ELECTIONS / 22ND SENATE DISTRICT : Democratic Incumbent Coasting to 3rd Term as Race Enters Home Stretch

As the fall election campaign enters its final weeks, liberal Democratic state Sen. Herschel Rosenthal of Los Angeles appears to be coasting toward a third term in the Legislature’s upper house.

The 22nd Senate District he represents is pure Democratic turf.

Democrats outnumber Republicans almost 2 to 1. Of the 341,826 registered voters, 200,364 are Democrats; 104,349 are Republicans; and 30,890 are independents. Only 6,223 belong to minor parties.

In June, Rosenthal, 72, easily crushed a Democratic primary challenge from attorney William Graysen, and he now faces Republican businessman Michael Schrager of Santa Monica.

As chairman of the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee, Rosenthal has been voicing concern over what may happen to air quality in the proposed merger of Southern California Edison Co. and San Diego Gas & Electric Co.

Long a reliable environmental vote, he authored two bills that would have given the California Coastal Commission greater power to crack down on illegal development. Both measures were vetoed last month by Gov. George Deukmejian.

Rosenthal served for eight years as assemblyman in the 45th District before being elected to the Senate in 1982.

He has been an active opponent of capital punishment and of attempts to limit free speech, and has supported increased state financing for education and programs for senior citizens and low-income people.

Schrager, 35, describes himself as a Republican who is fiscally conservative but socially moderate. He opposes curbs on abortion and says improving public education through increased funding is a major theme of his campaign.

The challenger said he is taking his first stab at public office out of frustration at Rosenthal’s record of achievement. “Herschel seems to be a very non-active player in the Legislature,” Schrager said.

Peace and Freedom candidate Margery Hinds of Los Angeles will also be on the ballot. She is a medical assistant.