Gabriel Hard-Pressed in 2nd Race With Incumbent Bane

Helen R. Gabriel, a longtime real estate broker in the San Fernando Valley, is running an uphill campaign for the second time against Democratic Assemblyman Tom Bane.

Also on the ballot in the 40th Assembly District is Libertarian John Vernon, a Van Nuys businessman.

The heavily Democratic district is generally considered safe for Bane, 76. It covers all of Van Nuys and portions of North Hollywood, Studio City, Panorama City, Northridge, Reseda, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Tarzana, Woodland Hills and Canoga Park.

Of the 129,710 registered voters, 55.6% are Democrats and 34.2% Republicans. Less than 1% are Libertarians.

Gabriel, 70, also ran unsuccessfully in 1984 against Bane, who is the chairman of the influential Assembly Rules Committee and a close ally of Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco).

Bane is seeking his 11th term in the Assembly. He was first elected in 1958, but lost his seat when he ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 1962. He was reelected to the Assembly in 1974.

A Tarzana resident, Bane also serves on the committees covering elections; reapportionment and constitutional amendments; finance and insurance, and housing and community development.

The incumbent easily fought off a challenge from Glenn Bailey, an Encino Democrat, in the primary. Bane received 85% of the vote to Bailey’s 15%.

Although he reported having $334,765 on hand for his election as of Friday, Bane said he is mainly spending time talking to constituents rather than campaigning. He has been endorsed by state and national abortion-rights groups, law enforcement agencies, environmental groups, labor organizations and teachers’ associations.

Reapportionment, abortion, mental health, and child care all will be key issues facing the Legislature next year, Bane said.

If reelected, he said, he will reintroduce two bills he carried that were vetoed by Gov. Deukmejian during the last session of the Legislature. One would reinstitute tax credits for solar energy; the other would punish people who commit fraud against insurance companies, he said.

“The whole field of health and health insurance will have to be dealt with,” he said.

Gabriel said she has raised about $10,000 for her campaign--enough for a last-minute mailer to about 30,000 households in the district.

A member of the Los Angeles County Republican Central Committee, she has been endorsed by Gov. Deukmejian, Los Angeles County Supervisors Dean Dana and Mike Antonovich, and former California Lt. Gov. Ed Reinecke.

If elected, Gabriel said, she wants to lower taxes. “Government should live within its means,” she said. Gabriel said she also wants stronger anti-crime laws.

“Transportation also is an issue. We need light rail. Gridlock on our freeways is terrible.”

Gabriel has been a member of the board of directors of the 51st District Agriculture Assn., which administers the San Fernando Valley Fair, since 1987.

She also is active with the Sherman Oaks Chamber of Commerce and the San Fernando Valley Business and Professional Assn.