ELECTIONS : Smith, Scott, 37 Others File for State Primaries

The political landscape for the March 26 primary elections in the San Fernando Valley came into sharper focus Wednesday with more than three dozen candidates declaring their intention to run for nine Valley-based state legislative seats, five of which are without an incumbent.

The filing crush revealed a number of new developments, including the emergence of Wilbert Smith, a Republican from Pasadena and top aide to Gov. Pete Wilson, as a candidate to challenge Assemblywoman Paula Boland (R-Granada Hills) in a state Senate GOP primary, and retiring Pasadena City College President Jack Scott’s decision to run as a Democrat against Assemblyman Bill Hoge (R-Pasadena).

This week, former Assemblyman Tom McClintock filed to run for the Assembly seat now held by Boland, a move that presages a political dogfight in the GOP primary.

As of Wednesday, 34 candidates had filed their declarations of intention to run for the seven Assembly seats and five candidates for two Senate seats that are up for reelection this year. The candidates who file will run in their party’s primary on March 26. The primary election winners will face off in November’s general election.

Wednesday was the deadline to file for seats for which an incumbent is running. The deadline for the five local seats for which incumbents are not seeking reelection is Monday.

Smith said he is throwing his hat into the ring to offer a hometown alternative to Boland, who has represented the northwest Valley in the Assembly since 1990.

“It’s safe to say I don’t want to beat up on Paula,” Smith said in an interview. “But I am saying that I don’t think someone should have to move to this district to represent it. We’ve got good local leadership that can do the job.”

Smith, who is director of Wilson’s Office of Community Relations and was the third-highest vote-getter in the 1994 race for state superintendent of schools, predicted that the candidacy of a black Republican like himself would have strong crossover appeal for Democrats in November, if he can win the GOP primary. “I’m the Democrats’ worst fear,” Smith said.

The candidate said he has retained Ken Khachigian, a top GOP consultant, as his chief strategist.

Smith’s appearance in the GOP primary comes only two weeks after Hoge decided not to butt heads with Boland and run for the Senate seat, now held by Newt Russell, despite being backed by GOP Senate Majority Leader Rob Hurtt (R-Garden Grove).

Boland could not be reached for comment on Smith’s candidacy Wednesday. But her aides in the past have fended off charges of carpetbagging, saying that before reapportionment in 1992, she represented portions of the district and that she is being urged to run by many local Republicans.

As of Wednesday, the only Democrat to file for Russell’s 21st Senate District seat was attorney Adam Schiff, a former federal prosecutor who in 1994 ran for the seat now held by Assemblyman James Rogan (R-Glendale). Rogan’s 43rd Assembly District seat represents half of Russell’s Senate district; the other half is Hoge’s 44th Assembly District.

Scott, meanwhile, is viewed by Democrats as a formidable challenger to Hoge. During his 1994 reelection bid, Hoge--who has been supported by Christian fundamentalists--was dogged by charges that he had received large campaign contributions from gaming interests and that he is a gambling addict.

A Democratic victory in the battle would end decades of GOP political hegemony in the district.

As of Wednesday, the candidates who had filed to run in the GOP primary for the heavily Republican 38th Assembly District seat now held by Boland were: McClintock; Scott Wilk, Boland’s chief of staff; Ross Hopkins, a public affairs consultant; Steve Frank, a GOP political consultant; Rob Larkin, an insurance executive; Peggy Freeman, the former head of a day-care center, and Robert C. Hamlin, a retired sheriff. No Democrats had filed.

Filing declarations of their intention to run in the Democratic primary for the heavily Democratic 39th Assembly District seat now held by Richard Katz (D-Sylmar) were: Tony Cardenas, a realtor; Jim Dantona, a former aide to Lt. Gov. Gray Davis, and Valerie Salkin, a former aide to state Board of Equalization member Brad Sherman. The only Republican to file for the seat has been Ollie McCauley.

Running in the Democratic primary for the 40th Assembly District seat now held by Barbara Friedman (D-Van Nuys) are attorney Robert Hertzberg and Francine Oschin, an aide to Los Angeles City Councilman Hal Bernson. Two Republicans, Ron Culver and David J. Ozeran, have filed to run. Libertarian Party member Kelley L. Ross is seeking his party’s nomination.

Boland, Katz and Friedman are barred from seeking reelection next year by term limits.

In the 41st Assembly District race, Sheila Kuehl (D-Santa Monica) is seeking reelection. Running alone in the GOP primary will be Mark Boos Benhard, a public affairs consultant. Phil Baron is seeking the Libertarian Party nomination and John Honigsfeld is seeking the Peace and Freedom Party nomination. The district includes Encino, Reseda, Woodland Hills and Calabasas.

In the 42nd Assembly District, Wally Knox (D-Los Angeles) is seeking reelection. Running as a Republican is Adam Ross, as a Libertarian, Eric Michael Fine, and from the Peace and Freedom Party, Owen Staley. The district includes parts of Sherman Oaks and Studio City.

Both the 41st and 42nd Assembly districts are heavily Democratic.

Candidates in the GOP primary for the 43rd Assembly District seat are Peter Repovich, a policeman; Peter Musurlian, an aide to U.S. Rep. Carlos Moorhead of Glendale; Sheldon Baker, an attorney and Glendale City Council member; Elliott Graham, and James C. Regan. Scott Wildman is running in the Democratic primary. Rogan, the incumbent, is stepping down to run for Moorhead’s congressional post.

In the 44th Assembly District, incumbent Hoge will face James T. Edwards and Fred Soldwedel in the GOP primary. Scott is the Democratic candidate.

On the state Senate side, Cathie Wright (R-Simi Valley) is seeking reelection in the 19th District. Running as a Democrat is John Birke.

In the 21st District, Boland and Smith are in the GOP primary, while Schiff is running alone in the Democratic primary.