Cash Didn’t Hurt in June Vote, but It Didn’t Always Help

In her 14 years of successful campaigns, Assemblywoman Cathie Wright has followed her golden rule of politics: “Spend to win.”

And it paid off in the June primary, when she doled out $434,427 to overwhelm two challengers for the Republican nomination in a state Senate district covering much of Ventura County. Her golden rule was followed by all but one of the primary campaign winners who competed to represent the county in the Legislature.

Despite a deep recession and a financially crippled state government, 19 candidates managed to raise and spend more than $1.4 million for their June campaigns, according to their campaign finance statements.

Much of their money went to pollsters, political consultants and slick campaign mailers, which the candidates said were needed to introduce them to voters in newly redrawn districts.

But some got a bigger bang for their bucks. One failed state Senate candidate, for instance, paid $13.87 for each vote she received, but ran nearly neck and neck with a lesser-known rival who spent a mere 88 cents per vote.

In another primary race, one lawyer who spent $3.02 for each vote he received in his campaign for a state Assembly seat was defeated by an unemployed community activist who spent only 53 cents per vote.

Yet in all other legislative races, Wright’s spend-to-win philosophy paid off: The candidates with the most money ended up with the most votes.

The most expensive race was the Republican primary in the 19th Senate District, which stretches from Oxnard to the San Fernando Valley. Three candidates paid out a total of $791,527.

The top spender was Wright of Simi Valley, who spent $15.66 for each of 27,728 votes she received to carry the GOP banner in November.

“It’s expensive, and nobody gives you a discount,” Wright said of running a political campaign.

As with other candidates, Wright’s campaign was fueled by large donations from special-interest groups, including contributions of $5,000 or more from the tobacco, real estate, medical and insurance lobbies.

John Theiss, Wright’s campaign manager, said these contributions simply demonstrate that Wright enjoys a broad range of support.

“Anyone that knows her knows that Mrs. Wright is not aligned with anyone,” Theiss said.

Not all candidates were as fortunate in attracting large donations.

Some, like Wright’s opponent former Assemblywoman Marian W. La Follette, had to dig deep into their own pockets for support. La Follette spent a total of $338,570--more than half of it her own money.

Despite La Follette’s war chest, the third Republican in the race, Fillmore City Councilman Roger Campbell, managed to snare nearly as many votes with far less cash.

Across the district, La Follette collected a total of 24,402 votes to Campbell’s 20,830. In Ventura County, though, she edged Campbell by only 11 votes. Yet La Follette paid out $13.87 for each vote, while Campbell spent only 88 cents.

Campbell said he was pleased with his showing, given his limited finances. However, he still is outraged over the money spent by his opponents.

“I think what this should tell people is that we need campaign reform,” Campbell said. “We need to limit the amount of money spent on campaigns, so that way candidates can stick to the issues.”

Martha Zilm, La Follette’s campaign director, said her candidate would not change strategy if she had it to do over again.

Zilm said Campbell’s lifelong residency in the district worked in his favor. But she said that his being the only male in the Republican primary was the main reason for his strong showing.

“I think that was a big factor,” Zilm said, “in spite of it being the ‘year of the woman.’ ”

La Follette moved from Corona del Mar to Thousand Oaks this year to jump into the race to replace retiring Sen. Ed Davis (R-Santa Clarita). She moved back to Orange County immediately after her defeat.

Wright will face Democratic challenger Henry Phillip Starr, who ran unopposed in the primary, in the November general election.

Spending was also heavy in the 37th Assembly District Republican primary. Seven candidates spent a total of $388,705 in their bid for the GOP nomination in the heavily Republican district, which stretches from Oxnard to Thousand Oaks and Moorpark.

Oxnard Mayor Nao Takasugi spent $187,984, or $16.22 for each vote he collected, to win the primary election. Takasugi, who received large contributions from real estate and medical interests, also tossed in $50,000 of his own money.

His chief rival, Newbury Park financial consultant Alan A. Guggenheim, a political novice, spent $112,252.

“Apparently I didn’t spend enough because I didn’t win,” said Guggenheim, who loaned his campaign $40,000.

Guggenheim said he believes a candidate must be prepared to spend at least $100,000 to be a serious contender for a state Assembly seat, which pays the same as a state Senate seat--$52,500 a year.

“When you look at it from the standpoint of the average citizen, to spend that much money to get elected is insane,” Guggenheim said. “But when you look at it from the standpoint of a businessman. . . . Well, nobody works for free.”

John Davies, Takasugi’s campaign consultant, said his candidate was forced to spend heavily because of reapportionment and because seven Republican candidates were competing for the nomination.

“We had a seven-headed monster,” Davies said. “It made it very difficult. Voters had a hard time keeping up with who the candidates were and who stood for what.”

