Harman’s off to the November races

Eron Ben-Yehuda

Although Tom Harman scored a decisive victory Tuesday in the Republican

primary race for the local state Assembly seat, he is not resting on his

laurels.

“This is not a done deal,” he said of his win over Fountain Valley

businessman Jim Righeimer.

Harman still must beat Democrat Andy Hilbert in the November general

election for the right to represent the 67th District.

Harman said he will use the same strategy that he believes made the

difference against Righeimer, who like Hilbert has never held elected

office.

“I’ll be stressing my experience again,” he said. “I know how the

[political] system works.”

Harman’s five-year stint on the Huntington Beach City Council certainly

worked in his favor during the primary challenge by giving him name

recognition and a record to stand on.

But Righeimer said the massive financial support provided by labor unions

gave Harman the edge.

Unions reportedly spent close to $300,000 in the past two weeks, which

helped Harman, who up to that point was trailing far behind in campaign

funding. The money paid for mailers that Righeimer called “attack

pieces.”

One had as its cover an illustration of a dictionary page with the phrase

“dead beat” circled in red. Inside was a listing of lawsuits filed

against Righeimer, who was hit hard by the recession of the early 1990s.

The mailer did not mention that he paid all of his debts without filing

bankruptcy, Righeimer said.

But Righeimer gave as good as he got, sending out his own mailer titled

“How Tom Harman sold his political soul to Democratic Party Union

Bosses.”

The cover showed a wad of cash in the palms of two men shaking hands.

One thing both sides agree on is that the open GOP primary helped Harman

to win.

Mark Porter, a Harman backer, said his candidate enjoyed crossover appeal

because of his moderate stance on the environment, gun control and

abortion, which should help come November.

“He’s not so much an ideologue,” Porter said.

Because the district is heavily Republican, Harman’s biggest challenge is

over. The candidate received 39% of the vote, beating Righeimer’s 30%

support.

“I should and expect to win in November,” Harman said.