GOP Challenger Bows Out of State Senate Race

The Republican candidate for the 23rd District Senate seat, Leonard H. McRoskey, suspended his campaign this week after conceding that he cannot beat Assemblyman Tom Hayden (D-Santa Monica) in the heavily Democratic district.

“I now believe mine is not a winnable race,” McRoskey said. “I do not want to use supporters’ money, time and efforts unwisely.”

McRoskey, a Westwood businessman, got his name on the November ballot the hard way: by waging a whirlwind two-week write-in campaign just before the June primary. He said the effort was fueled by his dismay at finding no Republican for whom to vote when he sat down to fill out his absentee ballot.

On the Democratic side, Hayden beat veteran legislator state Sen. Herschel Rosenthal (D-Los Angeles) and Pacific Palisades businesswoman Catherine O’Neill in an expensive contest. Since there was only minor-party opposition, Hayden’s primary victory was considered tantamount to election.

Several weeks after the primary, however, a count of the write-in votes showed that McRoskey had qualified as the Republican nominee; 2,491 voters had penciled in his name.

Although he expressed surprise at his own success, McRoskey promised to give Hayden a run for this money.

In the last month, however, demographic reality set in. “I knew it would be a miracle if I won it,” he said.

Democrats have a 54% to 35% registration edge over Republicans in the district, which includes much of the Westside and the southwest San Fernando Valley.

McRoskey said he could not in good conscience raise money for a lost cause.

“I would be asking people for money for a campaign I believe I have no chance of winning,” he said.

McRoskey said he will be returning money to contributors. His name will remain on the ballot.

“The regret I have is I would love to get up to Sacramento because I know I could do the right job up there,” McRoskey said.