Beilenson Leads Race for Funds in New District : Elections: The Democrat’s total, however, pales next to those of Valley-area colleagues Henry A. Waxman and Howard L. Berman.

Facing a tough reelection fight in a new district this fall, Rep. Anthony C. Beilenson (D-Los Angeles) overcame his longstanding reluctance to solicit campaign funds in non-election years and raised $102,178 in the second half of 1991--outstripping his would-be Republican rivals.

Beilenson’s take, nonetheless, paled next to those of two San Fernando Valley-area Democratic colleagues, Henry A. Waxman of Los Angeles and Howard L. Berman of Panorama City--neither of whom is expected to face a serious challenge. Waxman raised $521,253 and Berman $348,383, campaign fund-raising reports filed with the Federal Election Commission showed Monday.

Meanwhile, the three Republican candidates for a newly created seat in a district spanning the Santa Clarita, Antelope and northern San Fernando valleys filed no campaign reports. None raised the $5,000 minimum last year that triggers the federal reporting requirement.

But in interviews Monday, the candidates for the Republican nomination in the 25th Congressional District--Assemblyman Phillip Wyman (R-Tehachapi), Santa Clarita City Councilman Howard (Buck) McKeon and former Los Angeles County Assessor John F. Lynch--said they have banked varying amounts since Jan. 1.

There are no declared candidates for the Democratic nomination in the district, which is heavily Republican.

Wyman said he has raised more than $25,000, in addition to $72,000 in his Assembly campaign coffers that can legally be transferred to his congressional war chest.

McKeon, who is a partner with his four brothers in a large chain of Western clothing stores, said he has raised $15,000 to $20,000. Lynch said he has taken in $4,000.

Reps. Bill Thomas (R-Bakersfield) and Jerry Lewis (R-Redlands), both of whom represent portions of the Antelope Valley, also raised hefty sums although both are not expected to face serious opposition. Thomas took in $184,128 and Lewis $123,023, their reports said.

Beilenson decided last month to run in the newly created 24th Congressional District, which runs from Encino in the southwestern San Fernando Valley to Thousand Oaks in Ventura County. The move headed off a possible clash with the well-financed Waxman, but left Beilenson--a prominent liberal--with a difficult campaign in a GOP-leaning district.

The two new Valley-area districts were created last month when the state Supreme Court approved new boundaries for California legislative and congressional districts. Under federal law, political lines must be redrawn every 10 years to reflect population changes.

Beilenson received most of his contributions from residents of Los Angeles’ Westside who live in his old 23rd District. He said he sent a fund-raising letter in the fall to 1,100 individuals, most of them previous givers. About 600 responded with checks.

Unlike other Valley-area incumbents, Beilenson accepted no contributions from political action committees that raise money for causes backed by organized labor, business groups and other special interests. Individuals can give a maximum of $1,000 in each election; PACs can contribute up to $5,000.

Beilenson has long been one of the few members of Congress who has refused to take PAC money, which he has said undermines the integrity of the political process. Unlike many members who continually fatten their campaign war chests, Beilenson generally has limited fund solicitations to a small circle of supporters, asking them for money only in election years.

The other lawmakers each raised large sums from PACs: Waxman took in $347,650, or two-thirds of his total, from such committees; Berman $73,650, or about one-fifth of his total; Thomas $55,252, or about half his contributions, and Lewis $96,050, nearly four-fifths of his total. Waxman, who chairs an influential Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Health and Environment, raised much of his money from health and medical PACs.

Beilenson said he expects that his campaign will require about $400,000, double his 1990 total. He reported that he has $77,825 on hand. So far, no other Democrat has announced in the June 2 primary election.

Republicans, in contrast, appeared headed for a costly internecine battle in June. Assemblyman Tom McClintock (R-Thousand Oaks) is considering the race, and three lesser-known Republicans have vowed to seek the party’s nomination.

International trade consultant Jim Salomon of Beverly Hills raised $20,000 in the second half of 1991, and businessman Sang Korman of Calabasas garnered $57,800, their reports show. Both have lost two previous races for Congress.

Salomon has $9,200 in cash on hand and Korman $38,100, reports showed. Korman still owes himself $559,000 from personal loans he made to his previous campaigns.

Reseda mortuary owner Jon Lorenzen, who is also a declared candidate, could not be reached for comment Monday.

McClintock reported that he has $59,100 available from a federal campaign committee established when he considered a congressional bid in 1986. The sole contribution to it in the second half of 1991 was $1,000 from the Gun Owners of America Campaign Committee.

McClintock said Monday that he has calculated that he could also convert another $30,000 from his Assembly campaign committee if he decides to join the fray. Federal campaign law allows state candidates to convert only those contributions that would be allowed under federal law, which means individual contributions of up to $1,000 per election and no corporate or labor union funds.

McClintock is conducting polls in the new district in an effort to determine whether to seek the nomination, Republican strategists say. But the conservative lawmaker appears to be champing at the bit to draw the ideological lines between himself and Beilenson.

“In my opinion,” McClintock said, “Beilenson can spend all the money in the world and not be able to explain the damage he’s done to middle-class voters” in the district.

Beilenson, meanwhile, responded by turning the other cheek.

“I’ve heard good things about him,” Beilenson said of McClintock. “He’s supposed to be a bright person, albeit pretty conservative in his views, and there’s no reason, if he gets into this against me and wins his own primary, that we can’t debate in a reasonable and civil manner.”

Alan C. Miller reported from Washington and Jack Cheevers from Chatsworth.