Party Loyalty Questioned in 38th Congressional Race

Will the real Democrat and Republican candidates in the 38th Congressional District please stand up?

Long Beach City Councilman Evan Anderson Braude and Cal State Long Beach political science professor Steve Horn are questioning each other’s party loyalty in the hot race.

Braude, the Democratic nominee, accused Horn, his Republican opponent, of masking his ties to the Republican Party last week after Horn mailed 49,000 videotapes to district voters, including Democrats and independents. The videocassette was wrapped in a Horn brochure and a letter identifying Horn as a Republican candidate in the district, which includes Long Beach, Lakewood, Bellflower and Downey.

But not once in the 15-minute presentation does Horn identify himself as a Republican, or make any mention of the Republican Party or the President. Instead he praises three Democrats: Bill Clinton, Harry Truman and Georgia Sen. Sam Nunn.

Upon seeing the videotape, the Braude camp fired off faxes to the news media declaring “Steve Horn is no Bill Clinton.”

“Horn will take money from the Republican Party and invite party bigwigs to his fund-raisers but he won’t own up to his party’s miserable performance in the presidency,” Braude said in the statement.

Upon hearing that, Steve Horn Jr., who is running his father’s campaign, whipped out a Republican slate card recently mailed to voters. The cover reads, “Your Republican Voter Guide” and calls for a “Return to the Republican Tradition.” Inside the mailer, next to an ad for Los Angeles County Supervisor Deane Dana, is a small box urging support for Braude. The ad makes no mention of the fact that Braude is a Democrat, and the councilman, who always uses the middle name “Anderson” to honor his stepfather, retiring Democratic Rep. Glenn M. Anderson, is merely identified in the ad as “Evan Braude.” The group that distributed the mailer, Citizens for Republican Values, received $650 for Braude’s ad, according to campaign disclosure statements.

“So if anyone is trying to deceive the public it’s Evan Braude,” the younger Horn said.

Braude said that he had not seen the ad and would have insisted that the name “Anderson” be included. But he defended his staff’s decision to run it, saying, “It’s part of the process of getting my name out there in every possible way.”

Braude also noted that at every public appearance he mentions that he would like to be part of the Clinton-Gore team.

Horn, meanwhile, argued that the brochures sent with his video clearly identified him as a Republican, but he said: “I’m running as an independent Republican who wants to attract Republicans, Democrats, independents, minor-party members.”

Paul Burton, the Peace and Freedom candidate in the race, said Horn and Braude must woo conservative Democrats in order to win. But he noted: “It just shows there isn’t much difference between them. They both fit into that mold of the Republicrats.”

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MONEY TO LOAN--State Sen. Frank Hill (R-Whittier) has raised so much money for his campaign that he has been giving some of it to political allies.

His latest campaign reporting statement shows that he has raised $307,807 this year while his Democratic opponent, Sandy Hester, has collected $24,368.

Hill this month gave $40,000 to the Fund for a Responsible Legislature and $60,000 to Citizens for Responsible Representation. William Saracino, who is treasurer of both Sacramento-based committees, said they back candidates for state and local office who are sympathetic to business. Earlier this year, Hill loaned $107,000 to Oceanside attorney Bill Morrow to help him win the Republican nomination in an Assembly district that straddles San Diego and Orange counties.

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POLICE PROPOSITION--With the election two days away, two Long Beach groups fighting on opposite sides of a controversial tax measure are matching each other nearly dollar for dollar in the campaign to raise money.

As of Thursday, the main group opposing the measure, Public Safety First-No on H, had raised about $15,265 and spent about $11,361 to fight the measure, according to campaign disclosure statements filed with the Long Beach city clerk.

Supporters of the tax, the Taxpayers for a Safer Long Beach, had raised $14,588 and spent about $6,000. The group also borrowed $5,000 at no interest from Somerset Distributing Co., a local business.

If Proposition H passes, homeowners will pay $38 to $60 a year in additional property taxes and businesses about 4 cents per square foot so the Long Beach Police Department can hire 100 more officers.

Most of the contributions No on H has received have come from property management businesses and realtors who have complained that an added tax will drive more business from Long Beach. The group received a boost from the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers’ Assn., which has spent $17,000 fighting the proposition. The anti-tax association gave $10,000 to the No on H committee and spent $7,000 on a slate mailer. Other opponents of the tax include the Long Beach Board of Realtors and the Chamber of Commerce.

Supporters include Long Beach Police Officers Assn., Long Beach Firefighters and Long Beach Area Citizens Involved.

The measure needs a two-thirds yes vote for passage.

Times Staff Writer Mike Ward contributed to this report.