ELECTIONS : County Voters Hang Tough on Crime Issues

Ventura County voters took a stronger position on law-and-order issues than California voters as a whole in Tuesday’s election, with higher percentages of voters approving ballot propositions and candidates who promise to get tough on crime.

The county’s voters overwhelmingly supported Proposition 115, designed to streamline the judicial system; Proposition 120, which pays for building more state prisons; and Proposition 114, which makes it easier to seek the death penalty for those who kill police officers.

Although California voters approved these three measures, the county’s voters approved them by significantly higher margins.

In the primary election for state attorney general, the county’s Democrats bucked the statewide trend by preferring tough-talking Ira Reiner, the district attorney in Los Angeles, over Arlo Smith, San Francisco’s soft-spoken district attorney.

Despite Ventura’s vote, Smith won the primary and will face Dan Lungren in the November election for the top law enforcement job in the state.

While some of Reiner’s support came from his name identification with voters in the Los Angeles media market, Ventura County Dist. Atty. Michael D. Bradbury said he considers Tuesday’s vote for Reiner and the propositions to be one of many indicators of strong public support for law enforcement.

“My sense is that it is a very conservative community,” said Bradbury, who was reelected Tuesday with 97% of the vote. “They expect, and demand, good, tough law enforcement and they vote that way.”

County Democrats mirrored the state in selecting Dianne Feinstein over John K. Van de Kamp to be the party’s nominee for governor. In a speech at a Ventura Harbor hotel last month, Feinstein received her loudest applause for her position in favor of the death penalty.

About 80% of Republican voters in the 36th Assembly District supported the reelection of Assemblyman Tom McClintock (R-Thousand Oaks), one of the most conservative members of the state Legislature.

His GOP challenger, Kevin Staker, a Camarillo tax attorney, picked up only 19.3% of the primary vote in spite of publicity he received for accusing McClintock of alienating his Democratic and Republican colleagues with his combative style.

McClintock expressed surprise at his high percentage of support, particularly because he barely campaigned for reelection. “It is very gratifying and very humbling,” McClintock said.

The assemblyman was stripped of his position as Republican whip earlier this year after trying to oust Republican Leader Ross Johnson of La Habra. He said his high vote percentage confirms that his district wants him to continue pushing the Republican Party to the right.

Conservative Rep. Robert J. Lagomarsino (R-Ventura) won 88.6% of the vote Tuesday, easily defeating his Republican opponent, Alan Winterbourne of Ventura, who had 11.4%. In the general election, Lagomarsino will face Anita Perez Ferguson, a former aide to state Sen. Gary K. Hart (D-Santa Barbara).

Ferguson won the Democratic primary with 65.4% of the vote, compared to 34.6% polled by Mike McConnell, a construction manager from Ventura.

The National Women’s Political Caucus applauded Ferguson’s victory Wednesday, stating that the voters have “proved that gender and ethnic background are no longer handicaps” in politics. Ferguson is chairwoman of the group’s Hispanic Caucus.

Wasting no time, Ferguson hit the road Wednesday on a campaign victory swing, taking swipes at Lagomarsino’s voting record opposing abortion and other issues. “We are ready to take on Bob Lagomarsino,” she said.

Lagomarsino said he will be ready to counterattack, if necessary. “She makes so much out of working for Hart and all. I think we assume that her record would be just like his, unless she tells us where she differs.”

The congressman said he doesn’t know how much he will have to spend to win reelection. “I would be less than honest to say that I would rather be unopposed,” he said. “We will take this race seriously.”

Some Ventura County office-holders had uncontested races in Tuesday’s election, including:

* Assessor R.J. (Jerry) Sanford, who received 98.3% of the vote.

* Auditor Norman R. Hawkes, who received 98% of the vote.

* Clerk and Recorder Richard D. Dean, who received 98.6% of the vote.

* Sheriff John V. Gillespie, who received 98.2% of the vote.

* Treasurer-Tax Collector Harold S. Pittman, who received 98.4% of the vote.