Katz Opponent Carves Bold Election Path Into Pacoima

Republican Robert F. Thoreson, who is challenging Assemblyman Richard Katz (D-Sepulveda) in one of the most hotly contested races in the state, is doing something no one expected him to do: he’s courting the endorsements of black ministers in Pacoima.

To Katz’s irritation, the conservative Thoreson is getting some of them to support him--which is unheard of in the history of the community. And, according to Thoreson’s campaign strategists, it could make the difference on Election Day.

“I think the church has a moral obligation to keep its people informed so they can make the right decisions,” said the Rev. Dudley Chatman, one of those Thoreson has won over. Chatman is pastor of Greater Community Baptist Church, the oldest black church in Pacoima, which has never in its 44-year history endorsed anyone but a Democrat.

Two years ago, Katz clobbered Thoreson in Pacoima by 10 to 1. That helped Katz build a 54% to 46% victory over Thoreson, 42, a detective with the Los Angeles Police Department auto-theft detail.

But Thoreson immediately announced that he would try again to defeat Katz in the 39th Assembly District, which is known for its fickleness in electing representatives first from one party and then the other.

Democrats Hold Edge

Although Democrats outnumber Republicans in the district by 56.8% to 34.9%, it is considered competitive by Republicans. GOP Assembly Minority Leader Pat Nolan of Glendale has made the race a priority for the Republicans. According to the latest campaign contribution reports, Nolan has given Thoreson $50,000 for his campaign.

But, to win, Thoreson needs not only to build support in conservative areas like Northridge and Granada Hills, but to find a way to erode some of Katz’s support in areas with heavy Democratic registration.

Thoreson’s campaign strategists say Pacoima is the key. Don Ediger, Thoreson’s campaign manager, said that, if Thoreson can capture 30% of the vote in this heavily Democratic enclave, he could beat the three-term incumbent.

For months, Thoreson has been courting the black Pacoima ministers and their parishioners. Every Sunday morning, he’s been speaking, sometimes from the pulpit, to congregations. And he’s been handing out literature at the churches and attending meetings of the Pacoima ministers organization.

Thoreson said 20 pastors of the 30-plus black churches in Pacoima have endorsed him, a claim Katz can neither confirm nor deny. The Minister Fellowship of San Fernando and Vicinity, which represents many of these churches, is expected to vote to endorse one of the candidates Saturday morning.

Shift Predicted

“There will be a great number who will go the other way,” said the Rev. John Lett, the fellowship’s president, referring to those who will endorse Thoreson. But he predicted that, in the end, “Mr. Katz will get the most support.”

On Tuesday, Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco) flew down to speak to ministers and other community leaders in Pacoima during a breakfast meeting held by Katz. Katz said the appearance was long-planned and had nothing to do with Thoreson’s efforts to get the ministers’ endorsements. However, Brown talked to them about the importance of their supporting Katz, pointing out his legislative accomplishments for the community.

Katz, trying to downplay Thoreson’s inroads into the black community, said most Pacoima voters remain solidly behind him.

“My support in Pacoima is as strong as it’s always been,” Katz said. “I expect to run well in Pacoima. The community people and leadership I talk to . . . are all supporting me.”

How much clout the ministers have remains unclear. The ministers will not speculate on whether their endorsements will bring in votes from the pews. However, it is traditional for candidates in black communities to go to the churches to seek votes, whether it be Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley or Los Angeles County Supervisor Kenneth Hahn.

“As a minister or pastor . . . you can influence your congregation to move in certain directions,” said Carlos Jones, a local banker and president of the Pacoima Chamber of Commerce.

One of Thoreson’s supporters is the Rev. Archie Johnson of Parks Chapel AME Church, who echoed the sentiment of some of the clergy who contend that Democrats have taken them for granted.

“We do know how to check the ballot and we don’t have to check it one way,” Johnson promised.

But some Pacoima leaders have criticized the ministers for endorsing a conservative Republican who they contend cannot represent the needs of the community in Sacramento because of basic philosophical differences. They suggest that the ministers are flattered by the attention Thoreson has paid to them and are therefore not looking at their choices on Nov. 4 critically.

‘They Go Off Half-Cocked’

“What somebody says, they believe. They go off half-cocked,” said Marie Harris, the executive director Pacoima Expo and an officer in the Pacoima Property Owners Assn. “I really think the black ministers are being misled; they are going down the primrose path.”

Katz, 36, maintains that Thoreson has attracted ministers by misrepresenting Katz’s legislative record and flip-flopping on issues when it is politically expedient. For instance, Katz noted that in a candidate survey printed in The Times on Saturday, Thoreson indicated he would have opposed a bill, signed by Gov. George Deukmejian, which will lead to the sale of state investments in firms operating in South Africa as a protest against apartheid. Also on Saturday, Thoreson acknowledged, he told a group of black ministers that he had changed his mind.

Thoreson said he switched his position because the problems in South Africa had worsened since he filled out The Times’ survey, which was sent out in mid-September, and he thinks California must remove its investments to protect them.

“I think apartheid is a morally unacceptable situation. I was hoping there would be accommodations by the Botha government,” he said, referring to the South African regime of President Pieter W. Botha.

Katz Apartheid Opponent

Katz, a strong opponent of apartheid who held a community breakfast for South African Bishop Desmond Tutu, now Archbishop Tutu, earlier this year, distributed copies of The Times’ survey in an effort to inform the black ministers of Thoreson’s position.

“Bob Thoreson got religion on civil rights two days ago and that’s all that is,” said Katz, “He can’t try and tell one community one thing and another community something else. It won’t wash.”

In campaigning, Katz has relied on reminding Pacoima residents of his local accomplishments.

Katz’s supporters credit him with helping to bring the business enterprise zone, designed to relieve blighted areas, to the community, obtaining money for computerized reading programs at Pacoima Junior High School and helping to obtain equestrian trails for the Hansen Dam area. He also authored successful bills aimed at cracking down on drug dealers and making it easier for the police to remove abandoned cars, both problems in Pacoima. And he personally raised $10,000 in private money for the construction of the Pacoima Boy’s Club center.

“With the enterprise zone, with the Hansen Dam project, with new buildings and residences, Pacoima is on the move . . . and Katz helped stimulate that,” said the Rev. William T. Broadous of Calvary Baptist Church of Pacoima.

Thoreson Counters

Thoreson, however, contends that Katz has ignored Pacoima. He blames Katz for the community’s drug problem, its endless inventory of abandoned cars and its crime problem.

But Thoreson’s biggest weapon against Katz has been his claim that the Democrat has raised the utility taxes of the poor of Pacoima. Some of the ministers said this was a key reason why they switched their support to Thoreson.

“When the people know the issue, it’s over. When they talk about utility taxes that’s probably the most regressive unfair thing done to the community,” Thoreson said.

Utility taxes, however, are raised by the Los Angeles City Council, not the Legislature. What Thoreson referred to was an amendment, opposed by Katz, that was offered by a Republican assemblyman to a bill four years ago and would have denied local governments the ability to raise user fees without a vote of the people.

“He’s totally misrepresented the bill,” Katz said angrily.