Money and Accusations Mark Contest in South Bay

Beach communities between Venice and Redondo Beach are at the center of one of the state’s most intense legislative races.

Voters in the 53rd Assembly District will choose between Republican Greg Hill, mayor of Redondo Beach, and Democrat Mike Gordon, former mayor of El Segundo.

The political battle has been marked by both unusually personal attacks and a heavy infusion of cash.

The race is one of only a handful of seriously contested legislative elections in California.

Voter registration in the district is 41% Democratic and 35% Republican. But the seat, held by Democrats since 1992, is considered vulnerable for two reasons: One-fifth of the voters in the district have registered without stating a party preference. And 54% of the district’s electorate voted to recall Democratic Gov. Gray Davis last year.

The candidates have contrasting approaches to the issues.

Gordon, owner of a marketing firm, stresses his commitment to stopping the expansion of Los Angeles International Airport, an issue he has been involved with for years. He also wants to prevent the possible shutdown of Los Angeles Air Force Base near LAX; and he supports keeping the 310 area code from being split.

“I am someone who unites people, and I will fight to see that the district’s interests are represented in Sacramento,” he said.

Hill, an insurance agent, vows to slash government waste, demand more fiscal accountability and fight what he sees as a “tremendous urge to raise taxes” among Sacramento legislators. He has also tried to align himself with popular Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

“I’m saying support the governor and make the government work for the people again,” he said. “Everyone should have a shot at the California dream.”

Hill and Gordon each accuse the other of turning the race into a smear campaign.

“He said, ‘Check our records,’ so we did,” said Hill, whose campaign has portrayed Gordon as a shady telemarketer who cheats charities.

Gordon says the allegations are “deliberate lies” and produced letters from several nonprofit groups and charities praising his telemarketing company’s efforts.

Pro-Gordon mailers say oil and tobacco interests are pouring more than half a million dollars into a “special account” to elect Hill. The Republican denies links to special interests and says he is a “big environmentalist.”

He noted that the money Gordon speaks about is actually going to an independent-expenditure group called Jobs- PAC, which receives contributions from a variety of businesses and donates to campaigns throughout California.

From Jan. 1 to last Sunday, Gordon had raised $895,000, and Hill had raised $449,000, according to campaign disclosure statements. Of those amounts, the Democratic State Central Committee gave Gordon $342,000, and the California Republican Party gave $131,000 to Hill.

Spending by independent expenditure committees, known as IEs, has played a major role in the race. IEs are barred by law from coordinating their activities with candidates.

JobsPAC, an IE affiliated with the California Chamber of Commerce, has spent $434,000 on mailers attacking Gordon. At least six IEs, representing groups such as prison guards, real estate agents and professional engineers, have spent $225,900 on advertising such as mailers supporting Gordon.

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Times staff writer Nancy Vogel contributed to this report.