THE SPEAKERSHIP BATTLE : Horcher’s GOP Constituents Outraged at His Vote for Brown

Benedict Arnold, Judas and Assemblyman Paul V. Horcher.

Betrayal was the operative sentiment Tuesday around Horcher’s 60th District in the East San Gabriel Valley, especially among Republicans. They called it treachery for the man they reelected in November to renounce the party and back longtime Democratic Speaker Willie Brown, a political Antichrist for many voters here.

“Horcher is a traitor,” said Joe Edwards, a former supporter who took a break from shopping at The Plaza at West Covina to vent his anger. “I wanted Willie Brown out of there and then he votes for him. I feel very much betrayed.”

Timothy J. Vrieling, chairman of the local Republican Central Committee, said he has begun organizing a recall drive against Horcher, who declared himself an independent Monday after casting a decisive vote to block the seating of a Republican Speaker.

“It’s a major slap in the face to Republicans,” Vrieling said. “The Republican Party is what put him in office.”

Horcher, a 43-year-old lawyer, has cast himself as a maverick for several years, but his dramatic switch on the first day of the Assembly session in Sacramento marked a new role. Despite winning reelection Nov. 8 with 61% of the vote, his political future in the conservative district--including the communities of Diamond Bar, Hacienda Heights, West Covina and portions of Pomona and Whittier--now seems virtually comatose.

“Horcher seems to have done it in a way that definitely burns his bridges with his Republican Party,” said political scientist Alan Heslop, a professor at Claremont McKenna College. “And he has no roots in the Democratic Party locally. Mr. Horcher has put an end to any political future that he might have had.”

While Horcher cited the rightward tilt of the Assembly Republicans for his jump, his suburban district is comfortable in its conservatism. Voters there sided strongly with Republican Mike Huffington over Sen. Dianne Feinstein last month, and endorsed the reelection of Gov. Pete Wilson.

In 1992 the voters bucked the Democratic tide and went for George Bush over Bill Clinton, while showing a strong independent streak--20% cast votes for maverick Ross Perot. Ronald Reagan did well there.

Now, authorities in Horcher’s hometown of Diamond Bar say they are on alert after the assemblyman reportedly received death threats at his Sacramento office.

“Nothing is trustworthy--nothing is from the heart in politics anymore,” said Sam Longoria, a West Covina resident who voted for Perot in the last presidential election. “They’ll tell you one thing one moment and do another the next. Politicians like Horcher aren’t responsive to the people who elected them.”

Bert Kramer, a Republican from West Covina, said he felt the betrayal deeply. “I am depressed and very upset,” he said. “I think he’s done a very immoral thing and I hope he gets what’s coming to him.”

Local Democrats were far from unanimous in their reaction to Horcher’s renunciation of his GOP roots. “I say good for him. I’m sure he did what he thought was right for his constituents,” said Mary Albeen, a Democrat from Rowland Heights.

Yet supporters of Democrat Andrew Ramirez, who ran against Horcher in the Nov. 8 election, said they feel their own betrayal because their candidate was spurned by Brown. Ramirez appealed in vain for financial help from the Assembly’s Democratic Caucus.

“Willie ignored him and paid attention to Paul (Horcher),” said Rickie Santell, a state Democratic Party board member. “I’m sickened by the process that allowed this to happen.”

Horcher, a moderate who favors abortion rights and has aligned himself with the traditionally Democratic California Trial Lawyers Assn., is a battle-scarred veteran of political infighting in the San Gabriel Valley.

He was elected to the City Council in Diamond Bar in 1989, the year the city incorporated. Within months, council members voted to strip Horcher of his largely ceremonial title of mayor pro tem after he accused a councilman of conflict of interest. Horcher spent more than $300,000 of his own money to win a narrow victory in the 1990 primary over seven Republican rivals for the Assembly seat.

Last September he mounted a challenge in a special election for an open seat in the state Senate, running with the aid of Democratic groups. Despite the assistance, Horcher finished a distant third behind Assemblyman Richard Mountjoy of Arcadia and Diamond Bar Councilman Gary G. Miller, a wealthy Republican businessman.

During that campaign, Horcher sent out a mailer that chided the conservative Mountjoy for voting to make Brown the Speaker in 1980.

“Paul Horcher has never voted to make Willie Brown speaker,” the mailer bragged.

“He should resign,” Miller said Tuesday. “He misrepresented himself to the people. The man has flat smashed a Republican dream.”

Caren Daniels-Meade, spokeswoman for the secretary of state, said recall elections aimed at state officeholders have been held only four times in California history and have succeeded only twice. The last recall election was in April, when proponents failed to oust state Sen. David Roberti (D-Van Nuys).

Horcher, in a statement read Monday, said his new status as an independent would benefit his district, but local leaders did not all see it that way.

“I was fearful this would happen,” said Dr. Forest Tennant, a prominent Republican and former mayor of West Covina. “Paul Horcher will no longer be able to represent his district adequately because any bill he carries or takes a lead on will be despised by people of both parties. I’m saddened, because this is not going to help the San Gabriel Valley.”

Holguin is a Times staff writer. Winton is a special correspondent.

Horcher’s Home Base

Assemblyman Paul Horcher’s district in the San Gabriel Valley is evenly split between Republicans and Democrats, but it votes conservatively and independently--not the kind of place where his support for longtime Speaker Willie Brown will win him friends. The district favored George Bush over Bill Clinton in 1992, but 20% voted for Ross Perot.

60TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT White: 47% Latino: 30% Asian American: 17% African American: 6% *

NOV. 1994 ELECTION Paul Horcher (R Inc.): 61% Andrew M. Ramirez (D): 33% *Pete Wilson (R Inc.): 58% Kathleen Brown (D): 35% *Michael Huffington (R): 51% Diane Feinstein (D Inc.): 36% *

Propostion 187 Yes: 60% No: 36% Sources: California secretary of state, Los Angeles registrar of voters, California Journal.

Researched by NONA YATES / Los Angeles Times