Hurtt Rolls Up 75% of Vote in Winning Senate Seat

Orange County businessman Rob Hurtt used $200,000 of his personal bankroll to deliver his message of free enterprise and “family values” to voters, and this week it paid off as the Republican won 75% of the vote in rolling over half a dozen challengers for a central Orange County state Senate seat.

Hurtt will begin a new career in a more byzantine place of business than most in the private sector are used to--the state Capitol in Sacramento. Even his biggest boosters question whether he can parlay his decisive victory into legislative success.

“One of the things I worry about is Rob coming up here after being president of his own company, where he’s used to getting things done immediately,” said state Sen. John R. Lewis (R-Orange), a staunch Hurtt backer. “He’ll probably be somewhat frustrated by the way this operation works.”

But, Lewis adds, he fully expects Hurtt to succeed: “He strikes me as the kind of guy who the more he gets frustrated, the harder he’ll work to try to change things.”

Hurtt, who assumed the 32nd District state Senate seat vacated in January when former Sen. Ed Royce (R-Anaheim) became a congressman, said: “I’ll be the first to admit I’ll probably be somewhat frustrated. But I think I’m a pretty empirical person, and when it comes to figuring out how to get something done, I’ll figure it out.”

In particular, Hurtt hopes to weigh in on issues he believes can help California’s business community. He wants to see regulations cut and the bureaucratic process streamlined.

Democratic critics said they will be surprised if Hurtt can succeed.

“It’s one thing when you’re running your own business. When you snap your fingers, people jump,” said George Urch, chief of staff for Assemblyman Tom Umberg (D-Garden Grove). “But in the state Senate when you’re a backbencher it’s awful hard to get people to pay attention and take you seriously.”

Lewis and other Republicans believe Hurtt can be an effective fund-raiser and help shape the conservative electoral strategy going into 1994. Last year, he was one of California’s biggest contributors to conservative Republican candidates and causes, donating more than $500,000. Now, said Lewis, “he’ll be right in the middle of the action.”

Hurtt was the only candidate in four special elections Tuesday to win more than 50% of the vote, earning him a seat in the Legislature. In three other races, the top candidates of each party will compete in an April runoff.

In the North Coast’s 2nd Senate District, Democrat Mike Thompson got 47% of the vote and will face Republican Margie Handley. Democrat Jim Costa was the leading vote-getter in the 16th Senate District, garnering more than 37%, but he also was forced into a runoff and will go up against Republican Phil Wyman. The 16th District includes the eastern Antelope Valley and parts of Pasadena and Altadena, as well as farmlands in the San Joaquin Valley.

Democrat Cruz Bustamante got nearly 48% of the vote in the 31st Assembly District covering Fresno and Tulare counties, and will face Republican Doug Vagim.