CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS / 35th SENATE DISTRICT : Johnson Cruises to Lopsided Win Over Arakelian

Veteran Republican Assemblyman Ross Johnson easily defeated Democrat Madelene Arakelian late Tuesday in the race for the state Senate’s 35th District seat, vacated by county Supervisor Marian Bergeson.

Johnson, 55, an attorney and a member of the Assembly for more than 16 years, got more than 70% of the vote in the runoff election with an estimated turnout of only 11.6%.

Johnson managed to push aside charges that he was a “carpetbagger” for moving from Placentia to Irvine to qualify for the election in this mostly coastal district. He credited his lengthy record as a party leader and fiscal conservative for winning over voters.

“I think this is an incredible time to be in the California Legislature,” Johnson said at a campaign party at the Villa Nova restaurant in Newport Beach. “The problems are almost biblical: floods, fire, earthquakes. . . . But many are man-made: overtaxation, over-regulation, failing to provide people with basic safety. But we are turning that around with more Republicans.”

Arakelian, 61, who owns a trash-hauling business with her husband and has homes in Laguna Hills and on the Balboa Peninsula, acknowledged she was a long shot. She campaigned without the endorsement of the county Democratic Party.

She promised to bring change to local politics but, in the end, had little hope of overcoming Johnson’s name recognition and party affiliation.

In March, Johnson won a hotly contested primary over two established political figures in the 35th District: Assemblywoman Doris Allen (R-Cypress) and former Assemblyman Gil Ferguson of Newport Beach. The primary was nasty and expensive, and Johnson ultimately won with considerable backing from Republicans throughout the state.

Tuesday’s win paves the way for Johnson to enjoy a comfortable Senate seat in this heavily Republican district for 10 years. His first two years will fill the remaining time on Bergeson’s unexpired term and then he will have the chance to serve eight more years before term limits force him out of office.

The 35th Senate District, which stretches from Seal Beach south through Laguna Beach and inland as far as La Palma and Tustin, is not only overwhelmingly Republican but home to some of the most powerful and wealthy party activists in the state.

Until now, Johnson has represented the 72nd District, which includes parts of Anaheim, Fullerton, Placentia, Orange, Brea, Buena Park and La Habra.

He successfully contended that although he was new to Irvine, he was a “product of the Orange County community,” having attended Orange Coast College, and was well versed in the peculiar problems of the county. Most prominent county Republicans agreed and look for Johnson to quickly become one of the leaders in the Senate.

“Ross has some leadership experience and is the type of guy who can keep the Republican caucus unified and perhaps gain a majority in the Senate in 1996,” said Howard Klein of Irvine, a member of the county’s Republican Central Committee. “He is not a guy who is going to go out and pursue his own interests at the expense of the party.”

The loss again leaves the Democrats without an elected official anywhere in the county above the City Council level. But new party Chairman Jim Toledano vowed that will soon change.

“We are going to pull off an upset in this county,” Toledano said. “Maybe not in this race, but it will be sooner rather than later.”

Three Republicans already have announced they are candidates for Assembly in Johnson’s old 72nd District. They are Fullerton Councilman Chris Norby, Yorba Linda Councilwoman Barbara Kiley and Richard C. Ackerman, a former Fullerton councilman and mayor.

A special election is expected to be scheduled for sometime in late summer.

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Edition Time: Election Returns

Special Election

35th Senate District

Ross Johnson (R)* 32,462 71.5 Madelene Arakelian (D) 12,955 28.5

* Note: Winning candidate is in bold type.

Results are not official and could be affected by absentee ballots.