Political Soul Mates Clash for Assembly Seat : Elections: Reapportionment throws GOP legislators Tom Mays, Nolan Frizzelle and Doris Allen together in a fight for the 67th District seat that is forcing conservatives to choose sides.

It’s the political equivalent of a solar eclipse--that rare phenomenon when three Assembly members are forced into a do-or-die election that could be the end of two legislative careers.

Republican incumbents in Orange County are usually among the toughest politicians to unseat. But now Tom Mays (R-Huntington Beach), Nolan Frizzelle (R-Fountain Valley) and Doris Allen (R-Cypress), who have been public figures in this northwestern corner of Orange County for years, find themselves trying to oust each other in the battle over the 67th Assembly District seat.

The three Assembly members are friends and political soul mates, adding a cannibalistic edge to this race, as conservatives who have supported all three candidates in the past are forced to choose sides.

“You are going to have friends against friends in this race, which is unfortunate,” said Steve Brodie, Orange County chairman of the conservative Coordinating Republican Assembly. “People who have worked side by side in the past are going to be at opposite ends.”

In one of their first campaign events of the primary, all three candidates spoke Saturday in Anaheim at a convention of the Orange County CRA. Both Mays and Allen talked about their commitment in the Legislature to improve conditions for businesses.

“A lot of things need to be done in the Legislature to help business in California,” Mays said. “We need to fight to keep our business climate here.”

Frizzelle sought to contrast his strict conservative principles with those of Republicans who, he complains, have been too willing to compromise with Democrats--a charge he has leveled at Mays.

“The CRA doesn’t stand for conservatism, it doesn’t stand for Republicanism, it stands for what is right,” Frizzelle said. “There is a right and wrong in every decision.”

Underscoring the difficulty for conservatives to choose a favorite among these candidates, the CRA membership did not agree on an endorsement Saturday.

Mays, Frizzelle and Allen were forced into their confrontation in January when the state Supreme Court adopted new lines for legislative districts based on the 1990 census.

The new 67th Assembly District--stretching along the coast from Huntington Beach to the northern county line and inland to parts of Cypress, Los Alamitos and Fountain Valley--included the homes of all three lawmakers, as well as portions of their current districts.

Allen initially thought she might avoid the primary by running in the new 68th Assembly District, which also included part of her existing territory near Garden Grove. She later decided, however, that she did not want to move her residence.

Mays was the first to announce his bid for the new seat, saying he would run in whatever district included his hometown of Huntington Beach. That left Frizzelle with the no-win decision of running against Mays or moving his home so he could challenge another conservative ally, Assemblyman Gil Ferguson in Newport Beach.

“We have good and friendly relationships as legislators and that’s still continuing, as far as I know,” Allen said. “This is unfortunate in terms of us individually, but it’s a reality and we have to do it.”

The 67th Assembly District is about 54% Republican, making the GOP nominee a heavy favorite to win the general election in November. Still, Democrats have one candidate in the race who will automatically advance to the November ballot.

Ken LeBlanc, an officer for a company in Huntington Beach that sells automotive parts, describes himself as a pro-business, conservative Democrat. He said he has already raised $30,000 for his campaign.

“I feel comfortable with Republican business groups,” LeBlanc said.

The chairman of the Orange County Libertarian Party, Brian Schar, is also a candidate in the 67th Assembly District race.

But only the three Republicans face a primary fight June 2. And their race is sure to be a closely watched test of campaign strategy as they attempt the hair-splitting task of telling voters how they are different from each other.

All three candidates oppose a woman’s right to abortion; they favor welfare cuts; and they oppose a health care plan that would force businesses to pay more for employee insurance. There are some differences among them on the environment, an issue dear to voters living near one of Orange County’s most popular beaches.

Mays was elected to his first Assembly term in 1990 after a campaign that highlighted his role as mayor of Huntington Beach during a major oil spill that year. He has campaigned hard as an environmentalist dedicated to protecting the coast.

Allen was the sponsor of a successful statewide environmental initiative in 1990 that prohibits fishermen in California waters from using gill nets because of their danger to a variety of sea life, especially sea lions and dolphins.

The clash between the environment and development in Orange County has focused recently on the California gnatcatcher, a tiny and rare bird whose habitat is in the path of some proposed construction.

Mays said the gnatcatcher should not be on the endangered list and studies should determine a proper balance between protection of the bird and construction of new homes. Allen’s position was only slightly different, since she said she is uncertain whether the bird should be on the endangered list.

