Gallegly Still Leads Case in Funding

Amid a radio and TV blitz supported by a $1-million bankroll, Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley) reported Wednesday that he spent more than $200,000 during the first three weeks of October but still had $870,000 in cash for the Nov. 7 election.

Challenger Michael Case reported spending even more this month--$333,000, mostly on hard-hitting mailers--but had only $52,000 left for the final two-week push to election day.

The Ventura Democrat also acknowledged that his party’s Congressional Campaign Committee had decided to steer far less money toward his campaign than originally expected.

That means Case’s campaign will eventually spend perhaps $700,000 instead of the $900,000 or $1 million he had hoped to raise, he said. But he said that is enough to spotlight Gallegly’s conservative record in areas of abortion, gun control and education.

“We had hoped for a larger budget, but we still think it’s been pretty adequate,” Case said. “There is some money coming in from Washington, some Democratic congressmen and some major political action committees are putting money in. It’s not going to be Elton’s million, but it’s significant.”

Gallegly has now raised almost $1.5 million for this campaign. During the 1999-2000 election cycle, he has received $838,021, including $31,000 since Oct. 1, to go with about $634,000 carried over from last election.

The seven-term incumbent said he won’t spend half of the $870,000 he has left to beat Case, because a recent poll showed him with more than a 2-1 lead. About one-third of voters had never heard of Case, Gallegly said.

“The most important thing is you try to be as effective as you can and not cross the point of diminishing returns,” Gallegly said.

While Case has shone a harsh light on Gallegly’s record through mailers, the 14-year incumbent has flooded radio and television with spots focusing on his successes.

Gallegly began a 12-station TV blitz, and additional radio spots, 10 days ago. The cost so far is only $95,000 because ads are so cheap on cable stations--running from $8 to $16 for each 30-second segment.

In most of those, a voice speaks of Gallegly’s record on behalf of senior citizens and children, and his work for improved education. U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) also endorses Gallegly as a congressional independent.

The ads never mention Case. Nor do Gallegly’s mailers address the challenger, emphasizing instead Gallegly’s family, still living in Simi Valley, where he was mayor before being elected to Congress in 1986.

“It’s been my policy to run a positive campaign,” Gallegly said. “But I might send some of his pieces to people, because people don’t like negative campaigning. My poll shows he’s lost ground after his very negative hit pieces. They drove his negatives up.”

Case, who has also distributed mailers emphasizing his roots, said he’s been forced to hammer away at Gallegly because the congressman won’t debate.

“I always say, ‘Where’s Elton?’ when I go to forums,” Case said. “So we’re trying to show what his 14-year record truly is. His record is negative. I don’t say a pejorative word. We don’t say he’s a bad guy. We just say, here are his votes, and do you want him as your congressman?”

Yet Gallegly insists that Case’s ads are filled with half-truths and misrepresentations, that he has a strong record as a social moderate who has voted for gun control and educational and HMO reform.

“People have seen my voting record for 14 years,” he said.

Gallegly’s largest contributors this month were political action committees for: the American Medical Assn., $2,000; Time Warner Inc., $2,000; and Washington Mutual, $2,000. His top individual givers were: Gerald and Roselina Lundgren of Whittier, $1,000 each, and Linda Grossman of Corona, $1,000.

Case received large PAC contributions from: International Assn. of Machinists, $5,000; United Food and Commercial Workers, $5,000; California League of Conservation Voters, $2,500; and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, $2,500. His top individual giver was Dr. Steven Nagelberg of Oxnard, $1,000.