Peter Ohanesian

While Republican incumbent Wayne Grisham of Norwalk glides toward his party's nomination in the 63rd Assembly District, two Democrats are engaged in a bruising fight as players in the power struggle over the Assembly speakership enter the fray with money and volunteers. Peter Ohanesian, the 32-year-old owner of a marketing firm, has the backing of the "Gang of Five," a group of dissident Democratic assemblymen who are trying to wrest control from Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco).

While Republican incumbent Wayne Grisham of Norwalk glides toward his party's nomination in the 63rd Assembly District, two Democrats are engaged in a bruising fight as players in the power struggle over the Assembly speakership enter the fray with money and volunteers. Peter Ohanesian, the 32-year-old owner of a marketing firm, has the backing of the "Gang of Five," a group of dissident Democratic assemblymen who are trying to wrest control from Assembly Speaker Willie Brown (D-San Francisco).

The state Democratic Party and lawmakers on the state and national levels are pouring money into the primary campaign of Robert Epple, one of three contenders for the party's nomination in the 63rd Assembly District. Campaign spending reports filed last week show that the state party has paid for about $100,000 worth of political mailers on Epple's behalf. More than a dozen Democratic assemblymen have contributed to Epple, as have one state senator and three California congressmen.

Attorney Robert D. Epple and his supporters spent about $600,000 in his drive to win the Democratic nomination in the 63rd Assembly District, about twice the amount spent in the losing campaign of primary opponent Peter Ohanesian. Campaign spending reports filed last week document the extensive financial assistance showered on Epple by the state Democratic Party and Democratic legislators who perceived Ohanesian as a threat to the Assembly's party leadership.

Democrat Marshall Story's decision to quit the 63rd Assembly District primary race and endorse Bob Epple has stirred allegations that Story may have struck an illegal deal to support his former rival and may have attempted to sell his endorsement to another primary candidate as well.

On his way to a razor-thin election victory in November, freshman Assemblyman Robert D. Epple (D-Norwalk) raised $1.4 million--nearly twice as much as his Republican rival, Wayne Grisham, according to final 1988 campaign contribution reports.

Assembly Speaker Willie Brown has had better nights. Jesse Jackson's presidential campaign, which Brown chaired, lost California by a wide margin. Voters approved two ballot measures curbing the fund-raising and spending practices that have underpinned his power. Most important, Brown's one chance to drive a stake into the heart of the rebel faction challenging his speakership fizzled when his forces failed to dislodge dissident Assemblyman Gerald R. Eaves of Rialto.

Three Democrats are being mentioned as possible challengers to Assemblyman Wayne Grisham, a Norwalk Republican who won a spectacularly expensive campaign two years ago. The most visible of the possible Democratic challengers is Norwalk City Council member Bob White, who said in an interview that he is seeking the nomination. White, 65, is an 18-year council veteran.

The final days of the Democratic primary campaign in the 63rd Assembly District promise no peace for party voters, who face a final wave of political promotions from competitors Peter Ohanesian and Robert D. Epple.

Under pressure from community groups, Assemblyman Wayne Grisham (R-Norwalk) has shelved legislation that critics contend was designed to limit the scope of a court ruling in a controversial Downey redevelopment case and weaken safeguards in state redevelopment law. Critics also said the bill could affect redevelopment projects in Hollywood and Baldwin Park. Grisham, currently campaigning for a state Senate seat, said his aim merely was to fine-tune current law.

Two Democratic candidates in the 63rd Assembly District have protested the state Democratic Party's endorsement of one of their opponents in the June 7 primary. Marshall Story of Cerritos and Peter Ohanesian of Downey say the state party's endorsement of Robert Epple of Cerritos last weekend was engineered by Assembly Speaker Willie L. Brown of San Francisco through a last-minute change in party rules.