Voters can’t say there’s no difference in candidates in Tuesday’s Senate election in southeast LA

May 31-- May 31--Even by the standards of this polarized political era, candidates Lena Gonzalez and Jack Guerrero present a stark contrast to voters in a special election runoff Tuesday, June 4, for a new state senator representing southeast Los Angeles County.

Their differences on issues are so deep and numerous that when Gonzalez, a Democrat from Long Beach, heard Guerrero, a Republican from Cudahy, say something she liked during their lone debate in early May, she couldn't help remarking: "This is one thing I agree on." The subject was a secondary provision of a proposed state tax on oil and gas extraction. The audience responded to the fleeting moment of harmony with its mildest applause of the night.

Otherwise, even a quick glance at the rivals' positions should leave no confusion about who's who.

"It's a clear contrast," said Peter Sovich, chairman of Long Beach Area Republicans, who supports Guerrero, 45, a Cudahy city councilman, in the 33rd Senate District contest.

"I think it is a very distinct choice," said Chris Chavez, president of Long Beach Young Democrats, who backs Gonzalez, 38, a Long Beach city councilwoman.

Interviews, debates and the candidates' campaign websites show what the candidates care about most.

For Gonzalez, who's seeking state office for the first time, the emphasis is on progressive measures to protect the environment, support public education, promote affordable housing and protections for tenants, and create a single-payer health-care system serving legal and illegal residents. She supports California's controversial gas tax to fund highway repairs, sees the state "in a good place" on controlling employee pension costs, and considers the illegal-immigrant "sanctuary" policies of the state and many cities to be a "settled issue."

For Guerrero, a government reformer in Cudahy who has lost races for state Assembly and treasurer, priorities include reducing taxes and regulations to improve California's business climate, cutting public employees' pensions to ward off a fiscal crisis, and reforming the education system by expanding school vouchers and de-emphasizing teachers' tenure protections. He's against the gas tax, against single-payer health insurance, wary of the side effects of many state environmental and housing programs, and wants to discourage illegal immigration.

Although social issues generally don't come up in his campaign unless he's asked, Guerrero is anti-abortion and anti-gay-marriage. (When that last part drew jeers from the crowd at a debate with primary opponents in February, Guerrero went on to say he's against government playing a role in sanctioning any marriages).

Guerrero's manner is courtly and welcoming. A Stanford- and Harvard-educated economist and CPA, he argues that conservative policies would benefit poor communities in the small cities along the 710 Freeway. But unlike many Republicans running for office in mostly Democratic Southern California, Guerrero doesn't try to make his policies sound moderate to appeal to non-GOP voters.

That might seem like unwise strategy in a district where registered Democrats outnumber Republicans by more than 4 to 1.

"It's one of those things that may hurt him in this particular election," said Justin Levitt, adjunct professor of political science at Long Beach State. "But if he's got his eye on (higher) office, it could help him when he runs for a state office or seeks to be involved in Republican partisan politics."

Guerrero supporters say his unabashed conservatism is helping him in this campaign.

"I think people respect that," Sovich said. "He could play the middle of the road. But he comes out and says what he thinks is best for the state.

"He's always tying it to lower- or middle-class voters. Democrats aren't used to hearing that (from a Republican). I think that's why he's got support here.

"The gas tax is a perfect example. Lena is for that; every Democrat is for that. (But) it hurts the little guy" who drives a lot for work.

But Kristina Bigdeli, Gonzalez's campaign manager, said Guerrero's message for lower-income voters masks values that don't line up with most Californians'.

"Maybe Jack Guerrero talks the talk, but Lena actually cares about California communities," Bigdeli said.

Gonzalez said at the May 6 debate in Long Beach she believes in "California values that are progressive and inclusive."

But David Hernandez, an adviser to Guerrero, said his Democratic opponent is overlooking more tangible issues, including threats to the state's fiscal health.

"They (Democrats) cannot talk about what they'll do on those issues because they've had their opportunity and they didn't get anything done," Hernandez said. "So they talk about issues that will get people riled up."

The winner Tuesday will fill the 33rd Senate District seat left vacant when Democrat Ricardo Lara of Bell Gardens was elected California insurance commissioner last November. The next regular election is in 2020 for the seat representing most of Long Beach and cities to the north, including South Gate, Lakewood, Lynwood, Huntington Park, Paramount, Bell Gardens, Bell, Maywood, Cudahy, Signal Hill, Vernon and a small part of Los Angeles.

Gonzalez and Guerrero advanced by finishing first and second -- with 31.6% and 14%, respectively -- among nine Democrats, two Republicans and one Green Party member in the March 26 primary. Only 8.1% of registered voters cast ballots.

Voter turnout could be a few percentage points higher for the runoff, for which mail-in ballots went out May 6. Turnout might be helped by the fact one-third of ballots in the Senate district include Measure EE, the L.A. Unified School District parcel-tax referendum.

Both campaigns planned to spend the weekend knocking on doors and holding rallies with supporters to try to increase voting for their candidate.

"A lot of people (say), 'Oh, OK -- there's an election?' " Hernandez said.

Those who haven't paid attention yet won't have to study Gonzalez and Guerrero for too long to spot the differences.

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