create new ones.

“She knows how to get things done,” Fiedler said. “She’s going to knock the socks off the Legislature when she gets up there.” Fiedler added that Boland brokered the sale of Fiedler’s husband’s house and the purchase of her daughter’s.

Fiedler vacated her congressional seat to run for the GOP Senate nomination in 1986. But her candidacy unraveled after she was indicted following charges by state Sen. Ed Davis (R-Santa Clarita), who also was seeking the nomination, that she had offered him $100,000 to get out of the race. A judge subsequently threw out the indictment.

Nonetheless, Fiedler has remained active in state and local GOP politics. In 1988, she served as Southern California co-chairwoman of George Bush’s presidential campaign. This year, she is co-chairwoman of Angela (Bay) Buchanan’s campaign for the GOP nomination for state treasurer.