Countywide : Perez Ferguson, Gallegly to Debate

Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley) said Tuesday that he would debate Democrat Anita Perez Ferguson of Oxnard, who is challenging him in the race for the congressional seat representing most of Ventura County.

Gallegly, a three-term incumbent, has not been involved in a head-to-head debate with a political opponent since his first contest for a House seat in 1986.

The debate is scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday at the Ventura High School auditorium.

On Tuesday, more than 50 Ventura County women attended a news conference at Gallegly’s campaign office in Ventura in support of the lawmaker.

Some of the women, such as Ventura County Assistant Dist. Atty. Colleen Toy White, said they supported Gallegly even though they were at odds with him over abortion rights. White is an abortion rights advocate; Gallegly opposes abortion except in cases of rape, incest or when the woman’s life is threatened.

“I talked with him at length about it,” White told reporters. “I came away comfortable that he should be my representative. He’s done great work. He’s a known quantity.”

Tina Hare of Moorpark, a working mother of three children and another abortion rights advocate, supports Gallegly. “I feel there are more important issues,” she said.

Some speakers at the Women-for-Gallegly event said it was wrong to practice gender politics in what has been called the Year of the Woman.

“Just because a woman is running is not a good enough reason to vote for one,” said Jean Crew of Ventura, a businesswoman.

Even 2-year-old Alyssa Suffern of Camarillo was there. Cradled in the arms of her adopted mother, Shirley, she wore a white pinafore and an “I Love Elton” button.

With Gallegly’s help cutting through red tape, the abandoned infant was extricated from a Romanian state hospital in May, 1991. Suffern said Gallegly went to bat for her “even though he had never heard of me. I ended up coming home with this child due to Elton Gallegly.”