Ferguson and Conroy: They’re Just a Couple of Simpatico Politicos

Battered by allegations that he advised maverick Assemblyman Paul Horcher to support Democratic leader Willie Brown, former Orange County lawmaker Gil Ferguson has needed all the friends he can get. One steadfast pal has been Assemblyman Mickey Conroy (R-Orange).

Not only has Conroy stuck by his endorsement of Ferguson in the upcoming 35th District Senate race, but Conroy also disputes the Horcher story.

“Under no circumstances did Gil Ferguson say anything like that,” Conroy said. “Who would you believe? That liar Horcher or Gil? Gil has integrity and would never make a deal to keep Willie as speaker.”

Conroy noted that Brown, who became Assembly Speaker last month with Horcher casting the key vote, said in a recent newspaper interview that Horcher was on board with the Democrats months before the speakership vote--and long before Ferguson talked to Horcher. Brown was quoted as saying he advised Horcher to keep quiet until the vote.

Conroy said that Assemblyman Ross Johnson (R-Placentia), who is also vying for the 35th District Senate seat, jumped on the Horcher story because he lacked a good issue against the Newport Beach Republican.

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Big bucks: Judging by recent polls, Johnson is way behind in name recognition in the March 14 battle for the 35th District Senate seat vacated by Supervisor Marian Bergeson. But the Placentia Republican, who has just moved his political base to Irvine, is miles ahead of his chief rivals in fund raising.

The most recent figures show that Johnson has spent $100,000 on five mailers to district constituents and has an additional $180,000 stashed for future use.

That bankroll is six times the combined total of Ferguson and Assemblywoman Doris Allen, who have raised $21,000 and $9,000 respectively, according to recent figures. Ferguson has sent out one mailer, Allen none.

Republican insiders also say polls show Ferguson strongest in Costa Mesa and Newport Beach, with Johnson strong in Irvine and, surprisingly, Laguna Hills, long thought of as a Ferguson stronghold. They say Johnson’s endorsements by Bergeson and freshman Assemblywoman Marilyn C. Brewer (R-Irvine) are driving his support in the Laguna Hills area.

Five others are in the race: Democrats Madelene E. Arakelian, a Newport Beach businesswoman, and Mike Palitz, a Corona del Mar entrepreneur; and Republicans Robert Ruper, a Newport Beach eye surgeon, Dan Worthington, a member of the Costa Mesa Sanitary Board, and Long Pham, an unsuccessful candidate last year for Newport Beach City Council.

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Welcome to politics: Palitz, one of two Democrats running for the 35th District Senate seat, has been in politics only a few weeks, but he’s already disgusted.

Although education is the Democrat’s top priority, Palitz was rebuffed by the California Teachers Assn. when he attended a candidate forum to seek the group’s endorsement. He said the whole affair was “a big sham” because the association already had decided to back Assemblywoman Allen.

“It’s all very irritating,” he said. “I’m new to the political arena, and it’s shocking what you find. It’s cutthroat. It’s who can stab who in the back fastest. It’s a dog-eat-dog environment.”

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Miffed in Sacramento: Brewer, who was elected to Ferguson’s Assembly seat, is expressing irritation these days with her predecessor. She contends that Ferguson, who backed Thomas G. Reinecke, Brewer’s biggest opponent in last year’s race, has made the transition difficult by hoarding supplies and destroying files.

Most galling, she said, has been Ferguson’s decision after the election to eliminate all his computer records of constituent complaints, a move that has hamstrung Brewer in her efforts to serve the community.

“He has been an obstruction, rather than cooperative,” Brewer said. “He’s doing everything he can to make the job difficult.”

Is it sour grapes over the election? “It certainly appears that way,” Brewer said.

Ferguson counters that he’s done everything possible to help Brewer, and destroyed files at the advice of the Assembly Rules Committee. He also suggests that Brewer, whom he called a liberal, is “stabbing me in the back” because of a deal she has struck with the conservative Johnson and his Orange County allies.

“If she does their bidding, they’ll allow (Brewer) to run in 1996 without putting up a conservative opponent,” Ferguson said. “They’re strange bedfellows.”

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Bubba was here: U.S. Sen. Phil Gramm (R-Texas) entertained a crowd of about 400 with his speech at the annual Lincoln Club dinner Feb. 4 at the Irvine Hyatt. Gramm’s articulate but down-home style and conservative politics were well received, according to several people in attendance.

At one point, Gramm warned President Clinton not to take his presidential candidacy lightly. If Clinton thinks Gramm wouldn’t be able to win the “Bubba vote,” he ought to think again, Gramm told the audience.

“I am Bubba,” drawled Gramm the former Texas A&M; professor who a native of Georgia.

UPCOMING EVENTS

* Tuesday: Costa Mesa accountant John M.W. Moorlach will discuss the Orange County budget crisis at an 11:45 a.m. luncheon presented by the Capistrano Valley Republican Women Federated. Call Lois Nicholson at (714) 496-8559 for details.

* Friday: Santa Ana Mayor Miguel A. Pulido Jr., County Supervisor Roger R. Stanton, Santa Ana City Manager David N. Ream and Anil Puri, an economics professor at Cal State Fullerton, will be guest speakers at the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting from 7:15 to 8:45 a.m. at the Ramada Grand Avenue Hotel, 2726 S. Grand Ave. Tickets are $35. Call (714) 541-5363 for information.

Compiled by Times staff writer Len Hall, with contributions from staff writer Eric Bailey.