Democrat Considered a Longshot in Conservative Stronghold

The first time Democrat Jon Lauritzen ran for the 38th Assembly District, his campaign made headlines when party volunteers charged Simi Valley police officers with harassing and intimidating them as they handed out leaflets supporting his election bid.

Back for another try four years later, Lauritzen, 62, said he and his supporters now feel more welcome in the largely conservative city because the local Democratic club has since taken on a higher profile, aggressively campaigning for Democratic candidates.

But even as a bevy of labor groups walk precincts on behalf of Lauritzen and other Democrats, the retired high school teacher concedes that he is facing long odds in his effort to succeed Republican Tom McClintock, forced from the seat by term limits.

Not only do Republicans greatly outnumber Democrats in the district, which covers Simi Valley, Fillmore and parts of the San Fernando and Santa Clarita valleys, his Republican opponent, physician Keith Richman, has trounced him in fund-raising.

So in the waning days before next week’s election, Lauritzen has his fingers crossed, saying he hopes that after the conservative politics of McClintock, voters in the district will have tired of Republican representation that can get little done in an Assembly controlled by Democrats.

“That’s the only chance I have,” Lauritzen said.

But Richman, 46, who bills himself as a moderate Republican, said voters are not likely to confuse him with McClintock.

The millionaire internist favors abortion rights, opposes Proposition 38 (the school voucher initiative) and advocates increased funding for public education.

“I’m constructive. I can work with people and get things done,” said Richman, who spent $420,000 of his own money to win a close-fought primary in March.

“The conservative wing of the Republican Party put in a lot of money against me, and I had to spend more than I planned,” said Richman, president of a Mission Hills-based medical group. He has raised $727,932, counting his own $420,000 contribution.

Meanwhile, Lauritzen, who has seen little support from Assembly leaders because of the district’s GOP leanings, has been forced to slug it out with the $38,282 he has raised to date, including $17,500 in loans.

The Chatsworth resident, who spent 34 years as a math and computer science teacher, plans to spend the remaining days of the campaign touting his proposals for improving education: strengthening emergency teaching credential requirements, modernizing school facilities, and requiring increased technology training for teachers.

Lauritzen also is calling for state oversight of the massive Newhall Ranch housing project to minimize its effect on roads, sewers, utilities and schools.

“The whole region needs to be looked at in terms of infrastructure,” he said.

Lauritzen calls his opponent a “decent guy,” but he questions Richman’s Republican credentials, because his positions appear to be so similar to Lauritzen’s own. He also takes particular delight in pointing out that Richman’s wife, Deborah, is a registered Democrat.

“He made a strategic move by declaring himself a Republican,” Lauritzen said. “He’d rather be a Democrat, if he thought he could win as one.”

Richman, who said he changed his party registration from Democrat to Republican in 1992, scoffs at Lauritzen’s assertion, and for evidence of his party loyalty he points to his tenure on Los Angeles’ Community Redevelopment Agency as an appointee of Republican Mayor Richard Riordan.

“I’m just a mainstream Republican,” said Richman, who added that he did not know which political party his wife is registered under.

McClintock endorsed Richman’s opponent in the primary, but he has since won the incumbent’s backing, as well as the support of Republican leaders from across Ventura and Los Angeles counties.

Among his top priorities, Richman said, is to push for massive spending on roads, highways and water systems.

“We need to make investments in our future,” Richman said.

And as a physician, Richman said he is keenly interested in health-care reforms that would make insurance more accessible and affordable.

He is also concerned that health-care providers are not being adequately compensated for their services, attributing the recent collapse of Simi Valley-based Family Health Care to insufficient reimbursements from health plans.

“We need to reduce the amount of uncompensated care that providers give,” said Richman, whose campaign received $16,039 from the California Medical Action Committee.

Richman, a Northridge resident and father of two, said he would leave his medical practice, Lakeside Medical Group, if elected. But he has not yet determined whether he would sell his interest in the 250-employee company.

“I see myself as a citizen legislator,” he said.

Also running for the seat is Libertarian candidate Philip Baron, who has raised nearly $3,000 to date. Starting today, his campaign will air commercials on cable channels in Simi Valley and the San Fernando Valley.