8 Republicans Crowd Primary Race to Succeed Rogan

In the 43rd Assembly District, it’s hard to tell the Republicans without a scorecard.

That’s because eight of them are vying to be the GOP standard-bearer in the primary election to replace Assemblyman James E. Rogan, who is leaving after one term to run for Congress.

The crowded field in the Glendale-Burbank district includes Sheldon S. Baker, a Glendale city councilman with a long history in the community, and John Geranios, a Burbank businessman who recently moved to town. There’s also congressional aide Pete Musurlian, prosecutor Craig H. Missakian and Police Officer Peter R. Repovich.

Attorney James C. Regan, businessmen Elliott Graham and David E. “Dave” Wallis round out the field.

A lone Democrat, teacher Scott Wildman, has filed for his party’s nomination. The Libertarian Party candidate is Willard Michlin.

The lopsided candidate field suggests what was not apparent until Rogan was elected here two years ago after former Assemblyman Pat Nolan was sent to jail: Though political consultants say it is theoretically possible for a Democrat to win the 43rd, the seat is viewed by Republicans as theirs.

“There’s a strong history of electing Republicans, but it’s not a slam dunk,” said Baker’s Sacramento consultant, Dave Gilliard.

Recent voter records show Democrats outnumber Republicans 45% to 41% in the district, not enough of an edge to outweigh the tendency of Republicans to vote more faithfully than Democrats.

Republican consultant Allan Hoffenblum said Gov. Pete Wilson won 58% of the vote in the 43rd two years ago, while Michael Huffington squeaked by Dianne Feinstein by 2% in the election that sent Feinstein to the Senate.

Based on fund-raising ability, the skill of their consultants and, in Baker’s case, name identification, Hoffenblum put Baker, Geranios and Repovich in the top tier of candidates at this point. He places Musurlian at the top of the second tier.

Dick Rosengarten, publisher of the political newsletter CALPEEK, agreed on the top tier, but would include Missakian in that group because voters like to vote for prosecutors. “My money’s on Repovich,” he said.

The primary is almost two months off, but the would-be legislators have already been trooping around to candidate forums in this politically active district, which includes parts of Los Feliz.

“One good thing about this area, people take elections seriously,” said Missakian, a lifelong Glendale resident and Los Angeles County deputy district attorney in his first bid for office. “They want to get to meet the candidates.”

In Repovich’s case, voters in the area may remember him. The Los Angeles Police Department officer dropped out of the 1994 race at the urging of state Republican leaders after Rogan won an earlier special election to fill Nolan’s seat.

Repovich has endorsements from the Los Angeles Police Protective League and the Burbank police officers group and, presumably, some chits in high places for his willingness to accede to the party’s wishes two years ago.

Baker, a tax attorney with his own firm, has been a Glendale resident since 1945. Before his election to the Glendale City Council, Baker served for more than a decade on the Glendale school board.

“I’m not a Johnny-come-lately on the scene,” Baker said.

Baker has already drawn fire from opponents for an absentee-vote mailer that featured him with Rogan. The mailer inaccurately implies a Rogan endorsement, opponents say.

Rogan is thus far staying neutral to concentrate on his bid to replace retiring Rep. Carlos J. Moorhead (R-Glendale).

Although he is a political unknown, Geranios became an instant contender early on by hiring a top-flight Sacramento consultant and loaning his campaign $250,000. In addition to a college planning and counseling business he started at 17, Geranios is chairman of the business department at Mt. St. Mary’s College in Brentwood.

Because he recently moved into the district, Geranios has been criticized as a carpetbagger trying to buy the election. Noting his business is in the district, Geranios said his novice political status is what sets him apart from the others.

“If you’re looking for career staffers or politicians, you’ve got a lot of choices,” Geranios said. “I’m not a politician.”

Moorhead district director Musurlian predicts he’ll get at least 3,000 votes by virtue of his association with the popular congressman. He’s portraying himself as the most “authentic” conservative in the race and has the endorsement of Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove).

Both Musurlian and Wallis, a Glendale activist, have lost Glendale City Council elections. Wallis also lost the Assembly race to Rogan the last time he ran for this seat.

Attorney Regan, secretary and general counsel to the county Republican Central Committee, says he wants to go to Sacramento to ensure his party makes good use of the mandate for change given to them by voters.

“We have to govern now,” the Los Feliz resident said. “We can’t go too far or get into minutiae.”

Although fund-raising is “slow,” Regan says district voters are savvy and more interested in “someone they know close to home” than slick campaign mailers.

Graham is a small-business owner in Glendale.

The candidates all talk about wanting to straighten out the state’s economic woes. Public safety is also a concern.

And though the state has no jurisdiction over the Burbank Airport, the current controversy over expansion plans could be a wild card in the Assembly race. While Glendale officials have been pushing for the expansion, Burbank residents are fighting the plan, fearing its expected impact on the quality of life there.