Newport-Mesa assemblymen seek higher office

Paul Clinton

Two local Republican assemblymen are already squaring off in the

race to replace termed-out state Sen. Ross Johnson, who has

represented long stretches of coastal Orange County in the

Legislature’s upper house since 1994.

Shortly after announcing Thursday that he would seek the seat in

the March 2004 primary, Assemblyman John Campbell answered charges

from Assemblyman Ken Maddox that he was only interested in the seat

as a stepping stone to Congress.

“If the people elect me, I’ll pledge not to run for [Rep.] Chris

Cox’s [congressional] seat,” Maddox said Thursday. “I’ll take that

pledge. I’m challenging John to do the same.”

In a race that is becoming an inter-party fist fight still more

than a year before an election, Campbell said Maddox’s pledge was

hollow, since he doesn’t live in Cox’s district and couldn’t run for

that seat.

“He’s not pledging anything,” Campbell said. “I might as well say

I’m not going to run for a seat in San Francisco.”

Johnson, who would be termed out in 2004 after eight years in the

35th Senate District seat, has backed Campbell for his job. Campbell

was first elected to the 70th Assembly District in 2000 and reelected

in November.

Johnson praised Campbell as “one of the most effective members of

the Assembly Republican Caucus.”

Assemblywoman Patricia Bates is also mulling a run for the Senate

seat, which represents a coastal district that stretches from Seal

Beach to Dana Point and includes some 846,00 voters. Assemblyman Tom

Harman (R-Huntington Beach) is not expected to be a candidate.

On Thursday, Campbell said he would seek the higher seat to

“continue my fight” with Gov. Gray Davis over the governor’s proposal

to implement tax increases to help pay off the state’s $34.8-billion

budget.

Davis, expected to release a revised budget proposal on Jan. 10,

has said he may need to cut some programs that were given funding

before his Nov. 5 reelection.

Campbell and Maddox have opposed Davis’ budget.

In addition to Johnson, Campbell has secured the endorsement of

Senate Minority Leader Jim Brulte (R-Rancho Cucamonga).

“John Campbell is an outstanding leader for Orange County,” Brulte

said. “He’s well aware of the needs of that district. He has been a

forceful advocate for the conservative viewpoint.”

In April 2000, Brulte replaced Johnson as the Senate’s Republican

leader. Johnson was first elected to the state Legislature in 1978.

* PAUL CLINTON covers the environment, business and politics. He

may be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail at

paul.clinton@latimes.com.