Alarcon Fund-Raising Leads Katz Over Last 3 Months

Confounding expectations, City Councilman Richard Alarcon outdid his main opponent, former Assemblyman Richard Katz, in fund-raising over the last three months in the campaign for a state Senate seat, according to records released Monday.

But Katz--a former Assembly Democratic Party leader--still has the biggest war chest because of $130,400 he had left over from earlier campaigns.

The 20th Senate District Democratic primary race was widely predicted to be the Valley’s most exciting and expensive, pitting a 16-year veteran of the state Legislature against an up-and-coming Latino lawmaker with a long history in the Valley.

Alarcon raised $168,846 in the period between Jan. 1 and March 17--more than half of it from a fund-raiser sponsored by Mayor Richard Riordan--while Katz raised $115,299, according to the statements. But because of the earlier transfer, Katz has $202,650 on hand while Alarcon has $145,387.

“It looks like I’m closing the gap, big time,” Alarcon said.

Because of his Sacramento connections to lobbyists and political-action groups, Katz was expected by many campaign watchers to bury Alarcon in fund-raising.

Political consultants said the latest fund-raising figures indicate that Alarcon may have the momentum on his side.

“For Richard Alarcon, his campaign people have to be pretty pleased,” said campaign consultant Rick Taylor.

He noted that Alarcon, an incumbent, may have an advantage over Katz due to his influence over city contracts and labor-union negotiations.

Katz was forced out of office in 1996 because of term limits.

The two men are vying for the state Senate seat held by Herschel Rosenthal (D-Los Angeles), who is being forced out of office by term limits. The district includes most of the northeast Valley.

An Alarcon campaign aide said that more than half of the money Alarcon raised in this period came from a February reception at the Universal Sheraton attended by about 100 guests and hosted by Riordan.

Katz’s campaign staff dismissed Alarcon’s fund-raising surge, noting that Katz still leads overall by nearly $60,000.

Katz campaign consultant Harvey Englander noted that Katz’s overall lead comes despite $77,000 that Katz already has spent on a campaign mailer sent to more than 150,000 voters. The mailer touts Katz’s plan to impose standards for health maintenance organizations.

Englander also noted that Katz won endorsement of the state Democratic Party on Sunday, despite two failed attempts by Alarcon to persuade delegates to make no endorsement.

On Monday, Alarcon responded by announcing that he had the endorsement of the San Fernando Democratic Club, a 45-member group of Valley Democrats.

“I am proud to receive the support of local Democrats who live in the 20th state Senate District,” Alarcon said.

Englander argued that Katz won the more significant endorsement.

“Richard Alarcon attempted to get the Democratic Party endorsement and he failed,” Englander said. “Now he’s going around talking about how he has found a small Democratic club to give him an endorsement.”

Ollie M. McCaully, a Sun Valley businessman, is running for the GOP nomination in the race. He could not be reached for comment, but records show he had previously raised $1,100.

In another local race, Assemblyman Jack Scott (D-Altadena) continues to lead his top Republican challenger, Ken LaCorte, in the race for the 44th Assembly District, which stretches into the northeast Valley.

Scott raised $62,293 in the last three months, while LaCorte raised $10,111, according to campaign records. In total, Scott has $104,431 on hand, while LaCorte has $30,205, records show.