Local Elections : Nominations, Judgeship at Stake in Primary Vote

San Gabriel Valley voters on Tuesday will select party nominees in contested congressional and state Senate primaries and elect a judge for the Santa Anita Municipal Court.

The only incumbent facing a major primary challenge is Rep. Matthew G. (Marty) Martinez (D-Monterey Park), who is seeking reelection against Lily Chen, public affairs director for the county Children’s Services Department. Both Chen, 52, and Martinez, 59, are former mayors of Monterey Park.

Reps. Edward R. Roybal (D-Los Angeles), David Dreier (R-La Verne) and Esteban E. Torres (D-La Puente) are unopposed for renomination.

Rep. Carlos J. Moorhead (R-Glendale), who has been in Congress since 1973, is being challenged in the Republican primary by David Rodger Headrick, 39, an environmental technician who lives in Pasadena. Headrick, who describes himself as a “born-again” Christian, said his platform includes banning pornography, restoring prayer to the public schools and declaring war on countries that ship illegal drugs to the United States.

Two state senators, Newton R. Russell (R-Glendale) and William Campbell (R-Hacienda Heights), are unopposed in the Republican primary.

None of the eight Assembly members who represent the San Gabriel Valley have opposition in the primary. Assemblymen Charles M. Calderon (D-Alhambra) and Richard Polanco (D-Los Angeles) are not only unopposed in the Democratic primary but are running in districts that have no Republican candidates on the ballot.

Here is a look at some of the elections.

33RD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTTerritory

Includes Bradbury, Claremont, Covina, Diamond Bar, Duarte, Glendora, La Habra Heights, La Mirada, La Verne, Pomona, San Dimas, Walnut, Whittier and parts of Hacienda Heights, Rowland Heights and Palmdale.

Registration

Democratic 121,799

Republican 134,986

American Independent 2,995

Libertarian 988

Peace and Freedom 773

Other parties 293

Nonpartisan 21,503

Total 283,337

Candidates

Democratic: Nelson Gentry, attorney, Claremont; John Kraft, businessman, Hacienda Heights.

Republican: David Dreier, incumbent, La Verne.

Libertarian: Gail Lightfoot, public health nurse, San Dimas.

Peace and Freedom: Mike Noonan, hospital pharmacist, Claremont.

Gentry, 47, an attorney who practices law in Pomona and lives in Claremont, and Kraft, 47, a Hacienda Heights business consultant, are competing for the Democratic nomination. The winner will face Dreier in November.

Gentry, a former Montclair councilman, is running on a platform that includes mandatory military service, a part-time Congress and a flat tax on business gross income. Gentry said the flat tax would replace tax code regulations that inhibit business. By limiting congressional sessions to two months a year, he said, the office budgets of congressmen could be cut from $1.5 million to $125,000 a year.

Gentry said he became a Democrat more than a year ago after 22 years as a Republican because he was tired of hearing Republicans say that only their party stood for free enterprise and a strong national defense. He said he believes there are many Democrats who share his conservative views.

Kraft said he considers Gentry’s ideas radical, rather than conservative, and said his own views are progressive on some matters and moderate on others.

Kraft has been active in Democratic clubs and is a member of the party’s state committee and its national fund-raising organization. Kraft said he is friends with a number of national Democratic leaders, and his contacts in Washington and within the party can benefit the district.

He claims the endorsement of most of the district’s Democratic clubs.

Kraft was a leader in a drive to incorporate Hacienda Heights in 1982. The petition campaign was unsuccessful, and led to charges by the district attorney’s office that the names of some petition-signers had been forged. Kraft denied forging signatures but pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor Elections Code violation in 1984 and paid a $2,000 fine. Kraft said he does not expect that incident to influence the election, pointing out that he has successfully run for office since then, winning election to the Democratic County Central Committee.

25th STATE SENATE DISTRICTTerritory Includes Azusa, Claremont, Covina, Glendora, La Verne, San Dimas, Inyo County and a large portion of San Bernardino County from Upland east to Needles.

Registration Democratic 140,587

Republican 183,332

American Independent 4,874

Libertarian 1,116

Peace and Freedom 910

Other parties 681

Nonpartisan 30,004

Total 361,504

Candidates Democratic: James C. Cook, firefighter/paramedic, Azusa; Cal McElwain, businessman, Upland; Sandra K. Hester, college administrator, Claremont.

