Bader Heaps Up Funds to Unseat Ayala : Election: The assemblyman’s war chest of $407,175 has made the Senate race the costliest in the San Gabriel Valley.

Armed with $387,000 more than his opponent, Assemblyman Charles W. Bader (R-Pomona) is gearing up for a strong finish in his bid to replace state Sen. Ruben S. Ayala (D-Chino), who is struggling to retain a seat he has held for 16 years.

Statements filed with election officials by the 34th State Senate District candidates showed that Ayala had $19,788 in his campaign treasury at the end of September while Bader had $407,175.

Larry Sheingold, Ayala’s campaign manager, said the figures are deceptive. Both candidates have raised about the same amount of money, he said, but Ayala has probably paid more of his bills. To avoid running up a deficit, Sheingold said, he always insists that the campaigns he manages pay bills promptly.

But, Sheingold conceded, it is also evident that with the election less than a month away, Bader has “got more money to spend.”

In intensive fund-raising efforts over two years, each candidate by the end of last month had netted nearly $700,000 in contributions. Bader has saved most of his money for an intensive effort to boost voter turnout through absentee ballots, and for a barrage of mailers during the final weeks of the campaign.

Sheingold said Ayala is using mailers and running an absentee ballot effort, too, but is also employing cable television. Ayala has spent $60,000 on cable advertising.

A 30-second spot is appearing on CNN and ESPN programs on cable systems throughout the Senate district, which stretches from Diamond Bar and Pomona eastward to San Bernardino.

The commercial attacks Bader for an incident last June in which he left the Assembly floor to attend a political event and another Republican Assembly member cast votes for him. Bader has acknowledged the so-called “ghost-voting,” but said it was done without his authorization.

Sheingold said the Ayala campaign has turned to cable television advertising because he believes political mailers are losing their impact. Bader, however, said he thinks mailers are still the most effective approach, and he plans to spend nothing on cable.

Although the candidates have raised similar amounts, Bader is getting more help from his party and other sources. Bader said that the state Republican Party is spending $250,000 in the district, which will push expenditures on his behalf by election day above $1 million.

Sheingold said he hopes to get a mailer from the state Democratic Party but its expenditures on Ayala’s behalf will “not even be close” to the Republican effort.

In addition, the National Rifle Assn., which was angered by Ayala’s vote last year for a ban on assault rifles, has sent mailers to voters urging Bader’s election and Ayala’s defeat.

All told, Sheingold said, Bader will outspend Ayala by $300,000 or more.

The Bader-Ayala race is by far the most expensive campaign in the San Gabriel Valley.

In the 16th State Senate District, which includes parts of Pasadena and Altadena, Sen. Don Rogers (R-Bakersfield) began this month with $116,094 in the bank, while his Democratic opponent, former Assemblyman Ray Gonzales, had no cash and $5,596 in debts.

Gonzales said in his campaign statement that he has raised $77,304 this year but spent more than $82,000. Meanwhile, Rogers, who’s heavily favored to win reelection despite a Democratic edge in voter registration, has raised $145,337.

The San Gabriel Valley’s five incumbent Assembly members who are seeking reelection are all favored to win, but some of their opponents have raised enough money to wage strong campaigns.

In the 60th Assembly District, Republican Ron Aguirre has collected $49,982, most of it his own money. He loaned his campaign $38,400. His opponent, Assemblywoman Sally Tanner (D-Baldwin Park), raised only $47,000 this year but had $89,653 in the bank at the beginning of this month, including funds raised previously.

In the 42nd Assembly District, South Pasadena Mayor Evelyn Fierro, the Democratic nominee, loaned her campaign $31,000 to help amass a total of $62,465 for her race against Assemblyman Richard Mountjoy (R-Monrovia). Mountjoy reported contributions of $104,393 so far this year, and had $67,159 on hand Oct. 1.

In the 41st Assembly District, Democratic nominee Jeanette Mann of Pasadena raised $50,035, but most of it was spent during the primary. She had just $12,047 in cash at the beginning of this month to face Assemblyman Pat Nolan (R-Glendale), who had $136,914 left in the bank after raising more than $375,000 this year.

In the 59th Assembly District election to pick a successor to Charles M. Calderon, who has moved up to the state Senate, Democrat Xavier Becerra of Monterey Park has raised much more money than his Republican opponent, Leland Lieberg of Alhambra. Becerra raised $140,000 to win a hotly contested primary in the heavily Democratic district and has raised another $78,871 for the general election. He reported $32,163 in cash at the begining of this month, contrasted with $4,841 for Lieberg, who has raised a total of $14,910 this year.

Most of the money raised in the 52nd Assembly District also was spent in the primary. Republican nominee Paul Horcher of Diamond Bar raised $342,794, but had only $2,642 in cash at the start of this month. His Democratic opponent, Gary Neely, also of Diamond Bar, began this month with $3,526 in cash after raising $22,586. Horcher’s contributions include $238,421 he loaned to his campaign.