ARTICLES

A Choice Between Two Evils

Republicans and Democrats Offer Pro-Aborts for the 76th Assembly Seat

BY MARIA KENNEDY, Special from La Cruz de California

"She's not your run of the mill pro-abortion Republican" says Maria Guadalupe Garcia, a former candidate for the 51st district Congressional district, of Tricia Hunter. "She's a real pro-abortion activist."

Hunter is the Republican contender for the 76 Assembly district, which is being vacated by lesbian Democrat Christine Kehoe because of term limits. Her Democratic opponent Lori Saldaña was the upset winner in the March Democratic primary.

Saldaña managed to win the election despite being outspent ten-to-one by her opponents Vince Hall and Heidi von Szeliski, both of whom have strong ties to the local Democratic party. Until recently, Hall was a staff director for former Governor Gray Davis, and von Szeliski is a partner in a Washington, D.C. polling firm. Saldaña, who credits her precinct walking for the upset, works as a professor for the San Diego Community College District. Her political experience is limited to having been appointed by former President Bill Clinton to oversee joint water projects in San Diego and Tijuana. Saldaña's victory stunned the political establishment in San Diego.

In choosing Hunter as their candidate, Republicans have delighted the Democrats. Steve Maziglio of the Assembly Democratic Headquarters dismissed Hunter as a candidate. "They have a lobbyist for Enron and R.J. Reynolds" he said of Hunter. Maziglio noted that former Democratic Assemblyman Howard Johnson (D-San Diego) called her the "Tobacco Queen from Riverside." Democrats charge that Hunter "took approximately $10,000 from R.J. Reynolds and another tobacco company in 1992." When asked if the Democrats were confident in their candidate, he replied "we're favored to win in that district. Hunter has so many liability issues. She's a nurse who lobbied for tobacco companies, go figure. She's just the wrong fit for that district."

Matt Klemin, Hunter's campaign manager, responded to the Democrats' charge. "She's not the ‘tobacco queen from Riverside.' She's a nurse. She's anti-tobacco. She did cancer research at Stanford. These are just fallacies that the Democrats are putting out."

In response to the Democrats' allegation that Hunter is "the Tobacco Queen from Riverside," Duane Dichiara, a consultant on the Hunter campaign responded that Hunter has "never been a lobbyist for Enron or any tobacco company. It's pretty outrageous what they are accusing her of. Lori Saldaña is an extremist who wants to give driver's licenses to illegal aliens and raise taxes."

When told that Hunter has been accused by some of being "too right wing", Dichiara replied with sarcasm, "That's why Hunter has been endorsed by Planned Parenthood and the National Women's Political Caucus, because she's so right wing."

Filings by Hunter's campaign show that she is heavily supported by the California Republican party, which has made it known that they are willing to fight for that seat. Confident of the party's support, Hunter purportedly told one Republican operative that she was getting 13 million dollars. In reality, as of press time, the Republican party has contributed a little over $37,000 on the race. Interestingly, in spite of Hunter's pro-abortion stance, some pro-life Republican legislators are lending their support. Assembly member Sharon Runner, a Republican representing the High Desert 36th district, gave Hunter $3,200 during the March primary. "Absolutely," Runner said. "Our goal is to get Republicans in office. I don't have a litmus test. There are different kinds of Republicans. In California, the issue should be fiscal responsibility." Runner said that although she is prolife, she feels that the Republican Party must center around economic issues. "I don't agree with half of my colleagues in Sacramento" she said. "I do believe that Tricia can do the best job in that district. I'm going to walk precincts for her. It's okay to have diversity in the party."

When asked about the allegation that Hunter has received money in the past from contributors such as Enron and tobacco companies, Runner replied "I have no idea who she got money from. People give us money when they believe that we are going to use it to promote fiscal responsibility. Enron is out of business."

Runner noted the importance of the Republican Party focusing on economic issues. "People are losing their jobs because employers cannot pay the workers comp insurance costs. There are other issues besides the social issues that the Republican Party has to focus on. We have to concentrate on the economic issues. When asked if Hunter was the right candidate for the district given the demographics and the allegations against Hunter, Runner replied "Absolutely, she has a chance in the district."

Not all Republicans are focusing on strictly economic issues. Carol Jarnagin, a long time resident of the 76th Assembly district said, "I want a Republican in there, but I want a good Republican in there."

Jarnagin added that Hunter is not a good choice for the Republicans. "Gosh, she ran as a pro-abort in the primary."

One pro-life Sacramento insider, who asked not to be named, noted that Hunter's party consultant, Dichiara, "hasn't won an election in ten years. I first met him he was just a fly-by-night guy. He's been trying to become important in the Republican Party. I guess it shows how desperate the situation is if they sent Duane down from Sacramento. I guess they can do without him in Sacramento."

The Republican Party establishment was not available for comment. Several calls to Republican Assembly leader Kevin McCarthy were not returned. San Diego Republican party chairman Ron Nehring also did not return a call seeking comment. But Maria Guadalupe Garcia believes that there aren't any good choices for pro-lifers in the 76 Assembly district. "The only moral choice," the former pro-life Republican candidate said, "is to vote for neither. Hunter is pro-abortion and so is Saldaña."

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