Democrats Savor Hold on Redistricting Power

Republicans on Wednesday enjoyed a long-sought election win in a San Diego Assembly district, but Democrats marched off with the bigger victory of deciding how political boundaries will be shaped into the next century.

No incumbent from either party in the Legislature lost in Tuesday’s primary. Additionally, the victors in November’s legislative races face the likely prospect of a pay raise in December.

Republican Jeff Marston of San Diego gave the GOP a shot of cheer by winning a special election runoff and capturing a vacant Assembly seat previously held by a Democrat. Marston will try to win a full two-year term in November.

“We are really tickled,” said Assembly GOP Leader Ross Johnson.

But Democrats still outnumber Republicans in the Assembly, 45 to 33, with two vacancies.

And Democratic leaders barely contained their euphoria at the voters’ refusal to approve a pair of GOP-backed initiatives--Propositions 118 and 119--to drastically overhaul the way political boundaries are realigned every 10 years.

Historically, the legislative party in power draws district lines after the federal census to its own advantage and to protect “friendly” incumbents of the opposition. This helps assure that the majority party remains in control for the next decade.

State Senate Leader David Roberti (D-Los Angeles) rejected assertions Wednesday that voters might have been misled by television commercials against the propositions in which celebrities warned that the measures would jeopardize laws protecting the coast and diminish minority representation.

But Gov. George Deukmejian, a Republican, deplored as a “fraud” the opposition television campaign financed by Democrats and their allies. He called the election of Republican gubernatorial nominee Pete Wilson essential to provide a “balance” to any lopsided Democratic redistricting measure.

The governor can veto a redistricting plan passed by the Legislature, making a two-thirds vote by lawmakers necessary to put it into effect.

“If we don’t have a Republican governor after the next reapportionment is done, we are going to continue to be a minority party in the Legislature and the congressional delegation,” Deukmejian said.

Three of Tuesday’s winning incumbents faced potentially tough races because of questions raised about their ethics. Two of these incumbents--Assemblywoman Cathie Wright (R-Simi Valley) and Assemblyman Pete Chacon (D-San Diego)--won renomination easily; the third, Assemblywoman Sunny Mojonnier (R-Encinitas), survived a close contest.

New faces in the Assembly will number at least eight next year. Because the open seats are in districts where voter registration is lopsided in favor of one party or the other, the nominees selected Tuesday are expected to be elected in November.

These primary winners included Republican Paula Boland of Granada Hills in the 38th District; Democrat Marguerite Archie-Hudson of Los Angeles in the 48th District; and Republican Paul Horcher of Hacienda Heights in the 52nd District. In an unusual political split, Horcher won an eight-person race with less than 18% of the vote.

Other victors were Huntington Beach Mayor Tom Mays, a Republican, in the 58th District; Deputy Atty. Gen. Xavier Becerra, a Monterey Park Democrat, in the 59th District; and Republican legislative aide Jim Brulte of Ontario in the 65th District. Oakland Democrats nominated businesswoman Barbara Lee in the 13th Assembly District.

Becerra’s nomination to fill an Assembly seat left vacant by the earlier election of Charles Calderon (D-Whittier) to the Senate added to the political clout of Sen. Art Torres (D-Los Angeles), a Becerra mentor. Becerra defeated Calderon’s candidate, Marta Maestas.

The prospect of a pay raise for legislators late this year arises from passage of Proposition 112, an “ethics reform” measure that bans speaking fees and curbs receipt of gifts. Within the next month, Deukmejian must appoint seven members to a new commission that will decide salaries and other compensation for legislators, the governor himself and other top-level state officials.

The commission is expected to grant lawmakers a substantial boost over their current salary of $40,816 a year. The commission must set the new levels by Dec. 3.

Times staff writers Daniel M. Weintraub and Richard C. Paddock contributed to this article.