CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS : L.A. COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS : Burke, Watson in Tight Race; Dana Ahead

Diane Watson and Yvonne Brathwaite Burke, pioneering black women in California Democratic Party politics, were locked in a tight race Tuesday to become the first African-American elected to the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, and incumbent Deane Dana was surviving a fierce challenge from Gordana Swanson.

Proposition A, a county park bond, seemed headed for approval. But two major reforms of county government--Propositions B and C, which call for election of a county mayor and for enlarging the Board of Supervisors from five to nine members--were being rejected.

Career prosecutor Gilbert Garcetti was assured of victory after Dist. Atty. Ira Reiner’s withdrawal from the race.

Dana, a three-term incumbent, was holding firm against a tide of discontent with incumbents and a wave of successful female candidates in the so-called Year of the Woman in politics.

Dana remained sequestered in a room above his campaign party at the Mums Restaurant in Long Beach until about 9:45 p.m. Tuesday, when he told about 100 supporters: “The trend looks good. . . . I am very, very optimistic, but we’re going to have to wait a while until we know where we are.”

Harvey Englander, Dana’s campaign consultant, said, “My goal was to have one more vote than Gordana Swanson. So anything above that, I’m very pleased with.”

Swanson remained optimistic, telling a crowd of supporters at 11 p.m.: “We’re going to pull ahead of him real soon. He outspent us 5 to 1.”

At the Swanson gathering at the San Pedro Sheraton, the mostly older, white, well-heeled supporters of the Rolling Hills mayor milled around happily until national results showed President Bush getting trounced. They then glumly watched TV.

In a strange twist, Burke, a former appointed supervisor, faced the possibility of serving on the board with Dana, who ousted her in 1980 after a bitter campaign.

Burke, attempting a political comeback after spending more than a decade out of office, met with supporters gathered at the Culver City Howard Johnson’s at 10:45 p.m. Tuesday. Leading in early returns, she said: “I am so pleased that it looks as though everything is on track so far. It’s going to be a long night, but it’s going to be a good night.”

Watson, greeting supporters in a suite at the downtown Biltmore Hotel where many Democratic candidates were holding election celebrations, said:”We ran a great campaign. We had the people on our side, and I’m sure the people have not let us down.”

“I’m doing this for the little people at the bottom, the people who have worked so hard. It’s going to be a great day for you when I sit on the board. . . . California has come out in the Clinton column and Los Angeles County will come out in the Watson column.”

Watson briefly greeted the 200 cheering supporters before leaving for her campaign reception in South-Central Los Angeles.

The Board of Supervisors controls a $13-billion budget, a work force of 83,000 and represents nearly 9 million residents--a larger population than many states.

Burke was appointed in 1979 but failed to win election a year later. Except for the period when she served, the five-member board was all white and all male until Gloria Molina was elected last year as the first Latino supervisor this century.

Burke and Watson, UCLA sorority sisters, ran a fierce campaign in the 2nd District--which includes South-Central Los Angeles and the Westside--for the seat that has been held by Kenneth Hahn since Los Angeles was a one-freeway town. Hahn, first elected in 1952, is retiring.

The race drew widespread interest because it was centered in neighborhoods devastated by last spring’s riots and, with Mayor Tom Bradley retiring, its winner will become a national figure in black politics.

With Burke and Watson sharing views on many issues, the contest may eventually come down to their different styles and their endorsements.

Burke, 60, an ex-congresswoman, campaigned as a conciliatory Bradley-style politician who would better represent the diverse interests of the racially mixed district. She portrayed Watson as effective at getting on TV but not at getting legislation passed.

Watson, 58, contended that her confrontational style was more likely to shake up the county bureaucracy and to loosen up money to bring more services to the poor and working class residents of the district.

Watson painted Burke as the Establishment-backed candidate who moved into the district from an affluent Westside neighborhood to run for the seat. Watson derisively referred to her opponent as “Yvonne Brentwood Burke.”

Burke was relying on her endorsement from Rep. Maxine Waters--one of the most influential politicians in Los Angeles--to be a turning point in the election. Burke, who enjoys strong support in suburban middle-class communities, hoped to use Waters’ endorsement to cut into Watson’s political base in inner-city neighborhoods. Burke also was backed by Hahn.

In the crucial final days of the campaign, Burke sent out a 62-page booklet titled, “Brick by Brick: Building a New L.A.” and presenting her plan for revitalizing the district.

Watson enjoyed strong labor support. Although the race is nonpartisan, Watson also was endorsed by the county Democratic Party organization. And she took advantage of that endorsement, associating her name with the Democratic ticket of Bill Clinton-Al Gore, Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer.

In the 4th District--which extends along the coast from Marina del Rey to Long Beach and then inland to Diamond Bar--the campaign was one of the costliest in county history.

Both candidates hit hard at each other’s records: Swanson attacking Dana for expensive perks he enjoyed during 12 years in office and several scandals that developed during his board tenure. Dana hit back by accusing Swanson of not supporting Proposition 13 and of lying about his record.

The combined campaigns spent nearly $3 million on radio, TV and direct mail that dealt little with the county’s fiscal crisis or deepening problems of crime, health care, unemployment and ethnic tensions.

Dana was criticized for allowing county bureaucrats to approve a $265-million increase in pension benefits and for being chauffeured in a bulletproof car that cost $74,000.

Despite the record, Dana portrayed himself as “leading the fight” for reform and against county spending abuses. With less than a week to go before the election, Supervisor Gloria Molina demanded that Dana stop using her name in his campaign literature, saying that he is misleading voters.

Dana also played partisan politics in his quest for the nonpartisan post. He sent mailers to Democrats saying that Swanson was endorsed by Republicans and similar mailers to Republicans saying she was endorsed by Democrats. In fact, both were endorsed by prominent politicians from both parties.

Dana, 66, was a telephone company administrator and Republican Party activist when he defeated the liberal Burke to win election to the board during the 1980 Reagan landslide. Dana was forced into a runoff after collecting 42% of the vote in the June primary--short of the 50% required to win.

Swanson, 57, finished second among five challengers, with 25% of the vote.