Diamond Bar : PAYING FOR POLITICS

Active campaigning and fund raising have begun in the 27th Congressional District, which includes Pasadena, other San Gabriel Valley cities, Glendale and Burbank. With successful campaigns in the district costing close to $1 million in recent years, candidates are gearing up early to join the race.

Assemblyman James E. Rogan (R-Glendale) officially announced his candidacy Saturday for the congressional seat that will be vacant after Rep. Carlos J. Moorhead (R-Glendale) retires after this term.

Rogan will face one of two Democrats in the November, 1996, election, either Doug Kahn, an Altadena businessman, or Barry Gordon, a Pasadena actor and past president of the Screen Actors Guild. The Democrats will face off in a primary March 26.

Kahn, who ran unsuccessfully against Moorhead in 1992 and 1994, kick-started his campaign in June by loaning $400,000 of his own money to his campaign chest.

Campaign spending for direct mailings and television ads increased substantially in 1994 from the election in 1992, with Moorhead spending more than $968,000 to defend his seat.

Rogan’s campaign manager, Greg Mitchell, said it will take at least $750,000 to win. But Kahn’s campaign manager, Ted Toppin, said costs will surely roll higher.

“To win in November,” Toppin said, “it’s going to take a million dollars.”