Takasugi Wins, McClintock Forges Early Lead

Assemblyman Nao Takasugi easily brushed past a Republican primary challenger Tuesday while former Assemblyman Tom McClintock jumped to a quick lead over five GOP rivals as he pursued a political comeback in a recently adopted Assembly district that covers Simi Valley and Fillmore.

Those were among the half-dozen local races for state legislative and congressional seats in a presidential primary election that saw Ventura County Republicans line up overwhelmingly behind Kansas Sen. Bob Dole as their choice to face President Clinton in November.

Voter turnout was at a near-record low during Tuesday’s primary election, which the Legislature moved from the traditional date in June in an experiment to give Californians more clout in the presidential contest and generate more excitement among the electorate.

But the experiment flopped. County elections chief Bruce Bradley said an early census indicated that turnout would run between 40% and 42%, although this year’s larger-than-usual crop of absentee voters could push that up a bit.

With most absentee ballots counted, Republican Rich Sybert was leading two opponents in the GOP primary for a chance to replace retiring Rep. Anthony C. Beilenson (D-Woodland Hills).

Sybert is making a second attempt for the 24th Congressional District seat, which represents most of Thousand Oaks, Malibu and western portions of the San Fernando Valley. He came close to ousting Beilenson in 1994.

So far in this campaign, Sybert said, “it was a little bit easier. Still, I don’t take anything for granted. I will be working as hard as humanly possible.”

K. Paul Jhin, a Malibu businessman and the darling of some conservative organizations, was running a distant second behind the more moderate Sybert. Woodland Hills estate planner Stephen C. Brecht was trailing both.

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In the Democratic primary, Brad Sherman, a member of the state Board of Equalization, had pulled far ahead of six competitors who had waged a spirited battle for their party’s nomination.

Encino attorney Jeffrey A. Lipow, who waged an aggressive campaign against Sherman, was left to trail in a pack that included Liz Knipe, a retired law office administrator from West Hills; Pepperdine journalism professor Michael Jordan; Tarzana financial planner Mark S. Pash; Thousand Oaks-based corporate consultant Elisa J. Charouhas; and a cable TV educator whose ballot designation is Craig “Tax Freeze” Freis.

Sherman, of Sherman Oaks, was pleased with his strong primary showing and eager to continue a “campaign built around fighting for Social Security and Medicare and clean air and clean water and education. I will be a full-throated voice of opposition to the [Republicans’] Contract with America.”

In the 38th Assembly District, early returns showed Chatsworth math teacher Jon M. Lauritzen leading David E. Ross, an Oak Park software engineer, in the Democratic primary.

The Democratic race was a gentle affair compared to the Republican contest in the district that covers Simi Valley and portions of the Conejo, San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys.

The Republican field arrayed against McClintock included Simi Valley insurance agent Bob Larkin, Canoga Park public affairs consultant Ross Hopkins, retired Sheriff’s Deputy Robert C. Hamlin, Simi Valley government affairs consultant Steve Frank and Peggy Freeman, a retired health clinic director from Castaic.

In the 37th Assembly District, Assemblyman Takasugi faced challenger Matt Noah, a social conservative about half the age of the venerable lawmaker.

Initially, Noah talked about an aggressive challenge to Takasugi in the district that reaches from Oxnard to Thousand Oaks. He loaned his campaign $81,000 to needle Takasugi over his support for abortion rights and other issues. As the campaign wore on, Noah took back most of the loaned money without spending it.

Takasugi praised his campaign staff for the smooth victory. “This was a good tuneup for us for the November run,” Takasugi said. “We will be better organized. Pratice makes perfect.”

Takasugi will face Democrat Jess Herrera in the November election. Herrera, a longshoremen’s union official, had no primary opponent.

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Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley), who represents all of Ventura County except for most of Thousand Oaks, had no opposition in the Republican primary. With the primary over, he is gearing up for the general election.

“The one luxury that no one in this business can afford is the luxury of complacency,” Gallegly said. “I will be working as hard as ever.”

He will face Democrat Robert R. Unruhe in the November election. Unruhe, a retired school teacher who lives in Ojai, also had no primary opponent.

Seeking his second term in the 35th Assembly District representing Ventura, Santa Paula and Ojai, Assemblyman Brooks Firestone (R-Los Olivos) had no competition in his primary, giving him a chance to fatten his campaign coffers with tens of thousands of dollars for the upcoming general election.

Aneesh K. Lele, a UC Santa Barbara political science student, will challenge Firestone in the election. He won his Democratic primary Tuesday, without opposition.

State Sen. Cathie Wright (R-Simi Valley) also had no primary challenger in the 18th Senate District, which stretches from Oxnard into the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys. She will face Democrat John Birke, a Chatsworth attorney and first-time candidate who also faced no primary opponent.

* ELECTION RESULTS: A10