February 18, 2004

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Palo Alto Online

Joe and Ted's big showdown

by Don Kazak

Ted Lempert didn't say it, but it must have galled him inside.

It was Saturday afternoon, Jan. 17, and his opponent for the state Senate seat in the 11th district, Joe Simitian, had just won the endorsement of the state Democratic Party at its convention in San Jose. Simitian basked in the congratulations from his jubilant supporters, while Lempert stood and gamely smiled.

Lempert has found himself in a dogfight for a seat he probably considered his for the taking. Lempert was long considered the heir apparent to longtime state Sen. Byron Sher -- especially since he received the endorsement of the state senator himself.

But along came Simitian, who was elected to the Assembly in 2000 and eligible.

"Joe should have stayed in the Assembly," Lempert said. "He's not term-limited out. A lot of people thought he should run for re-election (to the Assembly). I think it was a political mistake on his part."

These are two heavyweight political contenders with nary a hair between them on major policy issues. Both are highly respected by their peers for their legislative and leadership abilities.

It's the perfect set-up, in the eyes of many political watch dogs, for a close and heated race. Thousands of dollars will be spent. Dozens of ads will be aired. Hundreds of hands shaken. The outcome is far from certain.

Read the campaign offerings filling voters' mailboxes from both sides, listen to the candidates talk at public forums, study what others say and it's difficult to tell the difference between the two.

Simitian, 50, and Lempert, 42, have both served in the Assembly and on regional school and governing boards.

Both are education specialists with strong environmental credentials. Simitian has a cool reserve, a precision about him, while Lempert displays more outward fire.

Simitian and Lempert appeared before two local Democratic clubs after the San Jose state convention. It was a chance for each to differentiate themselves.

But their similarities kept emerging. Answering questions from the audience, one or the other would routinely say "I agree with Joe" or "I agree with Ted."

At one point, Simitian sympathized with voters trying to distinguish between the two.

"But Ted and I think it's a much easier decision," Simitian said. Even Lempert laughed.

The choice is even difficult for those who know both well. "This is a very tough choice, because both are excellent," said Jim Thurber, a former Los Altos mayor.

Lempert supporters include rank-and-file Democrats in Sacramento, such as state Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell, state Controller Steve Westly and state Treasurer Phil Angelides.

Simitian, however, has locked up several local endorsements. The 11th district includes 13 cities from San Carlos to Capitola, and a majority of the members of those city councils are firmly in Simitian's camp.

Simitian won a key victory by garnering endorsements from three Democratic clubs in Santa Cruz, virgin territory for both candidates.

Judy Warner, president of the Santa Cruz Women's Democratic Club, said Simitian won their endorsement because he is currently in the Assembly and has contacts in Sacramento. "He inspired confidence," she said.

The majority of the people in the three Santa Cruz Democratic clubs "didn't know either of them well in advance," said Darrell Darling, chair of the Santa Cruz County Democratic Party Central Committee. "They voted their own preferences from what they heard."

Lempert has made some local inroads of his own. Notable Palo Alto supporters include former mayors Jean McCown and Larry Klein and current school board president Cathy Kroymann.

"Who was next in line?" McCown asked. "Who started first? It's a question of fairness."

Lempert also made a favorable impression at a debate in Palo Alto last week - smack dab in Simitian's home turf.

Nick Corsano of Menlo Park noted the "personality difference between the two. The cool personality (of Simitian) and the warmer, the hotter personality of Ted. Tonight the hotter side resonated more with me. I found Joe just a little smug at times."

Esther Heller of Menlo Park said she also found herself leaning toward Lempert, but added she would be "definitely happy to have either of these people representing me."

Heller's mixed message is precisely the sentiment vexing local Democrats. Party stalwarts are not thrilled to see two strong candidates go head-to-head for the same seat.

"It's really tough when you have two very competent people where they each have strong constituencies who have been very vocal in their behalf," said Santa Clara County Supervisor Liz Kniss, who served with Simitian on both the Palo Alto school board and City Council.

She is supporting Simitian.

Thurber, who is backing Lempert, added " ... It's a real waste of manpower having them run against each other."

Anna Eshoo ran against Lempert in the 1992 Democratic congressional primary that led to her election to Washington, but later backed her one-time opponent when he ran for Eshoo's old San Mateo County supervisorial seat.

"Who is going to do the better job?" Eshoo asked. "That's the question. It's not that one is good and the other isn't. That's not the question here."

Rod Pacheco, a former Republican assemblyman from Riverside, served with both Lempert and Simitian. He saw strengths in both candidates.

"Joe's a pleasant guy, an incredibly bright guy, one of the brightest ones up there in pure intellect," Pacheco said. "But Ted worked well with everyone, and Joe didn't."

Both campaigns have a sense of urgency, a now-or-never feeling, because one only of the two will serve in Sacramento come Jan. 1, 2005.

There is a story going around that the two don't personally care for each other. Lempert said it's a myth and the two did share some jokes and smiles while listening to the Republican and Libertarian Senate candidates at last week's Palo Alto debate.

But when the event concluded, each managed to shake hands with the other two candidates, as is the tradition. They never shook hands with each other.

The bell has been rung, and both men probably realize they're in for a heck of a fight.

Don Kazak can be e-mailed at dkazak@paweekly.com

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