SAG President Barry Gordon Planning to Run for Congress

Screen Actors Guild President Barry Gordon, following several predecessors into politics, plans to run for the 27th Congressional District seat of Carlos Moorhead (R-Glendale).

Gordon, a Pasadena Democrat, has said he would give up his union post in November. Gordon has been a Tony Award nominee and appeared on the TV series “Archie Bunker’s Place” from 1981 to 1983, playing Archie’s lawyer and business manager, Gary Rabinowitz.

Gordon could not be reached for comment. But a campaign consultant, Wirt Morton, said Gordon has scheduled a press conference for Friday to announce his candidacy. Gordon also registered his committee with the Federal Election Commission in Washington on Friday.

Democrats have a slight edge in registration in the district, which includes Pasadena, Glendale, Burbank, Sunland and Tujunga.

Moorhead, first elected in 1972, could not be reached for comment, but a spokesman in his district office said that he has not decided whether to run for reelection. He suffered a setback last November when he was passed over for chairmanships of the Energy and Commerce and Judiciary committees, even though he had the most seniority among Republicans.

Gordon follows a long line of SAG presidents who entered politics, from President Ronald Reagan to U.S. Sen. George Murphy to John Gavin, U.S. ambassador to Mexico.