High-Stakes Race Nears $8-Million Record

With four months to go before election day, the high-stakes battle for the Glendale-Pasadena area’s 27th Congressional District already verges on becoming the most expensive House race in U.S. history, newly filed federal records show.

Between them, Rep. James E. Rogan (R-Glendale) and his Democratic challenger, state Sen. Adam Schiff of Burbank, have amassed about $7.5 million. That makes them almost certain to surpass the record of nearly $8 million spent in the 1996 match between then-Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Georgia) and Democratic business mogul Michael Coles.

Vigorous fund-raising is also evident in other strategically important Southern California congressional races, with several candidates--including some challengers--passing the $1-million mark. The latest round of campaign finance reports, which were due Saturday at the Federal Election Commission, cover April 1 through June 30.

Area candidates who have raised at least $1 million during the 1999-2000 election cycle are:

* Rogan ($4.6 million) and Schiff ($2.9 million). The two are much closer in another important indicator of a candidacy’s strength: the amount of cash left to spend.

The report for Rogan, who has used up three-fourths of what he has raised, spending much of it on national mail fund-raising appeals and on extensive cable television commercials, showed that he had $1.2 million in the bank at the end of June. Schiff had $1.1 million and had out-raised Rogan during the three-month period, bringing in $996,040 to Rogan’s $774,461, the reports show.

* Republican Rep. Steven T. Kuykendall ($1.1 million) and his Democratic challenger, Jane Harman ($1.2 million) in the South Bay’s 36th District.

For the second period in a row, Harman, who held the seat for three terms before giving it up to run for governor in 1998, has brought in more cash than Kuykendall, who has been campaigning hard all year in this moderate swing district. Kuykendall reported raising $302,343 this period and had $543,024 on hand, while Harman collected $340,432 and had $850,184 in the bank.

* Republican Rep. Brian P. Bilbray (almost $1.2 million) and his challenger, Democratic Assemblywoman Susan A. Davis (slightly more than $1.2 million) in coastal San Diego County’s 49th District. Bilbray trailed Davis in the amounts raised this period--$368,397 to $414,670--but had more cash on hand--$909,307 to her $829,495.

The large amounts--and the fact they have been raised relatively early in the campaigns--reflect the importance of these three races, which are among a handful of contests around the nation that will determine which party controls the House of Representatives next year. Democrats need to gain just six seats to capture the majority from Republicans, so both parties are steering large sums into the key contests.

Democratic House leaders also are keeping close watch on two other area races with Republican incumbents: the Long Beach-based 38th District and Ventura County’s 23rd District.

If they can demonstrate fund-raising prowess, the challengers to popular Republican incumbents in both those districts may be able to persuade party leaders to add their races to their priority lists in the fall.

In Long Beach, nurse practitioner-attorney Gerrie Schipske met the fund-raising goals her campaign said party leaders had wanted to see her reach. Emerging from a bitter, four-way Democratic primary with $11,000 in the bank and about $45,000 in debt to herself, Schipske raised $184,898 this period and had $105,564 on hand. Since beginning the race, she has collected a total of $274,191.

Rep. Steve Horn (R-Long Beach), first elected in 1992, has raised $278,239 to date, including $57,022 during this period. But he had $387,858 on hand, some of it from his previous campaign. He has said he will not begin focusing heavily on his reelection campaign until after Labor Day.

In Ventura County, Democratic attorney Michael Case raised $99,242 this period in his bid to unseat Republican Rep. Elton Gallegly, who had not faced serious opposition for several elections. That brings Case’s total to $413,100 and leaves him with $261,204 in the bank; however, his campaign is $62,000 in debt, the report shows. A campaign spokesman said he was enthusiastic about Case’s financial showing, which is far stronger than that of any of Gallegly’s other challengers in recent years.

Gallegly reported collecting $189,535 this period, including, he said, many contributions from Democrats. He has raised a total of $777,327 this election cycle but has $1,040,872 available to spend, thanks to funds left over from earlier elections.

Veteran political consultant Allan Hoffenblum, whose California Target Book tracks legislative and congressional races, said these latest reports are especially important for challengers such as Schipske and Case.

“A good report keeps them on the radar screen” of party leaders and other political players who are looking to see whether they are viable candidates, Hoffenblum said.

Although targeting decisions are usually not made until the fall, a poor showing in fund-raising now would probably knock a challenger out of contention, he added.

“What the party pros and heavyweight political action committees or key business groups want to see is who wants to see a candidate get elected. The early reports show the aggressiveness of a campaign to go out and raise money and show what kind of local support the candidate is generating,” Hoffenblum said. “The early finance reports tell you that and could have a heavy impact on targeting decisions.”

After the reports are filed and released publicly, the spin begins, as each campaign tries to put the best light on its report.

In the big-spending 27th District race, for example, the Schiff campaign issued a news release reminding voters that Rogan finished 2 points behind Schiff in the March blanket primary. Noting that Rogan already has spent much of his campaign money, Schiff consultant Parke Skelton said, “Contributors to the Rogan campaign have to be wondering, ‘Where has my money gone?’ ”

The Rogan campaign pointed out that more than 50,000 donors around the country have contributed, then blasted the California Democratic Party for its television ad campaign on Schiff’s behalf. Rogan campaign manager Jason Roe also said organized labor “has made Rogan one of its top targets” and has “directed hundreds of thousands of dollars to Adam Schiff’s campaign.”

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War Chests for Southland Races

Campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission show campaign fund-raising and spending activity of the major-party candidates in Southern California’s strongly contested congressional races. Cash on hand is the amount a candidate had left to spend by the end of the last reporting period, which ran from April 1 through June 30.

*

District 27

*--*

Raised Total raised Cash Candidate and party this period to date on hand James E. Rogan (R)* $774,461 $4,590,163 $1,168,426 Adam Schiff (D) $996,040 $2,887,004 $1,104,680

*--*

*

District 49

*--*

Raised Total raised Cash Candidate and party this period to date on hand Brian P. Bilbray (R)* $368,397 $1,194,452 $909,307 Susan A. Davis (D) $414,670 $1,231,842 $829,495

*--*

*

District 36

*--*

Raised Total raised Cash Candidate and party this period to date on hand Steven Kuykendall (R)* $302,343 $1,136,284 $543,024 Jane Harman (D) $340,432 $1,205,085 $850,184

*--*

*

District 23

*--*

Raised Total raised Cash Candidate and party this period to date on hand Elton Gallegly (R)* $189,535 $777,327 $1,040,872 Michael Case (D) $99,242 $413,100 $261,204

*--*

*

District 38

*--*

Raised Total raised Cash Candidate and party this period to date on hand Steve Horn (R)* $57,022 $278,239 $387,858 Gerrie Schipske (D) $184,898 $274,191 $105,564

*--*

* Incumbent

Note: Cash on hand may include funds left over from previous campaign or campaigns.

Source: Campaign reports to FEC