Sherman, Doyle Offer Striking Differences

If things had turned out differently last spring, Democratic Rep. Brad Sherman might be running against ex-Doobie Brothers guitarist Jeff “Skunk” Baxter in Tuesday’s general election.

But the ponytailed Republican decided to bow out of the race, saying he wanted to focus on his work as an advocate for ballistic missile defense.

So Sherman, a former tax attorney, is being challenged by GOP candidate Jerry Doyle, an investment banker turned TV actor, whose most prominent role was as a security officer on the syndicated science fiction series “Babylon 5.”

Sherman doesn’t appear worried in his bid for a third term in the 24th Congressional District, which covers part of the Conejo Valley, Calabasas, Woodland Hills, Malibu and Sherman Oaks.

“Only an unexpected massive attack could turn this into a race,” Sherman said.

The incumbent, who has collected more than $1 million in campaign contributions, had $300,000 left over in the final week of the race. In contrast, Doyle reported a campaign chest of $128,781 in mid-October, with about $62,000 remaining.

The fact that a stronger and better-financed opponent did not materialize was summarized by Herbert Gooch, chairman of the political science department at Cal Lutheran University: “Nobody wants to take Sherman on. The smart money says Sherman’s going to win. And if Sherman wins again, you can look forward to many years of Brad Sherman.”

Besides strong financial backing, Sherman has another advantage: Registered Democrats outnumber Republicans 45% to 36% in a district where Democrats have controlled the seat for decades.

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Moreover, as a member of the House, Sherman has been able to build both a record and a contributor base as a member of the Banking and Financial Services and International Relations committees.

All that makes for a tough, uphill battle for Doyle, Gooch said.

Sherman, 46, and Doyle, 44, offer voters starkly different choices. They disagree on many national and local issues, generally splitting along party lines.

Sherman favors maintaining the existing Social Security system, while Doyle favors a plan that would allow individuals to invest a portion of their contributions in the stock market.

Sherman opposes eliminating the estate tax levied on families’ inheritances. He supports exemptions on estates up to $2 million, with slightly higher caps on family farms and businesses. Doyle wants to eliminate the tax.

Sherman favors using federal budget surpluses to pay off the national debt, while Doyle supports using a portion of the surplus money for tax breaks.

Doyle criticized Sherman for opposing the Republican attempt to repeal the so-called marriage penalty tax, which he said affects 62,000 couples in the district. Sherman said he doesn’t think married couples should be penalized. But he does not support a repeal that would give additional breaks to some couples who already pay less by filing jointly.

On education, Sherman opposes vouchers to pay for private schools; Doyle supports vouchers.

Doyle also advocates the breakup of Los Angeles Unified School District into smaller districts. Sherman believes a regional subdistrict system under Supt. Roy Romer could eliminate the need for a breakup.

Sherman favors abortion rights, while Doyle opposes abortion. But Doyle said he would not support overturning the landmark Roe vs. Wade decision.

Their images are as disparate as their ideologies.

The balding Sherman conveys his sense of humor and humility to voters by handing out campaign combs rather than buttons or refrigerator magnets.

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In contrast, Doyle has a camera-pleasing smile and a following of TV fans, who can keep tabs on his campaign through a number of Web sites. He boasts that he’s the only candidate with his own action-figure doll and has drawn parallels between his adventurous “Babylon 5” character and the real-life Jerry Doyle.

At a recent fund-raiser, he quipped, “I want to put the ‘party’ back in the Republican Party.”

Doyle calls Sherman “an entrenched big-money politician that’s not in touch with the district.” This is underscored by Sherman’s strong backing from organized labor, which accounts for at least $139,500 of his contributions, and other special-interest groups, Doyle said.

Sherman counters that his supporters also include the Sierra Club, the League of Conservation Voters and a host of elected officials in Los Angeles County and area cities. He has built trust among local voters, obtaining $15 million for the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy to buy land and build an educational amphitheater, he said.

Sherman has been vocal in his opposition to the Ahmanson Ranch housing development planned just inside the Ventura County line, saying it would harm the environment in the San Fernando Valley.

Doyle called Sherman’s opposition to Ahmanson opportunism, noting that he has failed to kill the project. “If you’re going to get behind something, you ought to be successful about it,” he said.

Sherman said Doyle has had little involvement in community issues, with the exception of some charity work, and is running because Republicans couldn’t find a serious contender.

In fact, Doyle, who has put his career on hold to run, was not the GOP’s first choice, but when Baxter dropped out of the race, officials looked to him.

Doyle said he can still pull off an upset. “I believe in what I’m doing. This is something I feel strongly about.”

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Although Sherman blew past him in the open primary last spring, Doyle said recent Republican Party polling has shown him closing the gap, particularly after Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) lent support to the campaign.

But Juan Carlos Ros, state executive director of the Libertarian Party and a third candidate in the race, said Doyle is likely outgunned.

“I’ve met Jerry a few times, and I like him. He’s a great actor,” Ros said. “But he’s facing a district that is more Democratic than Republican. He’s facing Brad’s incumbency. And I don’t think the Republicans really see his as a race he can win.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

24th Congressional District

The district includes Thousand Oaks, Calabasas, Woodland Hills, Malibu and Sherman Oaks.

Jerry Doyle, Republican

Age: 44

Residence: Woodland Hills

Occupation: Actor

Education: Bachelor’s degree in aeronautical studies from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Fla., 1979.

Background: Once an investment banker on Wall Street, Doyle moved to Hollywood in 1991 and took up acting. He is best known for his role as the security chief on the ‘90’s sci-fi series “Babylon 5.” Doyle is a local past president of the Easter Seals Society and has served on other charity boards.

Issues: Doyle wants to repeal the estate tax and a tax penalizing married couples. He wants to allow individuals to invest a portion of their Social Security money in the stock market. He advocates building up the military and NASA. He supports school vouchers. He says he thinks the Ahmanson Ranch project is too dense but cannot be stopped.

Personal: Divorced, with an adult child.

Brad Sherman, Democrat

Age: 46

Residence: Sherman Oaks[

Occupation: Incumbent

Education: Law degree, Harvard, 1979, magna cum laude; bachelor’s degree, UCLA, 1974, summa cum laude.

Background: Formerly an accountant and a lawyer specializing in tax law, Sherman served as chairman of the State Board of Equalization from 1991 to 1995. He was elected to Congress in 1996, to replace Democrat Tony Beilenson, who retired after two decades in office.

Issues: Sherman opposes the Ahmanson Ranch housing development and says he will continue to work for funds to protect the Santa Monica Mountains. He has allied himself with organized labor, supporting raising the minimum wage and employment discrimination protection for gay workers. He wants to prevent employers from hiring permanent replacements for workers on strike. He wants to keep the current Social Security system intact, and he opposes school vouchers.

Personal: Single, no children.