Davies said his candidate does not expect to spend as much in the November election when he squares off against Roz McGrath, an elementary school teacher who ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

McGrath, who spent $7,430 in the effort, concedes that there is no way she can keep pace with Takasugi’s fund-raising abilities. McGrath’s campaign recently released hard-hitting television ads attacking her opponent for taking up to $60,000 in special-interest money.

“It’s absurd,” McGrath said. “People are buying their way into these positions. That’s what is wrong with the system. This is supposed to be a government of the people, by the people and for the people. Not a government of those who have the most money.”

Takasugi, who has been endorsed by Gov. Pete Wilson, has said that his contributions come from groups and individuals who share his political views, including teachers and police officers.

In the 38th Assembly District, Assemblywoman Paula L. Boland (R-Granada Hills)--who was unopposed in June--spent $75,174. She said the bulk of it was put toward reducing a debt of $100,000 left over from her 1990 election campaign. The 38th District, which straddles the Ventura-Los Angeles county line, encompasses Simi Valley, Fillmore and a small part of Thousand Oaks.

Howard Cohen, an unemployed citizen activist from North Hills, narrowly defeated better-financed Howard Blatt, a Northridge attorney, in the 38th’s Democratic primary.

Cohen spent $8,150, or 53 cents for each vote, while Blatt spent $40,174, or $3.02 per vote.

Cohen attributed his win in large part to his cable television ads, which portrayed Blatt as a lawyer who represents drug dealers.

The Democratic nominee said he knows he cannot match his opponent in campaign funds, but he is undeterred.

“I can’t compete with (Boland) in terms of special-interest money,” Cohen said. “But I will outwork her as I did Mr. Blatt.”

Meanwhile, incumbent Democratic Assemblyman Jack O’Connell (D-Carpinteria) spent $88,000 in an uncontested primary in the 35th Assembly District.

Like other candidates, O’Connell said most of his money was spent on blanketing the newly drawn district with mailers and campaign brochures. The district includes most of Santa Barbara County as well as Ventura, Santa Paula and the Ojai Valley.

“It’s a foundation from which to build on,” O’Connell said, explaining his early spending practice. “I don’t take anything for granted.”

In the Republican primary, political science instructor Alan O. (Lanny) Ebenstein spent $25,306 to defeat Paul Pillmore for the nomination. Pillmore spent $10,584 in his election bid.

The third candidate, Aaron Gray, a Santa Barbara hat maker who spent $500 on his campaign bid, said he was outraged by the quantity of cash shelled out by his opponents and O’Connell.

“That’s the reason we have bad politicians, because people vote for people who have the most money,” Gray said. “If you want honesty in government, then you’ve got to vote for the guy with the least amount of money.”

But Gray said he is looking at his loss as a learning experience.

“I don’t blame people for not being interested,” he said. “Politics is a dirty business. After going to speak to a group of people, I couldn’t wait to come home and take a shower. I felt so filthy.”

The Price of Politics

Legislative candidates in Ventura County together poured more than $1.4 million into their June primary campaigns. The following is a breakdown of what they got for their money:

COST CANDIDATE VOTES EXPENDITURE PER VOTE 35th Assembly District Alan O. (Lanny) Ebenstein* 16,457 $25,306 $1.53 Republican, Santa Barbara Paul Pillmore 15,453 $10,584 $ .68 Republican, Santa Barbara Aaron H. Gray 3,261 $500 $ .15 Republican, Santa Barbara Jack O’Connell* 35,775 $88,000 $2.45 Democrat, Carpinteria 37th Assembly District Nao Takasugi* 11,590 $187,984 $16.22 Republican, Oxnard Alan A. Guggenheim 8,570 $112,252 $13.10 Republican, Newbury Park Jon H. Williams 2,717 $25,882 $9.52 Republican, Camarillo Madge L. Schaefer 7,034 $30,843 $4.38 Republican, Thousand Oaks Ronald De Blauw 2,236 $9,720 $4.34 Republican, Oxnard Michael D. Berger 3,745 $11,630 $3.10 Republican, Thousand Oaks Kenneth (Skip) Roberts 1,497 $2,964 $1.98 Republican, Newbury Park Roz McGrath* 23,931 $7,430 $ .31 Democrat, Camarillo 38th Assembly District Paula L. Boland* 29,382 $75,174 $2.56 Republican, Granada Hills James Blatt 13,327 $40,174 $3.02 Democrat, Northridge Howard Cohen* 15,173 $8,150 $ .53 Democrat, North Hills 19th State Senate District Cathie Wright* 27,728 $434,427 $15.66 Republican, Simi Valley Marian W. La Follette 24,402 $338,570 $13.87 Republican, Thousand Oaks Roger Campbell 20,830 $18,530 $ .88 Republican, Fillmore Henry Phillip Starr* 44,140 $32,457 $ .73 Democrat, Bell Canyon

* Primary Winner

Source: Ventura County Registrar of Voters Division