Big Decision, Weak Field for 35th Senate : * Reed Stands Out, but Conflict Inquiry Gives Pause

If what’s past is prologue, only a few voters will decide who will fill the 35th Senate District seat vacated by John Seymour, appointed to the U.S. Senate by Gov. Pete Wilson. Special elections, such as the one to be held Tuesday, rarely attract much turnout. That will leave a handful of voters to make a decision of great importance to Orange County.

That’s unfortunate. But even more alarming is the disappointing field of candidates. Only one stands out--Republican lawyer Dana Reed of Costa Mesa--and there is something of a cloud hanging over him. Two of the other three major candidates--Assemblymen Nolan Frizzelle (R-Fountain Valley) and John R. Lewis (R-Orange)--have pathetic legislative records. The third, Assemblywoman Doris Allen (R-Cypress), a conservative on the issues, has some legislative credits but overall has been ineffective. The rest of the candidates either have little to offer or have only a slight chance of winning because of their political inexperience. Here’s a rundown on the four major candidates:

DANA REED--Reed, 47, has energy and drive. A member of the county Transportation Commission, he played a key role in putting Measure M--the half-cent sales tax increase for transportation--on November’s ballot. Approved by voters, Measure M will bring welcome relief from traffic congestion. As former undersecretary for transportation for former Gov. George Deukmejian, Reed also knows Sacramento well and could use his knowledge to help the county.

However, Reed has been accused of violating state conflict-of-interest laws by providing legal advice to both proponents and opponents of an unsuccessful 1989 measure to legalize card casinos in Cathedral City. Reed has denied wrongdoing, but according to a letter obtained by The Times, the State Bar of California has found “reasonable cause” for disciplinary action.

JOHN R. LEWIS--Lewis, 36, says he was elected to stop the flow of legislation in Sacramento and thus has done little during his 11-year tenure; last year, the California Journal ranked him 78th out of 80 legislators in terms of effectiveness, an assessment that seems fitting. He is far more active in helping other Republicans get elected to the Legislature. But in 1989, Lewis was indicted by a grand jury after he allegedly forged President Reagan’s signature on a mailer sent to thousands of voters in 1986. The indictment was overturned by an appeals court that reluctantly held that forgery charges could be brought only if there was an intent to defraud victims of money or property.

NOLAN FRIZZELLE--Frizzelle, 69, formerly an optometrist, has done little of consequence for Orange County in his 11 years in the Legislature and offers no compelling reason for going to the Senate.

DORIS ALLEN--Allen, 54, has several education bills to her credit and was the force behind a successful statewide initiative that bars gill nets in commercial fishing to prevent harm to marine life. However, she has no coherent vision of what she would do in office, a shortcoming made more conspicuous by a reputation for ineffectiveness.

The bottom line: Under ordinary circumstances Reed would be the obvious choice, except for his unresolved problem with the Bar. While it may not be its intent, the Bar, by delaying its decision, has deprived voters of important information needed to make a choice. We are concerned about turnout in a special election but cannot give Reed a stamp of approval without some pause, and we lament the ineffectiveness or inexperience of the rest of the field.