California Congressional District 26

Former Assemblyman Richard Katz and Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alarcon were locked in a tight race Tuesday in the San Fernando Valley's hotly contested race for a state Senate seat. The race, one of the most closely watched legislative campaigns in the state, pitted a 16-year Sacramento veteran against a home-grown Latino lawmaker who sought to appeal to the Valley's increasingly active Latino voters. Alarcon's campaign was buoyed by a huge infusion of cash by state Sen.

Former Assemblyman Richard Katz and Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alarcon were locked in a tight race Tuesday in the San Fernando Valley's hotly contested race for a state Senate seat. The race, one of the most closely watched legislative campaigns in the state, pitted a 16-year Sacramento veteran against a home-grown Latino lawmaker who sought to appeal to the Valley's increasingly active Latino voters. Alarcon's campaign was buoyed by a huge infusion of cash by state Sen.

When new congressional district lines were drawn earlier this year, Rep. Howard L. Berman (D-Panorama City) got some bad news: He lost choice communities in the Hollywood Hills that were affluent, heavily Jewish and liberal. But he also got some good news: His new 26th District was even more Democratic than his old one. Berman's East Valley district extends from north of the Ventura Freeway to Pacoima and San Fernando.

Two years after being forced out of office by term limits, former Assemblyman Richard Katz held a lead in early returns Tuesday over Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alarcon in the San Fernando Valley's hotly contested race for a state Senate seat. The race, one of the most closely watched legislative campaigns in the state, pitted a 16-year Sacramento veteran against a home-grown Latino lawmaker who sought to appeal to the Valley's increasingly active Latino voters.

By most political standards, Jose Galvan would make a pretty good candidate for state Assembly representing the northeast San Fernando Valley. A longtime Sylmar resident who works as a librarian, Galvan is secretary of the Valley chapter of the Mexican American Political Assn. and a veteran of voter registration drives among local Latinos. He has run three times for public office in Los Angeles and, though never elected, has acquired wide knowledge of fund raising and campaigning tactics.

When the filing deadline for congressional candidates passed two months ago, no one could have known that the congressional check-writing scandal would mushroom and that Rep. Howard L. Berman (D-Panorama City) would be implicated in it. If they had, more Republican challengers might have entered the fray in the heavily Democratic 26th Congressional District, which includes almost the entire east San Fernando Valley.

Two years after being forced out of office by term limits, former Assemblyman Richard Katz held a lead in early returns Tuesday over Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alarcon in the San Fernando Valley's hotly contested race for a state Senate seat. The race, one of the most closely watched legislative campaigns in the state, pitted a 16-year Sacramento veteran against a home-grown Latino lawmaker who sought to appeal to the Valley's increasingly active Latino voters.

When new congressional district lines were drawn earlier this year, Rep. Howard L. Berman (D-Panorama City) got some bad news: He lost choice communities in the Hollywood Hills that were affluent, heavily Jewish and liberal. But he also got some good news: His new 26th District was even more Democratic than his old one. Berman's East Valley district extends from north of the Ventura Freeway to Pacoima and San Fernando.

When the filing deadline for congressional candidates passed two months ago, no one could have known that the congressional check-writing scandal would mushroom and that Rep. Howard L. Berman (D-Panorama City) would be implicated in it. If they had, more Republican challengers might have entered the fray in the heavily Democratic 26th Congressional District, which includes almost the entire east San Fernando Valley.

By most political standards, Jose Galvan would make a pretty good candidate for state Assembly representing the northeast San Fernando Valley. A longtime Sylmar resident who works as a librarian, Galvan is secretary of the Valley chapter of the Mexican American Political Assn. and a veteran of voter registration drives among local Latinos. He has run three times for public office in Los Angeles and, though never elected, has acquired wide knowledge of fund raising and campaigning tactics.