But both lawmakers are in sharp contrast with Frizzelle, who complained that the debate over the gnatcatcher has already held up needed development. Frizzelle said he is not concerned if development leads to the extinction of the gnatcatcher.

“That’s fine with me,” he said. “Maybe some things ought to be extinct. We can’t let a lot of bugs and critters get in the way.”

Because the three incumbents have substantially similar backgrounds, they will have to strike just the right chord with voters to emerge as the primary winner.

“You take a Republican household with a consistent voter and they are all going to try to reach that person,” said Harvey Englander, a GOP political consultant in Newport Beach. “Whoever reaches that voter’s concerns with the right message, wins.”

As incumbents, all three candidates have the potential to raise substantial amounts of money. But money is sure to be tight in this race, partly because many supporters are likely to sit out the primary rather than choose sides.

In finance disclosure statements filed last week, only Mays reported a significant campaign bank account with a total of $53,000 raised. Allen had about $33,000 in cash, but she is also responsible for more than $100,000 in debt from her gill net initiative campaign. Frizzelle, who reported just $3,000 in cash, also had a debt of $51,000 from his unsuccessful campaign for the state Senate last year.

Since the state Supreme Court rejected a voter-approved campaign reform initiative last year, there is no longer any limit on the amount of a contribution that can be given to a candidate for the state Legislature.

As a result, campaign officials say this race could be shaped by a handful of large, last-minute contributions.

“The lines are being drawn even as we speak,” Brodie said. “Hopefully, when this is over, we will be able to unify.”

Clash of Conservatives

Here are the candidates running for the 67th Assembly District seat in the June 2 primary.

The Issues

The following are the questions asked each of the candidates:

Abortion rights--Do you support or oppose abortion rights?

Education voucher--Do you support the proposed education initiative, which would provide parents with a $1,200 voucher they can use to send their children to the school of their choice, including a private institution?

Health care plan--Do you support the California Medical Assn.’s proposed health care initiative, requiring all employers to provide basic coverage for any employee working more than half time?

Gay rights--Do you support legislation similar to AB 101, prohibiting discrimination by employers against homosexuals?

Welfare plan--Do you support Gov. Pete Wilson’s proposed welfare reform plan, calling for a minimum 10% reduction in welfare grants, incentives to stay in school and lower payments for new state residents?

Gnatcatcher--Should the California gnatcatcher, a rare bird that nests in areas targeted for development, be designated as a state endangered species?

REPUBLICANS

Thomas J. Mays

Age: 38

Home: Huntington Beach

Occupation: Assemblyman

Background: Served four years on Huntington Beach City Council (1986-90), including one year as mayor. Staff manager at McDonnell Douglas in Long Beach for 12 years, ending in 1990. Elected to Assembly in 1990.

Issues: Abortion rights--opposes. Education voucher--opposes initiative but supports a school-choice plan. Health care plan--opposes. Gay rights--opposes. Welfare plan--supports. Gnatcatcher--opposes.

Nolan Frizzelle

Age: 70

Home: Fountain Valley

Occupation: Assemblyman

Background: Optometrist in Newport Beach for nearly 30 years. Elected to Assembly in 1980.

Issues: Abortion rights--opposes. Education voucher--opposes. Health care plan--opposes. Gay rights--opposes. Welfare plan--favors grant reductions but opposes Wilson plan. Gnatcatcher--opposes.

Doris Allen

Age: 55

Home: Cypress

Occupation: Assemblywoman

Background: Served on Huntington Beach Union High School District board for four years (1978-81). Elected to Assembly in 1982.

Issues: Abortion rights--opposes. Education voucher--opposes. Health care plan--opposes. Gay rights--opposes. Welfare plan--supports. Gnatcatcher--undecided, further study needed.

DEMOCRAT

Ken LeBlanc

Age: 36

Home: Huntington Beach

Occupation: Corporate officer, Eureka Products Co., Huntington Beach.

Background: Previously with Ford Motor Co. in New York and Connecticut. Has never run for public office.

Issues: Abortion rights--supports. Education voucher--opposes. Health care plan--opposes. Gay rights--supports. Welfare plan--opposes. Gnatcatcher--no opinion.

LIBERTARIAN

Brian Schar

Age: 25

Home: Huntington Beach

Occupation: Aerospace engineer, McDonnell Douglas, Huntington Beach.

Background: Chairman of Libertarian Party in Orange County.

Issues: Abortion rights--supports. Education voucher--supports. Health care plan--opposes. Gay rights--opposes. Welfare plan--supports. Gnatcatcher--opposes.