McGrath Files to Again Challenge Strickland

The field of local legislative candidates filled out Wednesday on filing deadline, with the surprise decision of Somis teacher Roz McGrath to challenge Assemblyman Tony Strickland (R-Thousand Oaks) for the 37th District seat next fall, setting up a possible replay of one of the state’s closest races last year.

Talked back into the race recently by Assembly Democrats, McGrath filed a declaration of candidacy late Wednesday after receiving pledges of strong support from party leaders.

McGrath, a member of a Ventura County pioneer family, lost to Strickland by 1,600 votes last November after staging a late-campaign surge, nearly capturing a seat Republicans have held for at least 30 years. But a health problem early this year from which she has fully recovered had prompted her to back away from another campaign, Democratic sources said.

McGrath could not be reached for comment. But spokesmen for top Democratic leaders confirmed that they are targeting the 37th District race in 2000.

“There’s no question that the defeat of Tony Strickland is a very high priority for Assembly Democrats,” said Darry Sragow, campaign manager for the Assembly Democratic Caucus. “And we’ll put whatever money is needed into winning that seat.”

Strickland said he welcomes the competition.

“I can’t say that I’m surprised,” Strickland said. “The Sacramento Democrats want her to run. She ran a tough campaign last time, and she’s a tough competitor. But I have some things going for me I didn’t last time. I have a record.”

First, McGrath needs to beat Port Hueneme Councilman Jon Sharkey in the Democratic primary March 7.

Sharkey said McGrath had told him she would not run this time, and had transferred her remaining campaign funds to the county Democratic Central Committee this summer. But then she said recently that Assembly Majority Leader Kevin Shelley had asked her to reconsider, Sharkey said.

“What’s really interesting is the split between the [local] party structure and the Assembly leadership,” Sharkey said. “I’ve got good support in the local party. And I see no reason to quit. I’m the only candidate with any kind of local government experience.”

Competitive races also shaped up for the spring primary among Republicans seeking seats in the Assembly and state Senate.

In the 35th Assembly District, Santa Paula Councilwoman Robin Sullivan, backed by former Assemblyman Brooks Firestone, is challenging actor Chris Mitchum to see which Republican will take on incumbent Democrat Hannah-Beth Jackson in the general election next November.

Political unknown David Norrdin of Ventura, a substitute teacher, is opposing Jackson in the primary.

In the 19th state Senate District, two prominent Republicans, Northridge Assemblyman Tom McClintock and Ventura County Supervisor Judy Mikels, are in a race to replace Sen. Cathie Wright, who is leaving office because of term limits.

Democrat Daniel Gonzalez, a Simi Valley lawyer, is running unopposed in the primary following the withdrawal Wednesday of John Birke, Wright’s opponent in 1996. “I would never run against another Democrat,” said Birke, a Northridge attorney.

In a third contested Republican primary, in the 38th Assembly District, Simi Valley school trustee Norm Walker is opposing Keith Richman, a San Fernando Valley doctor and city of Los Angeles redevelopment commissioner.

The spate of contested Republican primaries is a concern because they drain resources away from challenging Democrats in the general election, said Paul Leavens, chairman of Ventura County’s Republican Central Committee. The races reflect a rift between the moderate and conservative wings of the Republican Party, he said.

“It’s a lot nicer if you can get your ducks in a row with only one candidate,” Leavens said. “But obviously we have a case here of the moderates running against the far-rights in two of the districts--Walker and McClintock being on the right.”

The Mitchum-Sullivan matchup is more puzzling, he said. “They’re both good, moderate candidates,” he said. “I’m concerned about that one, because you’ve got two peas in the same pod running. Robin has a tough time being from Santa Paula and running in a district that is largely Santa Barbara County. Chris is a lot more well known up there.”

Sullivan, a civil attorney, is perhaps the most intriguing new entry in this set of primary election races. She said she didn’t consider statewide office until about six weeks ago, when Seneca Network, a group that seeks out Republican women as candidates, gave her a call. Then Firestone, a wealthy Santa Ynez Valley winery owner and a moderate Republican, called to see if she would run.

“They had heard about me and felt I was qualified and experienced,” said Sullivan, a councilwoman since 1992 and former mayor. “I talked to Brooks a couple of times and basically we just had general conversations about whether I’d be interested.”

To win the primary, she must beat the son of late movie actor Robert Mitchum. Son Chris raised nearly $1 million last year in losing to Jackson, who spent almost as much. In the primary alone, Mitchum spent $130,000 to handily defeat two Republican opponents.

Sullivan said she thinks she can raise the money necessary to make the race competitive. She said she is running for herself more than against Mitchum.

“I would categorize myself as a moderate,” she said. “I don’t know Chris’ politics. I have never met him.”

Mitchum said he welcomes Sullivan to the race but will be running against Jackson, whom he considers a liberal Democrat, during his primary race. He lost to Jackson by 8 percentage points last year in one of the state’s most expensive legislative contests.

“I believe in Ronald Reagan’s 11th commandment. I will not be saying anything bad about another Republican. I’ll be focusing on Hannah-Beth.”

Mitchum said he thinks Firestone recruited Sullivan because women candidates tend to bring more Republican women to the polls.

“In our race last year, 12% of [registered] women Republicans turned out,” he said. “But 28% of Democratic women turned out. If the Republican women had turned out I would have won. Brooks’ feeling is that we can negate that advantage by having a woman run.

“So I’ll be out there in a two-horse race,” Mitchum said, “and see what the voters think.”