Gordon Sets Sights Again on Seat in 27th District

In a race already attracting national party attention, actor Barry Gordon has launched a bid to unseat freshman Congressman James Rogan (R-Glendale).

Gordon, past president of the Screen Actors Guild, promised to wage one of the top campaigns in the San Fernando Valley as the deadline passed Friday for candidates to declare for Congress and county supervisor.

Republican and Democratic party leaders have vowed to make it a high-priority campaign. The 27th Congressional District, which includes Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena and adjacent communities, is considered a “swing” district that can be won by either party.

Gordon ran for the same seat two years ago but narrowly lost in the Democratic primary to businessman Doug Kahn. Rogan beat Kahn in the general election.

But Gordon insists that this year will be different because he is the lone Democratic candidate and has the full support of his party.

“I think the parties will show great interest in this district,” he said.

Rogan was the youngest sitting judge in the state before he was elected to the Assembly in 1993 and then to the House in 1996. He is the only Republican to simultaneously sit on the prestigious Commerce and Judiciary committees.

Gordon was a regular on such television shows as “The New Dick Van Dyke Show,” “Fish,” and “Archie Bunker’s Place.” He also does the voices of Woodsy Owl, the Nestle’s Quick Bunny and Donatello in the cartoon series “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.”

During the 1996 Democratic primary, Gordon and Kahn fought a brutal campaign that involved harsh charges and counter charges. In the end, Kahn beat Gordon by 2 percentage points.

In the general election, Kahn tried to portray the former assemblyman as a political clone of House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Rogan fought back with mailers that featured his life story as the son of a welfare mother and as a high school dropout who overcame the odds and became an attorney, judge and legislator. Kahn lost the race by 6 1/2 percentage points.

Gordon appears prepared to use Kahn’s tactics against Rogan.

Gordon says Rogan has portrayed himself as a moderate but has a voting record that shows he is closely allied with Gingrich and the conservative wing of the party.

“That is not where the constituents of this district are,” he said.

Jeff Lennan, Rogan’s campaign director, said Rogan has a proven track record of working with lawmakers from both parties.

“He has proven he can legislate effectively,” Lennan said.

State Democratic Party Chairman Art Torres said state and national party leaders plan to strongly back Gordon.

“We are going to talk to [House Minority leader Richard] Gephardt and the leadership in the Congress and say that this race is competitive and winnable,” Torres said.

But the Republican party is ready to match the Democratic party with its own support for Rogan.

Rep. John Linder of Georgia, chairman of the House Republican campaign committee, said: “Congressman Rogan is an outstanding leader for California in Congress and he has the full support and backing of the Republican party.”

Democrats have a slight edge over Republicans in registration, but district voters reelected Republican Congressman Carlos Moorhead 11 times before putting Rogan in office in 1996.

Rogan’s latest campaign finance statement shows he has more than $220,000 on hand, while Gordon said he has yet to raise any money for the race.

But Gordon said he doesn’t expect funding to be a problem.

“I’m going to work really hard,” he said. “I’m going to go out and start raising money.”

Also running against Rogan is Libertarian Bob New, a Glendale businessman.

In other Valley races, county Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky faces minor opposition in his bid to be reelected to represent the 3rd supervisorial district.

Facing off against the formidable Westside politician are Shane McLoud, a 30-year-old former policy aide to supervisor Deane Dana, and C.J. McDonald.

Yaroslavksy represents a district that stretches from the Palisades to the Valley.

In the 24th Congressional District, which includes most of the southern and western portions of the Valley, incumbent Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) faces a strong challenge from Republican businessman Randy Hoffman. Also running are Republican William Westmiller, Libertarian candidate Erich Miller, Natural Law candidate Catherine Carter and Peace and Freedom candidate Ralph Schroyer.

The 25th Congressional seat, which represents parts of Granada Hills, Chatsworth, Santa Clarita and the Antelope Valley, is held by Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-Santa Clarita). His only challenger is Libertarian candidate Bruce Acker.

In the 26th Congressional District, which includes most of the northeast Valley, incumbent Howard Berman (D-Mission Hills) is being challenged by Green Party candidate Maria Armoudian, Libertarian candidate Juan Carlos Ros, Natural Law candidate David Cossak and Reform Party candidate Carlos Herrera Villate.

In the 29th Congressional District, which includes most of the Westside and parts of Sherman Oaks, Studio City and North Hollywood, incumbent Henry Waxman (D-Los Angeles) faces challenges from Republicans David Churchman and Mike Gottlieb and Libertarian Mike Binkley.

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Staff writer Sharon Bernstein contributed to this story.