Rep. Berman Ponders Run For Mayor in ’97

After months of speculation, Rep. Howard Berman (D-Panorama City) publicly acknowledged Friday that he is giving serious consideration to running for mayor of Los Angeles in the April 1997 election.

Though not the first Democrat to express interest in the mayoral race--state Sen. Tom Hayden (D-Santa Monica) is also a potential candidate--Berman’s political clout is such that even an exploratory bid is potentially bad news to Riordan, according to political professionals.

Top mayoral advisor William Wardlaw attended Berman’s breakfast speech before a new public affairs group, Public Policy Series, and took notes, several observers said.

Also in attendance were labor and business leaders and council members Rita Walters and Mark Ridley-Thomas who are openly critical of the current administration, which they say has turned its back on the black community.

“The interest that there is in Howard Berman’s prospective candidacy has to be taken seriously,” said Ridley-Thomas, who is often mentioned as a mayoral candidate himself. “It is reflective of a search for quality leadership that is sensitive to all parts of the city.”

If he decides to run, Berman has political strength on the Westside and in the San Fernando Valley. That coupled with his allegiances in the African American and Latino communities would make him a serious challenger to Mayor Richard Riordan, political experts agree.

“He can try and put back together the [Tom] Bradley coalition of African American, Jewish and liberal voters,” said Republican political consultant Allan Hoffenblum. “If anybody can do it, he can.”

But Berman said he is still not sure he wants to end his career in the House of Representatives, where he is the ranking Democratic member of the International Relations Committee, to be mayor of his hometown.

“I have to decide first of all if I want it and second, if it’s doable,” Berman said. “I’m mulling all that over.”

Berman said he would make a decision within two months.

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By making his exploratory efforts official, Berman, who flirted with a mayoral bid in 1993, will quickly learn how much financial backing is available for a race against the wealthy Riordan.

As a name partner with Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Los Angeles) in the once mighty but now moribund Westside political group dubbed the Waxman-Berman machine, Berman has access to major donors, at least those not already committed to the mayor.

“Howard Berman would be a formidable candidate,” Hoffenblum said. “He comes from a powerful base on the Westside, an area of people extraordinarily politically active and willing to open up their wallets.”

Democratic consultant Parke Skelton agreed that Riordan would have reason to worry about Berman running against him.

“Howard Berman would cut right into the heart of the coalition that made it possible for Richard Riordan to become mayor. . . . I think he could beat [Riordan].”

But San Fernando Valley consultant Paul Clarke said there needs to be an overriding issue to defeat an incumbent--especially one like Riordan who can pour $20 million of his own money into the race.

“There’s some general dissatisfaction, but nothing overriding that is so egregious that Riordan is now defeatable,” Clarke said.

Lobbyist Steve Afriat, a city commissioner and Riordan backer, said Berman has a lot of appeal, but that the mayor “has done a very good job solidifying his base of Valley Democrats, Latinos and Jewish voters. He’d be a tough candidate to beat.”

Riordan had no comment on Berman’s announcement. “At this point in the game of campaigning, lots of names are being thrown around as possible contenders and trial balloons being floated,” said Riordan’s press secretary, Noelia Rodriguez. “It’s too early to comment on speculation.”

Saying he did not feel comfortable with a “group therapy session,” Berman said little more about what would have to fall in place for him to enter the race.

Berman also held out the prospect of remaining in Congress and running for mayor four years from now.

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One quandary facing Berman concerns his congressional seat. He is on the ballot in November in a comfortably Democratic district in the east San Fernando Valley, but cannot wait until then to get started if he wants to run for mayor next year.

But Democratic and Republican consultants said he could hold onto his seat--even if he is an announced candidate for mayor.

“He has no serious opposition,” Hoffenblum said. “He can do exploratory work.”

A 54-year-old Los Angeles native, Berman is a graduate of UCLA and UCLA Law School who served in the state Assembly from 1973 until 1982, when he was elected to Congress.

The Almanac of American Politics calls Berman “one of the most aggressive and creative members of the House and one of the most clear-sighted operators in American politics.”

His wife, Janis, who worked briefly for Riordan, is known to be strongly encouraging her husband to run for mayor.