ELECTIONS: ASSEMBLY : Elder Poised to Cash In on Political Advantages

He is the only South Bay state legislator with a primary opponent, but Assemblyman Dave Elder (D-San Pedro) appears poised to win a seventh two-year term, political organizers say.

Elder’s name surfaced in recent news reports about alleged political improprieties involving one of his aides. But party organizers say Elder’s years of attention to his district, and the weakness of his opposition, will shield him from political fallout.

“Dave Elder has been working hard for his district,” said Carmen O. Perez of Long Beach, chief deputy to Los Angeles County Supervisor Kenneth Hahn and one of five vice chairs of the Democratic National Committee. “People tend to remember that more than a negative news article.”

News reports published last week said state prosecutors in 1988 questioned whether Elder aide Susan Grivas raised campaign money for Controller Gray Davis during working hours. The queries were part of an investigation into allegations that Davis illegally used public resources in his 1986 election campaign.

Elder and Grivas, who no longer works for the assemblyman, have denied wrongdoing. State officials say they decided not to conduct a separate inquiry into Elder’s actions because the assertions of a key informant could not be confirmed.

Democratic organizers say news that the Davis probe touched Elder’s office will have little effect on voters in the 57th District, which spans San Pedro, Wilmington, Harbor City and much of Long Beach.

“I think people in the 57th are happy with the things Dave has done,” said Betty Karnette, a member of the Democratic Party’s 57th District executive board. “People think a lot of things in (the reports on Elder) were just a lot of hearsay.”

Elder said he doesn’t expect news of the Davis inquiry to affect his reelection prospects because, in his view, “there is no issue.”

Elder has drawn two challengers this year: a Democrat and a Republican. Neither, however, seems likely to amass the resources needed for an effective districtwide campaign against the six-term incumbent.

Ed Musgrave, Elder’s opponent in the June 5 primary, is a political newcomer who is living on welfare. In an interview, Musgrave said he should be elected so the district can benefit from his educational background--a master’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in physics.

He said he has no quarrel with Elder’s performance in office: “As far as I know, he’s doing a good job.”

To push his own candidacy, Musgrave has campaigned door-to-door in four of the district’s 204 precincts and is also planning a campaign mailer. Because he is short of money, the mailing will be limited in scope, he said.

“It’ll be just for my precinct,” said Musgrave, formerly a part-time physics teacher at Long Beach College and Los Angeles City College. “That’s all I can afford.”

Musgrave reports raising only $15 for his campaign so far. As of March, by contrast, Elder had more than $30,000 on hand, according to his most recent campaign finance statement.

Should Elder win the primary as expected, his Republican opponent in the Nov. 6 general election will be caseworker Rodney D. Guarneri of Long Beach.

Political organizers agree that Guarneri, who has no primary opposition, faces an uphill battle in the general election--if only because of the political makeup of the district, where Democrats hold a 61% to 29% advantage in registration.

Said Steve Johnson, Republican Party director for Los Angeles County: “The registration figures are pretty lopsided.”

Elder said that he has nevertheless committed himself to a heavy speaking schedule in the 57th District and plans to do intensive campaign mailing: “We never take anything for granted.”