ELECTIONS 38TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT : La Follete Aide Trails Boland in Close GOP Primary Race

Real-estate broker and longtime party activist Paula Boland appeared to be leading in Tuesday’s GOP primary for the seat being given up by retiring state Assemblywoman Marian W. La Follette.

Rob Wilcox, La Follette’s longtime aide and chosen successor, was trailing Boland, with about a third of the votes counted in the primary for the 38th Assembly District.

Boland, 50, was edging out Wilcox, 25, despite Wilcox’s endorsement by La Follette. Boland had gathered campaign contributions that were double those of Wilcox and a third contender, attorney Bob Scott of Granada Hills.

Boland said from her post-election gathering at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Northridge that she was confident her lead would hold. “I’m a fighter,” said Boland. “I don’t take ‘no’ for an answer.”

A still optimistic Wilcox said from his family’s home in Northridge: “It’s terrific. It’s exciting . . . I have a lot of people here and feel very good about a great campaign.” He attributed his showing to “a real grass-roots campaign” in which he said volunteers made 3,500 phone calls on his behalf in the last week.

Wilcox waged a feisty campaign, often criticizing Boland for her ties to backers of the controversial Porter Ranch development north of Chatsworth. Scott, meanwhile, contended that both Boland and Wilcox were pawns in a festering battle between former U.S. Rep. Bobbi Fiedler of Northridge and state Sen. Ed Davis (R-Santa Clarita).

In the Democratic primary, teacher Irene Allert of Kagel Canyon was leading computer-manual writer Gary Crandall of Granada Hills by a margin of 2 to 1.

But the GOP victor is favored to win the November general election in the Republican-dominated district, which stretches across the San Fernando Valley from La Crescenta to Hidden Hills.

Republicans Hal Styles of Woodland Hills and Al Thomas of Burbank also sought La Follette’s seat Tuesday but trailed.

La Follette, a 10-year veteran of the Legislature, surprised political mavens with her Feb. 27 announcement that she would not seek reelection. She said she was vacating her seat because state legislators should serve no more than a decade, but reportedly also was concerned about the health of her husband, Jack, who has lymph cancer.

Wilcox was an early favorite to succeed La Follette--especially after receiving endorsements from her and Davis.

But Boland raised twice as much money as either Wilcox or Scott--about $112,000 compared to their $56,000 and $53,000 respectively--an important resource in the 13-week campaign.

Boland also cashed in on 20 years of work in other Republican campaigns, garnering endorsements from Fiedler, Assemblywoman Cathie Wright of Simi Valley, and Los Angeles City Councilman Hal Bernson.

Times staff writer Aaron Curtiss contributed to this report.