70th District

Your editorial of Aug. 28 was critical of my resolution concerning the teaching of America's World War II Act excluding those of Japanese descent from the war zone and our subsequent relocation policy. You attacked me declaring, "he wants his inaccurate and dangerous version . . . included in textbooks." Throughout your editorial you accused me of wanting to rewrite American history. You are wrong. The whole purpose of my effort was to negate a measure last year that does urge educators to teach a revisionist history of the period.

MARILYN C. BREWER A business owner and former aide to Supervisor Thomas F. Riley, Brewer won a hard-fought Republican primary four years ago. She has no Democratic opponent. * Political party: Republican * Age: 55 * Residence: Newport Beach * Education: Attended Fullerton College and Cal State Fullerton * Career highlights: Elected in 1994. Principal in a plastics and injection-molding business for 20 years. Mariposa Women's Center board of directors; on the board of Sisters of the Sacred Heart.

I share the concern over the mounting pressure by some to convert the Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro, into a "joint use" air facility. I have spoken out strongly against this nonsensical and harmful proposal, which would only trade one set of problems (John Wayne Airport) for another and worse set of problems for those living in the Saddleback Valley. A real solution to the need for increased airport capacity lies in the effort to locate a suitable additional site elsewhere in the county or nearby with a regional facility.

Marilyn C. Brewer's primary victory in the 70th Assembly District earlier this year made it a strong likelihood that she would go on to win the general election in November. This is one of the most Republican districts in California, and the question of succession for outgoing incumbent Gil Ferguson was largely about what kind of Republican would take the seat after him, not whether the district would send a Republican or Democrat to Sacramento.

While we Republicans in Orange County would expect The Times' editorialists to take a dim view of our party's conservative U.S. Senate nominee, Bruce Herschensohn, we have every right to expect your news reporting to be fair and balanced. "Boxer O.C. Rally Overpowered by Political Foes (Sept. 16)" fails that test, and miserably so. Herschensohn's ultra-liberal Democratic opponent, Barbara Boxer, chose Newport Beach for a "rally" because she could find a handful of pro-abortion activists to be portrayed by a willing press as her "Republicans for Boxer" contingent.

Re "Hart Challenging Ferguson Despite GOP Recall Warning" (March 10): City Councilwoman Evelyn Hart of Newport Beach is to be commended for challenging the GOP leadership and filing as a candidate for Gil Ferguson's Assembly seat (in the 70th District). Competition will give the constituency better representation. As a Republican I resent the audacity of Tom Fuentes that he alone will decide which candidate will run, all due to finances. Of course, he says other leaders and elected officials agree with him about Hart.

Neither I nor the conservative voters of my district and of Orange County are surprised to find The Times endorsing my opponent (May 27). We have all, by now, come to expect in your editorials an unmistakable distaste for conservatism and we Republicans who have been elected to champion conservative values. The distaste may be cautiously worded, but we are always reminded that, while you have established a geographic presence within our community, your philosophy is rooted elsewhere.

Since you spelled my name correctly in awarding me one of your "Thanksgiving Turkey Awards" ("To Some, Thanks a Lot; to Others, Thanks for Nothing," Nov. 26, by Randy Lewis), I really shouldn't complain, but I must. I'm sorry it has taken me so long to respond, but being a good newspaperman (former writer and publisher), it took me a while to check the facts upon which you based your award. I'm reluctant to tell you but I cannot, in good conscience, accept the honor you have bestowed upon me. I can't because I am honestly not deserving.

Since The Times has never supported me, I am not surprised that you have again endorsed my opponent for the Republican nomination (May 24). Frankly, as a proud and outspoken conservative, I would be embarrassed if I were to have the endorsement of California's most liberal newspaper. What I find truly appalling, however, is the manner in which your editorial proceeds to denigrate me and my record. I authored or co-authored 243 bills which became law during my time in the Assembly.

