Potential Congress Candidate Urges Clean Race : Politics: Kevin Sweeney asks contenders to agree to avoid surprise attacks and submit ads to a review panel.

One of three potential Democratic candidates for Congress is urging his competitors in Ventura County to adopt new campaign “rules of engagement” to avoid the nasty, stealth attacks that often occur in political races.

“The voters are tired of all the attacks from faceless announcers and campaign hit mail,” said Kevin Sweeney, public affairs director of Ventura-based Patagonia Inc. “I’m not afraid of drawing contrasts with another candidate or bringing up someone’s record, but I think I should stand up and do it myself.”

Sweeney said Wednesday that he had asked other Democratic contenders to agree to make no surprise attacks, to personally voice any criticisms broadcast about their opponents and to submit all campaign ads to an independent panel for review of their accuracy.

Sweeney proposed six rules of clean campaigning to Anita Perez Ferguson, who recently moved to Ventura to run in the proposed 23rd Congressional District and Assemblyman Jack O’Connell (D-Carpinteria), who is also considering entering the race.

Ferguson could not be reached for comment.

O’Connell’s campaign manager said the legislator will make no decisions until the California Supreme Court has finalized the boundaries of congressional and legislative districts on Jan. 28.

“He is not going to commit to something that has to do with the race until he knows if he is running,” Abby Young said. “If he decides he is going to run, then he will commit or not commit to them at that time.”

Sweeney said he wants to set a positive tone for the Democratic congressional campaign, even if he decides not to run. His proposals would also have candidates engage in 10 public debates, include signatures on all direct mail to avoid unsigned “hit pieces” and discourage any money spent independently of the campaign on negative campaign commercials.

“This is good for politics and good for the Democratic Party,” he said. “The voters are not going to believe that you are different if you just say you are different and act like everybody else.”

He added that any Democratic nominee will face a tough race against Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley), who will be able to outspend the Democrat on direct mail appeals and other political ads.

Gallegly said he has amassed about $375,000 in his campaign treasury and does not have an announced primary opponent. He was given a clear field when Rep. Robert J. Lagomarsino (R-Ventura) decided to move to a district north of Ventura County to avoid a primary battle.

Sweeney said he has promised to step aside if O’Connell enters the race soon. But O’Connell has indicated that he has no plans to rush into any decision and wants to visit Washington to see if he and his family like the area.

Meanwhile, Sweeney is scheduled to leave Patagonia, the outdoor clothing manufacturer, on Jan. 24, to run a consortium of environmental groups that wants to halt the the environmental degradation of the Sierra.

The organization, called Sierra Now, is planning a statewide conference to promote the ecological effort. Sweeney said he will step down from his position as director of the new organization if he launches a congressional campaign.

Some of Sweeney’s proposals come from former U.S. Sen. Gary Hart’s campaign for President in 1988. At the time, Sweeney was campaign press secretary for the Colorado Democrat, who was running as a “new ideas” candidate.

“None of this stuff was ever done because the campaign ended too quickly,” Sweeney said. Hart withdrew from the race shortly after the public disclosure of his relationship with model Donna Rice.