Incumbents in 5 Legislative Races Are Unopposed in Primaries

Among nine state legislative races this year, five involve candidates who are unchallenged in their primaries and therefore will move up automatically to the general election.

Incumbents heading for showdowns in November include state Sen. Rob Hurtt (R-Garden Grove) and Assembly members Jim Morrissey (R-Santa Ana), Marilyn C. Brewer (R-Irvine), Bill Campbell (R-Orange) and Dick Ackerman (R-Fullerton).

Most of the districts are solidly Republican. Brewer didn’t even draw a Democratic challenger.

34th Senate District

The seat Hurtt, 54 on Tuesday, has held since winning a 1993 special election has been in GOP hands for years. Hurtt, a multimillionaire who gives heavily to Christian and conservative causes, can fund his own race. He spent $844,000 four years ago on his campaign for his first full term.

The Garden Grove businessman’s large bankroll had kept the Democrats at bay previously, but this year Hurtt’s seat may be a target because it overlaps districts held by Rep. Loretta Sanchez (D-Garden Grove) and Morrissey, where Democrats plan to spend a lot of money.

The Democratic candidate is lawyer Joe Dunn, 39, of Santa Ana, who says he has the resources and connections to raise $1 million for his campaign.

69th Assembly District

Democrats have targeted this central county district, covering mainly Santa Ana and Garden Grove, to unseat incumbent Morrissey after his narrow victory two years ago over Democrat Lou Correa by just 93 votes.

Morrissey, 68, who is limited to one more two-year term, already is attacking Correa. “[Correa] goes around calling himself the Latino candidate, and that’s kind of a racist attitude,” said Morrissey, a printer.

Correa, 40, an Anaheim businessman and educator, said he is tapping into many of the same educational institutions he did in the last race and also is talking to young voters and labor and neighborhood groups.

“If you get people to the polls and they vote with their hearts, we will win,” Correa said.

Also running unopposed are Libertarian Bolynda Schultz, 28, a computer specialist in Santa Ana, and Reform Party candidate Jim Benson, 35, an Anaheim businessman.

70th Assembly District

Brewer captured the seat in a bruising 1994 battle, in which she was attacked by GOP leaders for being too moderate.

Now, the Newport Beach Republican has won the support of conservatives such as Assemblyman Curt Pringle (R-Garden Grove) for reelection to her heavily Republican district.

Her only opponent on the November ballot is Natural Law Party candidate Nat Adam, 51, a civil engineer from Irvine who wants to stimulate growth and jobs, foster more educational innovations and mandate the labeling of genetically engineered foods.

71st Assembly District

Campbell, 56, elected two years ago after a tough primary victory over former Orange Mayor Jim Beam, enjoys the biggest Republican Assembly registration advantage in the state. Republican voters outnumber Democrats more than 2 to 1.

In November, he will face Democratic challenger Martha Badger, 43, of Rancho Santa Margarita, who is a former administrative assistant at a development company, and Natural Law candidate Brenda J. Bryant, 41, a high school vice principal from Santa Ana who wants to see the state improve schools and reform campaign finance.

Campbell, who owns several fast-food franchises, has forged a solid if unspectacular reputation in Sacramento as a pro-business Republican, which should hold him in good stead with the district’s conservatives.

72nd Assembly District

Ackerman, 55, also hasn’t been a showy lawmaker in his first term, but he has earned a reputation on both sides of the aisle as a straight shooter.

His registration advantage in the district, where 54% of the voters are Republicans and about 30% are Democrats, gives him an almost unassailable advantage in November over Democrat Frank Legas, a Fullerton accountant.

Also running is Libertarian Loren Meierding, 52, a writer from Fullerton.