Tom Campbell

Your Oct. 26 story announcing Rep. Tom Campbell’s (R-San Jose) plans to run for the U.S. Senate from California was hardly startling. What was shocking was your description of him as a “moderate Republican.” After meeting with him to try to persuade him to withdraw his co-sponsorship of the infamous Istook amendment that would have amended the Constitution to return prayer to schools, I found him about as moderate as Attila the Hun.

He not only co-sponsored this frontal attack on the separation of church and state, he spoke eloquently on its behalf on the floor of Congress. This is only one example of his conservative politics. Where, pray tell, is the record of his positions as a moderate?

BARBARA H. BERGEN

Los Angeles

* With respect to Karen Harter’s letter (Oct. 27) on Campbell, obviously we are to believe that partisan politics only applies to Republicans. She says electing Campbell, no matter if he’s a moderate or not, no matter if he would be a good senator or not, is not a good thing because he’s a Republican. Please give me a break.

I didn’t vote for Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), but I will admit, she’s done a fair job in her stint as senator. I may not agree with everything she’s done, and I certainly disagree on some positions that she’s taken, but I will consider her as an individual. To dismiss somebody because of party affiliation instead of merit is the pinnacle of partisanship.

FRANK C. ALVIDREZ

Lancaster