Mikels Bolsters Coffers in Bid for Senate Seat

Hoping to breathe new life into her uphill state Senate campaign, county Supervisor Judy Mikels raised $83,000 over the last month, but Assemblyman Tom McClintock (R-Northridge) maintained a wide lead in fund-raising as both Republicans pushed toward the March 7 primary election.

Campaign finance statements filed Thursday also showed that in a Democratic primary, late-starting Somis teacher Roz McGrath kicked her 37th Assembly District campaign into gear by collecting $32,000, while Port Hueneme Councilman Jon Sharkey received donations worth $14,000.

And in a congressional race not likely to fully engage until the fall general election, seven-term Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley) widened his contribution lead over Democrat Michael Case. Gallegly declared cash reserves of $915,000, while Case had $161,000 available. Real estate broker Albert Goldberg, also in the Democratic primary, did not file a statement.

In the bitter state Senate race, Mikels, who was down to her last $30,500 in late January, received a big boost from the lawmaker she hopes to replace, retiring Sen. Cathie Wright (R-Simi Valley).

Wright donated $24,500 for campaign mailers to defeat McClintock, a Republican maverick and anti-tax crusader who is her longtime legislative enemy.

“I think Judy is a well-qualified woman,” said Wright, the only Republican woman in the Senate. “And I think it’s high time we start supporting Republican women, especially if it’s an open seat.”

Mikels, a moderate, also got $15,000 from the California Teachers Assn., $10,000 from a state peace officers group and $5,000 from the State Council of Service Employees. She received substantial help from other labor groups and two organizations that support women for public office. LCB & Associates of Costa Mesa, a real estate developer, gave $2,000, and the California Psychiatric Assn. donated $1,000.

Mikels--endorsed by numerous Ventura County leaders, labor and law enforcement groups--buttressed that support with contributions of $500 from former congressman Robert Lagomarsino, $500 from prominent Ventura farmer Carolyn Leavens and $100 each from former Assemblyman Nao Takasugi and county Auditor Tom Mahon.

“I’ve said all along that I’ll raise the money when I need it,” Mikels said. “And we have enough now--with what we have and what’s been pledged--to finish our campaign plan, to put our mail in mailboxes and put the election in the hands of the voters.”

McClintock Holds Financial Edge

But McClintock appears in far better shape to blanket the 19th Senate District with campaign mailers over the next two weeks. The district includes most of Ventura County and parts of the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys.

McClintock donations totaled $62,000 for the four-week period ending last Saturday. And even after spending $129,000 to pepper voters with mailers, the veteran assemblyman still had $183,000 available. That compares with Mikels’ balance of nearly $57,000.

Leading the list of McClintock contributors were Fieldstead & Co., the contribution arm for conservative Irvine businessman Howard Ahmanson, $5,000; two Indian tribes, $4,500; Edison International, $2,500; PG&E; Corp., $2,000; Farmers Insurance Group, $2,000; and the California Right to Life PAC, $500.

The assemblyman also received numerous $1,000 contributions from big corporations such as General Motors, United Airlines, Union Pacific Railroad, Pfizer, Chevron and several insurance and health care companies.

“We’re on track, on budget and on schedule,” McClintock said. “I’ll spend it all. Whenever I’m in a contested race I take no chances. I take each race very seriously.”

A second contested primary--the Democratic race for the 37th Assembly District--is finally taking shape, although most voters haven’t seen too much so far from either Sharkey or McGrath. The district includes Oxnard, Camarillo, Moorpark and part of Thousand Oaks.

Sharkey, a candidate since last spring, sent a valentine mailer to women voters two weeks ago and has bought time on cable TV in Thousand Oaks. But mostly he is counting on his door-to-door canvassing to boost him past the favored McGrath.

Sharkey’s fund-raising has gleaned about $51,000 overall--including $12,500 of his own money. But donations over the last month consisted mostly of $3,100 in credit from his printer and $7,500 worth of voter information from Democratic state Senate candidate Daniel Gonzalez.

“We’re mailing to absentee voters, but I’ve been focusing on knocking on doors,” Sharkey said. He said he and his volunteers hope to visit 15,000 residences by March 7.

McGrath is in a better financial position with two weeks to go. She has nearly $10,000 left, while Sharkey has about $1,600. And her fund-raising efforts in Sacramento, which have been aggressive and successful, are ongoing.

McGrath, who lost to Assemblyman Tony Strickland (R-Thousand Oaks) by a single percentage point in 1998, was persuaded to run again in October, when leading Assembly Democrats promised $500,000 to $1 million in support in the general election if McGrath survives the primary.

Democrats Donate to McGrath Bid

Since the first of the year, Assembly leaders have chipped in $7,500 for campaign expenses, while three Assembly members--Kevin Shelley, Carole Migden and Virginia Strom-Martin--contributed a total of $16,000. Like McGrath, Strom-Martin is a longtime teacher. McGrath also received $5,000 from the California Teachers Assn.

Assemblywoman Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) also endorsed McGrath this week, as did Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks), whose district includes part of Thousand Oaks.

McGrath campaign consultant Phil Giarrizzo said that voters should expect to see several more mailers from her before election. And those will go not only to frequent Democratic voters, but to independents as well.

In the Gallegly-Case congressional race, the incumbent raised more than $78,000 to increase his advantage to $754,000 over Case, a Ventura lawyer who collected $24,000 over the last month.

Gallegly received all but $10,000 in individual contributions, but his largest donations came from political action committees: $3,000 from the American Medical PAC; $2,500 from the PAC for the National Assn. of Home Builders; and $1,000 from the Cooperative of American Physicians.

He also received $1,000 each from C. Frank Penrose of Santa Paula and Michele Cashen of Wingmaster Farms in Wasco, near Bakersfield.

Case’s biggest givers were the Communication Workers of America PAC, $2,500; Ventura plumbing company president Jack Berwick, $2,000; Pacific Palisades lawyer Peter Sheridan, $1,000; Oxnard development consultant Armando Lopez, $1,000; Santa Barbara lawyer Roger Cappello, $1,000; Ventura construction company owner Jesse Castillo, $1,000; and retired Santa Paula farmer Allan Atmore, $1,000.

Campaign Calendar

Upcoming Events

Today: Candidates in the 37th Assembly District race will participate in a public forum at 10 a.m. at Cal Lutheran University, 60 W. Olsen Road, in Thousand Oaks. The district includes Oxnard, Camarillo, Moorpark, Port Hueneme and Thousand Oaks. For more information, call 650-3631.

Monday: Candidates in the 3rd Supervisorial District will participate in a question-and-answer forum at Camarillo City Hall, 601 Carmen Drive, at 7 p.m. The district includes Camarillo, Santa Paula and Fillmore. For more information, call 484-4383.

March 12: Actor Mickey Rooney will host a fund-raiser for Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley), who is running for reelection, at the Oxnard home of Beverlee McGrath, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Gallegly’s 23rd Congressional District includes all of Ventura County, except for most of the Conejo Valley. Tickets for the reception are $50. For more information, call 984-8200.

Fax Campaign Calendar submissions to 805-653-7576 or mail to 93 S. Chestnut St., Ventura 93001. Please include contact name and telephone number.