Both Dana Reed and The Times deserve a hearty thanks for bringing a little-recognized yet critical situation into better focus for the public ("Look at Orange County Transit," Aug. 21). As a member of the Assembly Transportation Committee since 1984, it became clear to me six months into my first term that neither Orange County's nor the state's transportation crisis is going to be confronted effectively until we in government put someone in charge. Unlike the private sector, where a business owner knows that he had better produce and sell his products if he wants to survive and succeed, nobody in government finds themselves going to bed at night worrying that they may lose it all unless they deliver.

The 70th Assembly District is some of the most solidly Republican territory to be found anywhere. When Assemblyman Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach) decided not to run again in the hopes of replacing Marian Bergeson in the state Senate, the question of succession inevitably focused on what kind of Republican representation the district would get. But that question, at least for those who are looking for the ultimate conservative, has not proven so easily decided.

While we Republicans in Orange County would expect The Times' editorialists to take a dim view of our party's conservative U.S. Senate nominee, Bruce Herschensohn, we have every right to expect your news reporting to be fair and balanced. "Boxer O.C. Rally Overpowered by Political Foes (Sept. 16)" fails that test, and miserably so. Herschensohn's ultra-liberal Democratic opponent, Barbara Boxer, chose Newport Beach for a "rally" because she could find a handful of pro-abortion activists to be portrayed by a willing press as her "Republicans for Boxer" contingent.

Since The Times has never supported me, I am not surprised that you have again endorsed my opponent for the Republican nomination (May 24). Frankly, as a proud and outspoken conservative, I would be embarrassed if I were to have the endorsement of California's most liberal newspaper. What I find truly appalling, however, is the manner in which your editorial proceeds to denigrate me and my record. I authored or co-authored 243 bills which became law during my time in the Assembly.

Going from lamb to lion in the battle to oust Assemblyman Gil Ferguson, Republican primary challenger Mary Hornbuckle has flooded the 70th Assembly District with a half dozen tough campaign mailers over the past week, prompting the incumbent to cry foul.

Your editorial of Aug. 28 was critical of my resolution concerning the teaching of America's World War II Act excluding those of Japanese descent from the war zone and our subsequent relocation policy. You attacked me declaring, "he wants his inaccurate and dangerous version . . . included in textbooks." Throughout your editorial you accused me of wanting to rewrite American history. You are wrong. The whole purpose of my effort was to negate a measure last year that does urge educators to teach a revisionist history of the period.

Neither I nor the conservative voters of my district and of Orange County are surprised to find The Times endorsing my opponent (May 27). We have all, by now, come to expect in your editorials an unmistakable distaste for conservatism and we Republicans who have been elected to champion conservative values. The distaste may be cautiously worded, but we are always reminded that, while you have established a geographic presence within our community, your philosophy is rooted elsewhere.

MARILYN C. BREWER A business owner and former aide to Supervisor Thomas F. Riley, Brewer won a hard-fought Republican primary four years ago. She has no Democratic opponent. * Political party: Republican * Age: 55 * Residence: Newport Beach * Education: Attended Fullerton College and Cal State Fullerton * Career highlights: Elected in 1994. Principal in a plastics and injection-molding business for 20 years. Mariposa Women's Center board of directors; on the board of Sisters of the Sacred Heart.

The 70th Assembly District is some of the most solidly Republican territory to be found anywhere. When Assemblyman Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach) decided not to run again in the hopes of replacing Marian Bergeson in the state Senate, the question of succession inevitably focused on what kind of Republican representation the district would get. But that question, at least for those who are looking for the ultimate conservative, has not proven so easily decided.

At first glance, the race between Assemblyman Gil Ferguson and Phyllis Badham doesn't look like much of a race at all. Ferguson, after all, has held the 70th Assembly District seat since 1984 and won his last reelection races handily. Badham, a 30-year-old public relations manager, has never run for office before, much less won an election.