Four Races to Watch in November

County Superintendent of Schools

How They Fared in Tuesday’s Primary

Peterson: 43% Dean: 44%

The combatants: Robert D. Peterson, a 24-year-incumbent, takes on Whittier College Prof. John F. Dean and Peterson will tout his experience and longtime support of academic competition. . . . It’s Peterson’s toughest battle in two decades, and support for him among district superintendents is soft. . . . “I don’t know very many superintendents who would support Bob Peterson’s candidacy for another term,” says one.

The job: Supervises special education programs and services to local districts. . . . Pays relatively well--at $98,633 a year, it’s one of the top public-education posts in California.

Hot issue: Dean would abolish the ejected superintendent’s post and replace it with an appointed one. . . . That’s not popular with county voters. They’ve rejected it twice.

Early outlook: Peterson holds the fund-raising edge and says he’ll spend whatever it takes. . . . Dean will batter Peterson with grand jury reports criticizing his department’s management. Look for this race to get dirty early.

County Supervisor, District 2

How They Fared in Tuesday’s Primary

Neugebauer: 20% Wieder: 47% The combatants: Three-term Supervisor Harriett M. Wieder faces Joy L. Neugebauer, 18-year veteran of the Westminster City Council. . . . Not since 1980 has a supervisor been dumped from the post, and the loser in that contest was under indictment. . . . Wieder has her own troubles: She blew a race for Congress two years ago after discovery that she lied about earning a college degree.

Hot issue: Wieder. She says she has paid her dues for lying about her degree, but the issue lingers. Neugebauer promises not to dwell on it, but predicts it will “stay with Harriett.”

Key strategy question: Money. Who can raise it fastest and spend it best? Advantage Wieder, but her congressional campaign left her tapped out with many sources. . . . She may find the going rough.

Early outlook: Neugebauer will run a grass-roots effort to save money, but if Wieder can raise what it takes to launch an effective ad blitz, Neugebauer could be in trouble.

Voter Turnout

November balloting

1982: 65%

1984: 78%

1986: 60%

1988: 77%

1990: June balloting

1982: 46%

1984: 50%

1986: 38%

1988: 49%

1990: 39%

November’s Ballot

In addition to county races, voters will consider a slew of city candidates and could decide several controversial spending measures. Among them:

Half-cent sales tax for transportation

General obligation bond for court construction

General obligation bond for open-space acquisition

General obligation bond for jail construction

Separately, those proposals are considered popular; together, they represent a billion-dollar wish list that would boost taxpayer bills significantly . . . If they all make it on the ballot, betting says voters would revolt and reject the lot. . . . Look for their proponents to elbow for position between now and August, when the supervisors finalize the November ballot.

District Attorney

How They Fared in Tuesday’s Primary

Enright: 29% Capizzi: 41%

The combatants: It’s an in-office duel, as Michael R. Capizzi, appointed district attorney in January, takes on the office’s chief deputy, James G. Enright. . . . The campaign tests office loyalties. . . . Capizzi counts most of the staff in his corner, but the primary contestants have rallied to Enright.

The job: County’s chief prosecutor with 184 lawyers, $34 million and nearly 700 staffers at his disposal. Pays $110,781, with a raise due in July.

Hot issues: Enright will portray Capizzi as the “politicians’ ” choice, since Capizzi was appointed by the supervisors. . . . Capizzi will lay lower, and will try to ignore Enright altogether.

Early outlook: Armed with money, endorsements and incumbency, Capizzi will be difficult to beat. . . . Enright needs to get his name out, hard to do without big contributions. . . . Capizzi is the early favorite.

72nd Assembly District

Umberg defeated Jerry Yudelson 64% to 35% in the Democratic primary.

Pringle was unopposed.

The combatants: Backed by state heavyweights from both parties, it’s rookie Assemblyman Curt Pringle (R-Garden Grove) versus Democrat and ex-federal prosecutor Tom Umberg, both vying for the $40,816-a-year job. . . . The battlefield’s a great equalizer. . . . Predominantly Democratic, it votes Republican. . . . Prickly turf for any incumbent.

Hot issues: Pringle, a 22-year resident of Garden Grove, hopes to tag Umberg as a carpetbagger for recently moving into the district. . . . But the big issue is crime. As the one who sent bad guys to jail, Umberg argues he’s the best crime fighter.

Weaknesses: A messy primary split Democrats into feuding camps--a problem for Umberg. . . . Pringle is collared with a controversial 1988 decision to put guards at polling places on Election Day.

Wild card: In this close race, Latinos could tip the scales. . . . Despite large numbers, turnout has been notoriously low. . . . Armed with a recent $150,000 court settlement, Latino groups plan a massive registration drive.