Republican: Bill Leonard, state assemblyman, Redlands; Gene Osko, attorney, Glendora.

Sen. H. L. (Bill) Richardson (R-Glendora) is retiring from this seat, creating contests in both the Democratic and Republican primaries.

Richardson has endorsed Assemblyman Leonard (R-Redlands) as his successor, but Osko, a Glendora attorney and former Municipal Court judge, is battling Leonard for the Republican nomination. Osko, 46, calls himself a moderate and has derided Leonard as ultraconservative and a “clone of Richardson.” Leonard, 40, who has been in the Assembly for nearly a decade, is running on the record he has compiled in Sacramento in education, transportation and air pollution.

Three Democrats, Cook of Azusa, Hester of Claremont and McElwain of Upland, are seeking the Democratic nomination.

Cook, 35, a paramedic with the county Fire Department’s air squadron, identifies himself as a “blue-collar Democrat” who believes in helping the truly needy but opposes wasteful spending. He is a former member of the Azusa City Council.

McElwain, 59, calls himself a conservative Democrat. He is attempting a political comeback after serving two terms as a San Bernardino County supervisor and losing a reelection bid in 1986.

Hester, 45, former associate director of the public policy analysis program at Pomona College, said her political views are moderate to liberal. She won the party’s endorsement at its state convention.

31st STATE SENATE DISTRICTTerritory Includes Diamond Bar, Hacienda Heights, City of Industry, La Habra Heights, La Mirada, Rowland Heights, Walnut, West Covina, Whittier, a small part of Covina and a large area of Orange County from Brea to Mission Viejo.

Registration

Democratic 129,452

Republican 188,642

American Independent 3,465

Libertarian 1,306

Peace and Freedom 712

Other parties 281

Nonpartisan 29,299

Total 353,157

Candidates Democratic: Stan Caress, college professor, West Covina; Janice Lynn Graham, former teacher and businesswoman, Laguna Hills.

Republican: William Campbell, incumbent, Hacienda Heights.

Two Democrats are competing for the right to run against Campbell. Caress, 37, of West Covina won the nomination four years ago and is on the ballot again, opposed by Graham, 52, of Laguna Hills.

Caress, who teaches political science at Cal State Long Beach, said he is running in the heavily Republican district to “hold the incumbent accountable” to the voters and to raise such issues as ground water pollution and consumer protection.

Graham, a former teacher who operated a bed-and-breakfast inn in North Carolina until moving to Orange County last year, said: “I don’t want to keep Campbell accountable, I want to win.” She said she believes Campbell is vulnerable because of his stands on issues of concern to women and slow-growth advocates.

In the race for the judgeship which serves Bradbury, Arcadia, Monrovia and Duarte, S. Clark Moore, who was appointed to the bench three years ago, is being opposed by attorney Donald Kennedy of Arcadia.

Kennedy, 40, said he was asked to run by friends who work at the court and had told him that “the morale is terrible.”

He said Moore “is a nice guy” but does not communicate well with the court staff, does not work full time at the job, has not been as active in community affairs as his predecessors were, and has little interest or experience in civil law.

Moore, 63, said he believes he is being opposed because he cracked down on a ticket-fixing case. Ralph Weldon resigned as court administrator and pleaded guilty last year to obstructing justice by arranging for the dismissal of more than 60 traffic tickets.

Moore said “a lot of people were bent out of shape” when he decided to collect fines from traffic violators whose tickets had been fixed, and he believes those people may be encouraging his opponent. The judge said he collected more than $5,000 in fines in the case.

But Kennedy denied that his campaign has any connection to ticket-fixing or the judge’s handling of that case.

Moore, who lives in Monrovia, has been endorsed by the mayors of Arcadia, Bradbury, Duarte and Monrovia and the police chiefs and police officer associations in Arcadia and Monrovia.

Before being appointed to the judgeship, Moore spent more than 25 years with the state attorney general’s office and headed its criminal department.

Moore said he began his career in civil law and had extensive experience in civil matters in the attorney general’s office. As to the charge that his is not on the job full time, Moore said that besides handling a full load of cases during the day, he is one of the few judges in the area who provides police departments with his telephone number so that he can be called to issue search warrants at night and on weekends.

