Gotch Surges in 76th; Alpert Leads in 78th

Assemblywoman Dede Alpert had a slight lead over public relations executive Jeff Marston Tuesday night in the 78th Assembly District, while Mike Gotch was beating retired Navy officer Dick Daleke by a comfortable margin in the 76th Assembly District race.

Republican Party strategists pinpointed both races as targets for seats in the Assembly, where Democrats outnumber Republicans, 47 to 33.

Marston, a Republican, held the Assembly seat briefly in 1990 before losing in a special election. Alpert, a Democrat, was trying to hold onto the district seat she won, also in 1990.

The 76th Assembly District race between Gotch and Daleke pitted a freshman Democratic Assemblyman against a retired Naval officer whose lion’s share of campaign contributions in the primary election came from religious right-wing Christian groups closely linked to the anti-abortion movement.

The Marston-Alpert race for the 78th Assembly District was characterized by its nastiness in the closing weeks of the campaign, after dozens of public forums and debates in which the two candidates were unusually polite to one another.

Alpert, the Democrat incumbent, called a press conference Monday to say that many of her supporters had been called by a group labeling itself the “Democrats for Reform,” urging that they vote for Marston. Marston denied involvement.

In recent weeks, Marston has used the specter of Assembly Speaker Willie Brown in trying to tie Alpert to future tax increases, urging voters in a mailer to “end the Willie Brown/Deidre Alpert stranglehold on California’s future.”

Until the final few weeks of the election, it was difficult for voters to tell the two candidates apart. Both are pro-choice. Both vowed to fight for tax breaks for new business in California. Both said they would seek a way to streamline the construction permit process by having all permits collected at one location.

Alpert, 47, a Solana Beach school board member, defeated Sonny Mojonnier in 1990 and asked voters to return her to office to fight for educational improvements and health care reform.

Marston, 37, a public relations executive, sought another shot at the Assembly, where he spent six months in 1990 after beating Gotch in a special election to fill Lucy Killea’s unexpired seat. He lost to Gotch in a rematch for a full two-year term by 628 votes.

Marston raised nearly $400,000, much of it from the Republican Party. Alpert raised about $360,000, mostly from the Democratic Party. The district has a 44% to 38% GOP edge.

The 78th District stretches along the coast from Del Mar’s southern boundary to the Mexican border, extending inland to include portions of Clairemont, Linda Vista, Old Town, Hillcrest and North Park.

In the 76th Assembly District, Gotch, a 45-year-old former San Diego city councilman, won support of women’s organizations, police and firefighters unions, teachers and state employees. He supports abortion rights and gun control and favors library, housing and school bond measures as a way to create jobs.

The 60-year-old Daleke, who opposes abortion, describes himself as “pro-gun right down the line” but said Gotch tried to create a connection with the religious right that did not exist.

“I am pro-life and I have received support from Christian business political action committees and because of that, I’m some sort of religious bigot,” Daleke said. “I’m not a fundamentalist. I’m a Catholic.”

Gotch tried to divert attention from his own record, which espouses big government and socialism, Daleke said. Like a number of Republicans who use the state Chamber of Commerce “report card” to show how legislators vote on business issues, Daleke says Gotch voted against business 15 of 17 times in 1991.

“I see Mike Gotch as being a team player for Willie Brown, and in playing Willie Brown’s games, Mike is not always doing the best he can for his district,” Daleke said.

Daleke supports a private-public health care system, a reduction in welfare benefits and a school voucher system. He opposes gun control and abortion.

The district has a slight Republican registration advantage.

Daleke raised about $320,000, including a late contribution of $60,000 from the Gov. Pete Wilson Committee. Gotch raised about $425,000, including a late $40,961 contribution from the state Democratic State Central Committee.

The 76th District stretches from the border of Del Mar to East San Diego and includes Del Mar Heights, Mira Mesa, Clairemont, Tierrasanta, Hillcrest, Normal Heights, North Park and the San Diego State University area.