Hayden Calls a Mayoral Run ‘an Option’

State Sen. Tom Hayden (D-Santa Monica), rumored to be a mayoral candidate in 1997, acknowledged in an interview Friday that running for the city’s top post “is certainly an option to take a look at.”

In an interview with The Times, Hayden said the speculation is “a rumor I didn’t create, but it’s one I’m not quashing. I’ve told people: ‘Let’s keep that rumor alive.’ ”

Asked why he wanted to keep it afloat, Hayden said, “Because I want to see how people feel about it and how I feel about it. It has some people perplexed, others interested and others horrified.”

Hayden, who has made a name for himself as a supporter of the dissolution of the Los Angeles Unified School District and critic of the Metro Rail tunneling project, has increasingly focused on Los Angeles-area issues in recent years, which in turn has fueled speculation he was readying himself to run for mayor of Los Angeles.

Likewise, a growing list of political missteps by Mayor Richard Riordan, including his clash recently with City Hall lawmakers over a development project in South-Central and his continuing squabbles with Police Chief Willie Williams, have prompted Los Angeles City Hall dissidents to cast about for a champion who would challenge the mayor in 1997.

Political consultant Joe Cerrell said a mayoral candidacy was just the type of rogue act one might expect from the man who challenged the war in Vietnam as a student leader, ran against former U. S. Sen. John Tunney in 1976 and in 1994 pursued a highly quixotic campaign for governor of California to give voice to a reform agenda aimed at rooting out the power of “checkbook politics” in the state.

“It’d be totally within his style and method of operation to run,” Cerrell said. “And, although no fan of his, I wouldn’t underestimate him for a minute.”

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Political observers agree that Hayden, the former husband of actress Jane Fonda, would bring to the table a household name, strong Democratic credentials in a Democratic city and the ability to finance his own campaign out of his own not inconsiderable personal wealth.

The latest round of speculation about Hayden’s intentions was fueled by reports that the senator, who represents Santa Monica, West Los Angeles and a large section of the west San Fernando Valley, is looking to buy a home in the Los Angeles city portion of his district.

Hayden, 54, who lives with his wife in Santa Monica, confirmed that he has been hunting for a new house in the Los Angeles area in part to establish himself as more of a Los Angeles-area politician.

His early history as an assemblyman from Santa Monica, affiliated with the radical politics of that city during the 1970s, has been a handicap of sorts, Hayden said in the interview, making it difficult to establish himself as a senator whose district includes large chunks of the San Fernando Valley and the Westside--not just Santa Monica.

“It’s only about 20% of the district,” Hayden said. “But it’s been hard to get that message out.” Simply moving into Los Angeles, the senator said, might help cure the perception that he’s just a Santa Monica politician.

Although Hayden himself insisted it would be an overstatement to say he was even testing the waters for a possible mayoral run, others believe the senator is being too coy.

“A lot of people are talking about a Hayden run,” political consultant Rick Taylor said. “And he’s done nothing to discourage it when it would be easy for him to do so. So, I’ve got to believe he’s seriously considering running.”

Political consultant Richard Lichtenstein agreed, saying he believes the rumors are actually a “trial balloon” of Hayden’s making.

Parke Skelton, a Hayden political advisor and the man who is running the senator’s current reelection campaign, said the idea of a Hayden candidacy for mayor is tantalizing. “Part of the reason these rumors are so persistent is because they are enticing to a lot of people,” said Skelton, who ran former Councilman Mike Woo’s mayoral campaign in 1993 against Riordan.

“It’d be a fun and interesting matchup,” Skelton said. “There’d be a huge contrast in styles and priorities.” A substantive debate of this kind would serve the public well, Skelton said.

“I think Tom could beat the mayor. Just start with this--it’s a Democratic city and the mayor’s a Republican,” Skelton said. “Any Democrat of Tom’s stature gets 40% of the vote. And remember, in 1993 [when Riordan defeated Woo for the city’s top job], it was a 57%-43% split, that was no runaway.” Skelton ran Woo’s campaign.

But others see it differently. “I don’t think the mayor is staying awake nights thinking about Hayden,” Lichtenstein said. “On the other hand, he’s got to be keeping his eye on him.”

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Although Hayden has great name identification and a core base of liberal-progressive supporters, Lichtenstein predicted that Hayden could not beat Riordan. “He’s too far out of the mainstream,” the consultant said. “He gets in the race and it crystallizes support for Riordan among moderates.”

Neither Deputy Mayor Robin Kramer nor Riordan’s top political advisor, Bill Wardlaw, returned phone calls asking for comment on Hayden’s remarks.

Meanwhile, Hayden said his major political goal in coming months is simply to get reelected to the state Senate. In the November 1996 general election, Hayden is expected to face only nominal opposition from a virtually unknown Republican businessman, Scott Schreiber of West Hills.