Hoffman Outspending Sherman, Records Show

Flexing his financial might, Republican businessman Randy Hoffman has lent his campaign $150,000 in the past three months in his quest to unseat Democratic Rep. Brad Sherman, according to campaign records released Wednesday.

In total, Hoffman, a Thousand Oaks resident and former president of a high-tech satellite navigation firm, has put about $510,000 of his own money into the race--far more than the $95,000 he has raised from contributors.

Hoffman, whose personal net worth is reportedly between $2 million and $7 million, leads Sherman in campaign fund-raising, with $424,000 on hand at the end of March. Sherman, whose 24th Congressional District includes Thousand Oaks and Oak Park, has $215,000, according to his campaign staff.

Hoffman’s huge infusion of personal funds has already drawn criticism from his opponents, who accuse him of trying to buy the election.

“The guy is clearly leaning on his money,” said Joe Gelman, a Republican challenger. “He is clearly trying to buy this election.”

Sherman, however, said he was not worried about fending off a wealthy opponent.

“We will have a very solid campaign,” he said. “We will be able to show a candidate [Sherman] who has been involved in civic affairs his whole life and taken positions throughout his whole life.”

In response to the criticism, Hoffman said he is simply trying to show that he is serious about the campaign.

“It sends a message that I’m a serious candidate,” he said.

The race for Sherman’s seat will be one of the hottest and most expensive contests of the campaign season. The district includes parts of the west San Fernando Valley. Party affiliation among voters in the district slightly favors Democrats, but not by much. About 45% are registered Democrats and 39% are Republicans.

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The Republican party has already named Sherman one of the top 10 incumbents in the nation that the party wants to unseat this year.

Hoffman, who is considered the Republican front-runner in the June 2 primary, has the support of such Republican Party leaders as Majority Leader Rep. Dick Armey and Majority Whip Rep. Tom DeLay, both Texans.

But Sherman has no Democratic opponents in the primary. Hoffman, meanwhile, must fend off GOP challenges from Gelman and William Westmiller, another Thousand Oaks resident.

In the past three months, Gelman, a former newspaper columnist, has raised $8,486 and now has $5,128 on hand, he said. Westmiller raised about $800 in the same period.

Sherman has raised $114,000 in contributions in the past three months and has $215,000 on hand, according to his campaign staff. In the same period, Hoffman raised $40,900 in contributions and has $424,000 on hand; the accounting includes his $425,000 in loans and $85,000 in in-kind contributions, according to his staff.

Also running are Erich Miller, the Libertarian candidate; Catherine Carter, the Natural Law candidate, and Ralph Shroyer, the Peace and Freedom party candidate. Carter and Shroyer said they had each raised less than $5,000 in the past three months and are therefore not required to file campaign statements. Miller could not be reached for comment.

In another congressional race that is heating up, Rep. James Rogan (R-Glendale) faces a challenge by Democrat Barry Gordon, a former president of the Screen Actors Guild. Rogan’s district includes Glendale, Burbank and Pasadena.

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A former assemblyman, Rogan has raised $107,578 in the past three months, according to his campaign records. Gordon, meanwhile, has raised only $21,546, his records show.

But Gordon said he is not worried about Rogan’s financial lead. Gordon said he has just begun his fund-raising efforts and hopes to raise much more before the November elections.

“I’m focusing on November,” he said.

Also running is Bob New, the Libertarian Party candidate. He could not be reached.

In the northeast Valley, Rep. Howard Berman (D-Mission Hills) faces a large field of challengers, including San Fernando Mayor Raul Godinez, a Democrat.

Berman has raised nearly $34,000 in the past three months and has $189,000 on hand, according to his campaign records.

Also running in the race are Maria Armoudian, the Green Party candidate, Juan Carlos Ros, the Libertarian candidate, and David Cossak, the Natural Law candidate.

Armoudian did not file a statement, saying she has raised less than $5,000.

Godinez, Ros and Cossak could not be reached.

In the congressional district that includes Santa Clarita and parts of the north Valley, Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-Santa Clarita) is being challenged by Bruce Acker, a Libertarian Party candidate. Neither could be reached Wednesday.