The following is a list of other offices and candidates in Tuesday’s election.

22ND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

Territory Includes Glendale, La Canada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Montrose, Saugus, San Marino, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena, Temple City, and parts of Altadena, Arcadia, Burbank, Canyon Country, Lancaster, Monrovia, Newhall, Pasadena, Palmdale and San Gabriel.

Registration

Democratic 104,835

Republican 164,278

American Independent 2,657

Libertarian 1,068

Peace and Freedom 802

Other parties 263

Nonpartisan 22,428

Total 296,331

Candidates Democratic: John G. Simmons, health executive, Burbank.

Republican: Carlos J. Moorhead, incumbent, Glendale; David Rodger Headrick, environmental technician, Pasadena.

Libertarian: Ted Brown, insurance claims adjuster, Los Angeles.

Peace and Freedom: Shirley Rachel Isaacson, school psychologist, Los Angeles.

25TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

Territory Includes Eagle Rock, Highland Park and El Sereno and parts of Altadena, Pasadena and East Los Angeles.

Registration

Democratic 108,998

Republican 33,667

American Independent 1,404

Libertarian 596

Peace and Freedom 1,364

Other parties 674

Nonpartisan 12,127

Total 158,830

Candidates

Democratic: Edward R. Roybal, incumbent, Los Angeles.

Libertarian: John C. Thie, health consultant, Pasadena.

Peace and Freedom: Raul Reyes, teacher, Los Angeles.

30TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

Territory Includes Alhambra, Azusa, Bell, Bell Gardens, Commerce, Cudahy, El Monte, Irwindale, Maywood, Montebello, Monterey Park, Rosemead, South San Gabriel, Vernon, and part of San Gabriel.

Registration Democratic 101,763

Republican 51,274

American Independent 1,793

Libertarian 537

Peace and Freedom 759

Other parties 317

Nonpartisan 13,852

Total 170,295

Candidates Democratic: Matthew G. (Marty) Martinez, incumbent, Monterey Park; Lily Chen, human services administrator, Monterey Park.

Republican: Robert S. Kowell, engineering supervisor, Alhambra; Mike Radlovic, businessman, El Monte; Ralph R. Ramirez, businessman, San Gabriel.

Libertarian: Kim J. Goldsworthy, computer programmer, Rosemead.

American Independent: Houston Myers, retired auto repair shop owner, San Gabriel.

34TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

Territory Includes Artesia, Baldwin Park, Bassett, East Whittier, City of Industry, La Puente, Los Nietos, Norwalk, Pico Rivera, Santa Fe Springs, South El Monte, Valinda, West Covina, and parts of Hacienda Heights and Rowland Heights.

Registration Democratic 128,794

Republican 62,135

American Independent 2,243

Libertarian 883

Peace and Freedom 828

Other parties 590

Nonpartisan 13,526

Total 208,999

Candidates Democratic: Esteban E. Torres, incumbent, La Puente.

Republican: Charles M. House, Sheriff’s Department sergeant, Hacienda Heights.

Libertarian: Carl M. (Marty) Swinney, radiologic technologist, Whittier.

21ST STATE SENATE DISTRICT

Territory Includes Altadena, Arcadia, Bradbury, Duarte, Glendale, La Canada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Monrovia, Montrose, San Marino, Sierra Madre, Temple City, Lancaster, Palmdale, Sunland, Tujunga and most of Pasadena.

Registration Democratic 123,898

Republican 190,502

American Independent 3,418

Libertarian 1,255

Peace and Freedom 936

Other parties 340

Nonpartisan 25,836

Total 346,185

Candidates Democratic: Louise C. Gelber, attorney, Arcadia.

Republican: Newton R. Russell, incumbent, Glendale.

Libertarian: Robert H. Scott, data processing director, Pasadena.

Peace and Freedom: Michael W. Blumenthal, wholesalers’ representative, Pasadena.

41ST ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

Territory Includes Altadena, Glendale, La Canada Flintridge, Montrose and parts of Eagle Rock, La Crescenta, Pasadena and Los Angeles.

Registration Democratic 62,489

Republican 76,561

American Independent 1,261

Libertarian 569

Peace and Freedom 542

Other parties 187

Nonpartisan 11,643

Total 153,252

Candidates Democratic: John Vollbrecht, builder, Los Angeles.

