LOCAL ELECTIONS / 29TH STATE SENATE DISTRICT : Mountjoy Top Vote-Getter in Bid for Hill Seat

Ultra-conservative Republican Assemblyman Richard Mountjoy of Arcadia finished first with 44.7% of the vote in Tuesday’s special election to fill the state Senate seat vacated by Sen. Frank Hill after Hill’s political corruption conviction.

But because Mountjoy failed to get a majority of the votes, he will face a November runoff against three other candidates.

Mountjoy received more than twice as many votes as his nearest competitor, wealthy businessman Gary Miller, in the 29th District race in eastern Los Angeles County. Republican Assemblyman Paul Horcher of Diamond Bar finished third, just ahead of the lone Democratic candidate, Sandra K. Hester.

Republican Edward D. Ortell, Libertarian Matthew J. Piazza and Walter R. Sheasby III of the Green Party finished far behind.

Because they trailed in their party’s race, Miller, Horcher and Ortell failed to qualify for the Nov. 8 runoff.

Voter registration in the district is 45.7% Republican and 41.5% Democratic.

The special election was called as a result of Hill’s resignation July 8, three weeks after a federal jury found him guilty of extortion, money laundering and conspiracy. He was sentenced this week to 46 months in federal prison.

Mountjoy and Horcher were the early favorites to win the seat, but Miller spent more than $300,000 of his own money--more than any other candidate--in recent weeks to become a top contender. That led Mountjoy to accuse Miller of trying to buy the seat.

But the two assemblymen both received plenty of help from political action committees, which prompted Miller to accuse them of being beholden to special interests.

Mountjoy spent most of his campaign dollars touting his conservative credentials, including his strong support of Proposition 187, which would cut benefits to illegal immigrants.

Horcher wooed the Democratic vote, saying he is the only candidate who can stop the “Rush Limbaugh Republicans,” Mountjoy and Miller.

The conservative Miller campaigned as a political outsider who would cut bureaucratic red tape to encourage new business in California and to retain existing business.

Hester, the Democrat, opposed Proposition 187. She proposed boosting the state’s economy by using federal grants to bring recyclers and other environmental industries to California.

EDITION-TIME ELECTION RETURNS Special election for the 29th State Senate District, which includes all or parts of Arcadia, Azusa, Bradbury, Claremont, Covina, Diamond Bar, Duarte, El Monte, Glendora, Hacienda Heights, Industry, La Canada Flintridge, La Habra Heights, La Mirada, La Puente, La Verne, Monrovia, Pomona, Rowland Heights, San Dimas, Sierra Madre, Temple City, Walnut, West Covina and Whittier. Counting of late ballots could alter the outcome. 29th STATE SENATE DISTRICT CANDIDATE, 376 of 376 precincts reporting: VOTE (%) REPUBLICAN Richard Mountjoy: 25,317 (44.7) Gary Miller: 11,580 (20.4) Paul Horcher: 10,169 (18.0) Edward D. Ortell: 780 (1.4) DEMOCRATIC Sandra K. Hester: 7,708 (13.6) LIBERTARIAN Matthew J. Piazza: 644 (1.1) GREEN PARTY Walter R. Sheasby III: 442 (0.8) If no candidate wins more than 50% of the vote, a runoff election will be held between the top vote-getters in each party.