Louie Barrell and Bill Koval are the kind of voters that Rep. James Rogan (R-Glendale) needs if he is to win reelection in a predominantly Democratic district after he helped lead the unsuccessful effort to remove President Clinton.
Barrell, a Democrat, did not agree with Rogan's decision to pursue impeachment, but he said he still may vote to give Rogan a third term in Congress, despite a strong challenge by Democratic state Sen. Adam Schiff of Burbank.
"I didn't think what he did was the right thing on the impeachment, but I still like him for everything else he does and believes," Barrell said Saturday after Rogan walked his block of Canyon Drive in Glendale.
Koval, Barrell's neighbor, said Rogan's role in trying to impeach the president will be a strike against him when Koval decides who to vote for in November for the 27th Congressional District.
"It's a minus in my mind," said Koval, who is undecided. "It [impeachment] was making too big of an issue out of something that wasn't going to go anywhere anyway."
Rogan, the former prosecutor and political big-game hunter who couldn't bag his biggest prey, formally kicked off his race for reelection Saturday, holding a rally for 100 volunteers at his new campaign headquarters in Glendale before heading out to Canyon Drive to stump for votes.
The congressman acknowledged that his role as a House prosecutor in the Clinton impeachment proceedings could hurt him with some voters, but he has no regrets and hopes residents of the district will recognize that he had an obligation to take up the role he did.
"People may not agree with me on every issue, but they cannot accuse me of political cowardice," Rogan said.
Everywhere Rogan went Saturday, the "i" word--impeachment--was brought up.
In introducing Rogan at the rally, Pasadena Republican activist Jeff Hammill said his wife had asked him over breakfast: "If Bill Clinton is the one who has done something wrong, why is Jim Rogan in danger of losing his job?"
"This man did nothing wrong," Hammill said of Rogan, who has no opposition in the Republican primary in March.
Rogan may be the Democrats' No. 1 target to unseat this year, but the congressman drew a cheer from the enthusiastic crowd Saturday when he reassured Hammill, "I ain't losing my job."
Rogan used his speech to highlight his commitment to cut taxes and government, but many in the crowd said Rogan's role in the impeachment proceedings is a main reason they are walking precincts for the congressman.