Republican: Pat Nolan, incumbent, Glendale.

Libertarian: Curtis S. Helms, registered nurse, Pasadena.

Peace and Freedom: Ivan W. Kasimoff, optical technician, educator, Altadena.

42ND ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

Territory Includes all or most of Arcadia, Azusa, Bradbury, Duarte, Irwindale, Monrovia, San Gabriel, San Marino, Sierra Madre, South Pasadena and Temple City and a small part of Pasadena.

Registration Democratic 59,149

Republican 75,928

American Independent 1,396

Libertarian 520

Peace and Freedom 446

Other parties 151

Nonpartisan 11,438

Total 149,028

Candidates

Democratic: Richard David Boyle, screenwriter, author, lecturer, Sierra Madre.

Republican: Richard L. Mountjoy, incumbent, Monrovia.

52ND ASSMEBLY DISTRICT

Includes all or most of Diamond Bar, Hacienda Heights, La Habra Heights, La Mirada, Rowland Heights, Walnut and Whittier, and the southeast part of West Covina.

Registration Democratic 66,265

Republican 71,088

American Independent 1,585

Libertarian 589

Peace and Freedom 390

Other parties 191

Nonpartisan 11,609

Total 151,717

Candidates

Democratic: Terry Lee Perkins, teacher, Walnut.

Republican: Frank Hill, incumbent, Whittier.

55TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

Territory Includes Boyle Heights, East Los Angeles, Echo Park, El Sereno, Highland Park, Lincoln Heights, Monterey Hills, Mt. Washington and parts of Eagle Rock and Pasadena.

Registration Democratic 65,358

Republican 21,849

American Independent 859

Libertarian 376

Peace and Freedom 898

Other parties 421

Nonpartisan 7,761

Total 97,522

Candidates Democratic: Richard Polanco, incumbent, Los Angeles.

Libertarian: William H. Wilson, compensation analyst, Pasadena.

Peace and Freedom: Evelina Alarcon, political organizer, Los Angeles; Gilberto de Santiago, teacher, Los Angeles.

59TH ASSEMBLYDISTRICT

Territory Includes all or most of Alhambra, Montebello, Monterey Park, Pico Rivera and South El Monte and portions of Los Nietos and Whittier.

Registration Democratic 75,054

Republican 32,702

American Independent 1,058

Libertarian 413

Peace and Freedom 484

Other parties 288

Nonpartisan 9,124

Total 119,123

Candidates Democratic: Charles M. Calderon, incumbent, Alhambra.

Libertarian: Steven Pencall, engineering technician, Alhambra.

60TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

Territory Includes Baldwin Park, Bassett, El Monte, City of Industry, La Puente, Rosemead and part of West Covina.

Registration

Democratic 59,434

Republican 29,209

American Independent 1,142

Libertarian 405

Peace and Freedom 413

Other parties 254

Nonpartisan 6,959

Total 97,816

Candidates emocratic: Sally Tanner, incumbent, El Monte.

Republican: Henry J. Velasco, businessman, El Monte.

Libertarian: David Argall, chess promoter, La Puente.

62ND ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

Territory Includes all or most of Claremont, Covina, Glendora, La Verne, San Dimas, Upland and parts of West Covina and Pomona.

Registration Democratic 67,285

Republican 79,538

American Independent 1,749

Libertarian 555

Peace and Freedom 434

Other parties 175

Nonpartisan 12,161

Total 161,897

Candidates Democratic: Wayne M. Wendt, computer operator, Upland.

Republican: William H. (Bill) Lancaster, incumbent, Covina.

Libertarian: Susan Polson, administrative assistant, Pomona.

65TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

Territory Includes part of Pomona and a large section of San Bernardino County, including Chino, Hesperia, Montclair, Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga.

Registration

Democratic 67,273

Republican 76,993

American Independent 2,214

Libertarian 459

Peace and Freedom 454

Other parties 278

Nonpartisan 12,386

Total 160,057

Candidates Democratic: David Neal Chamberlain, wire products manufacturer, Chino.

Republican: Charles Bader, incumbent, Pomona.

Libertarian: Paul N. Gautreau, attorney, Pomona.