Torres Carries Latino Hopes for State Post : Politics: Many view his primary win in the insurance commissioner race as a sign of the emerging clout and cross-over appeal of Latino elected officials.

After Romualdo Pacheco stepped down as California’s 12th governor in 1876, a more than century-long dry spell began for Latino politicians. But now, in his quest to become insurance commissioner, state Sen. Art Torres of Los Angeles could become the first Latino to hold statewide office since the bearded, aristocratic Pacheco.

Torres’ victory in last week’s Democratic primary has sparked a sense of pride and hope for many in the Latino community who view his candidacy as a symbol of the emerging political clout and cross-over appeal of Latino elected officials. For many, a Torres victory in the November general election would send an overdue message that state government is becoming representative of California’s changing demographics.

“He will serve as the role model for all Latinos,” said Assemblyman Joe Baca (D-San Bernardino), who was elected in 1992 when Latinos increased their numbers in the Legislature from seven to 11 members. “He is our Moses who will take the people to the valley--and the valley will be equity and opportunity.”

In many ways, Torres’ candidacy is also a tale of perseverance and resiliency. His longtime friends say his victory in the primary speaks volumes about Art Torres the man--a person who has overcome drinking problems, a divorce and a bitter loss three years ago to a powerful rival for a seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.

“I’ve seen him during the good times and the bad times, but I would have to say this is probably the greatest victory he’s ever had,” said Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alatorre.

But Torres’ road to one of the state’s most powerful elected posts is far from certain.

The reasons that no Latino has held statewide office in more than a century are rooted in a complex mix of demographic, political and social factors. Between 1850 and 1880, more than half of the elected officials in Southern California--including Pacheco--were Mexican Americans connected to a landed aristocracy that dominated area politics, said Fernando Guerra, a political scientist and historian at Loyola Marymount University.

“They had economic power, political experience and concentrated numbers in certain regions,” he said.

But the influence of those Californios waned as increasing numbers of whites moved to the state, Guerra said.

There are other reasons: Latinos have been divided along class lines; racism and exclusion have hindered Latino political development, and the influx of other groups has diluted Latino voting power.

And only now are Latinos poised to ascend to statewide office as demographics change once again, as education and economic levels increase and as more Latinos participate in the electoral process.

Torres was first elected to the Assembly in 1974 and then to the state Senate in 1982. His 24th Senate District takes in the heavily Latino East Los Angeles area. Throughout his campaign for statewide office, Torres has said that he is not a Latino candidate, but a candidate who happens to be Latino.

Still, the historical significance of the race is not lost on the politician who grew up on Los Angeles’ Eastside and who earned his stripes as a young attorney working on behalf of migrant farm workers in the late 1960s and early ‘70s.

“I feel a tremendous sense of duty to not let down my community, and I’m not going to,” said Torres, 47, who has developed into one of the most eloquent orators in Sacramento. “But I also have shown that I have been willing to work on behalf of everybody.”

Torres, chairman of the Senate Insurance, Claims and Corporations Committee, has vowed to be a watchdog for consumers and stand up to the insurance industry. His legislative accomplishments include a 1979 Medi-Cal reform bill that allows senior citizens to receive care at home and a 1985 measure he says has prevented thousands of children from dropping out of school. He also was a co-author of the bill banning the sale of assault weapons in California.

In capturing 46% of the primary vote, he survived attacks from his main challenger, Assemblyman Burt Margolin (D-Los Angeles), whose radio ads questioned whether someone with two drunk-driving convictions should become insurance commissioner. Torres maintains that the convictions are not an issue and says his successful recovery from alcoholism is a testament to his character.

“I think it is a testimony that I can come back and show that life doesn’t end,” he said.

His Republican opponent, Assemblyman Charles W. Quackenbush of San Jose, said he plans to avoid personal attacks. “I don’t think you can win that way,” said Quackenbush, adding that he plans to focus on issues such as the high cost of obtaining insurance and luring companies back into the state.

The winner will become the state’s second elected insurance commissioner. The first, Democrat John Garamendi, lost in last week’s gubernatorial primary.

The race is attracting some national attention. Torres campaign officials say Latino politicians outside the state have expressed an interest in raising funds for his candidacy.

On Los Angeles’ Eastside--where Latino politics have long been bitter and divisive--many are calling for the community to rally around Torres’ campaign.

“I just hope that people can put aside their personalities and political ideologies to seize on this golden opportunity for the sake of the community,” said Alatorre, Torres’ longtime ally.

“At this point, the focus should be on getting him elected,” said Eastside community leader Frank Villalobos, who has worked on the campaigns of Torres’ rival--Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina.

Molina beat Torres in the 1991 supervisorial race and endorsed Margolin in the primary. She declined to be interviewed but said through a spokesman that she plans to endorse Torres and campaign on his behalf.

Molina also issued a written statement saying: “When a Latino is elected to statewide office, we (will) finally see state government begin to be representative of the diversity of our population. It is a need long overdue.”

Torres is mindful of the experience of Hank Lopez, the last Latino to seek statewide office in a general election. Lopez, the Democratic nominee for secretary of state in 1958, was the only major candidate to lose that year in what was otherwise a Democratic sweep of the state’s top offices.

“It’s going to be a very interesting referendum as to us as a community,” Torres said. “I think we passed the first test in the Democratic primary.”

No local polling has been done to determine whether white voters are less likely to support a Latino seeking statewide office, said John Brennan, director of the Times Poll. However, he said, Torres obviously picked up a significant number of non-Latino votes in the primary because whites made up 77% of the Democratic electorate.

Regardless of the outcome, Torres has shown that a Latino can be a viable statewide candidate, political observers say. And his candidacy augurs well for future breakthroughs by Latino candidates.

“Having just one Latino there shows that government is open to the possibilities for Latino representation,” Guerra said. “I think the candidacy portends that this is the beginning of more statewide efforts by Latino candidates.”