Senate seat runs starting early

Paul Clinton

Two Republican assemblymen are already squaring off in the race to

replace termed-out state Sen. Ross Johnson, who has represented Surf

City 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 (R-Irvine) answered

charges from Assemblyman Ken Maddox (R-Garden Grove) 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 last week. “I’ll take that

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

In a race that has already become an inter-party fistfight 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 re-elected in November. Maddox has served in the lower house

since 1998.

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

the Assembly Republican Caucus.”

Assemblywoman Patricia Bates (R-Laguna Nigel) is also mulling a

run for the Senate seat, a coastal district that stretches from Seal

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

Assemblyman Tom Harman (R-Huntington Beach) said he would not be a

candidate. He has his eyes on another elected office.

“Tom Harman is not interested in the state Senate,” Harman said.

“My plan is to run for the Board of Supervisors in four years to

replace Jim Silva. I’m more interested in local issues.”

Silva, who holds the 2nd District seat, would be termed out in

2006.

Last week, 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 balance the state’s $34.8-billion

budget deficit.

Davis, expected to release a revised budget proposal on Friday,

has also said he may also need to cut some programs that had been

given funding before his Nov. 5 re-election.

Campbell and Maddox have both 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 of 2000, Brulte replaced Johnson as the Senate’s

Republican leader. Johnson was first elected to the state Legislature

in 1978.