McClintock Aide Seeks Assembly Seat

Thousand Oaks Republican Tony Strickland has become the first candidate to enter the 1998 race for the GOP nomination in the 37th Assembly District.

Strickland resident reported Wednesday that he has already raised $20,117 for his election bid, including a $2,500 donation from his boss, Assemblyman Tom McClintock (R-Northridge). Strickland was McClintock’s campaign manager and now works as an administrative assistant to the assemblyman.

Strickland, 26, said he began raising money for the race five weeks ago because of new contribution limits imposed by Proposition 208, a statewide ballot measure approved by voters in November.

The measure restricts contributions to legislative candidates to $250. But it allows candidates to use money for future campaigns if it was raised before the limits took effect Jan. 1.

“I knew I was going to run, so I wanted to prepare early,” Strickland said.

The 37th Assembly District seat is held by Oxnard Republican Nao Takasugi, who will be forced to step down next year because of voter-imposed term limits.

In addition to Oxnard, Takasugi’s district encompasses Port Hueneme, Camarillo, Thousand Oaks and Moorpark.

Thousand Oaks resident Alan Guggenheim, a communication testing-equipment manufacturer, and Mike Berger, a Moorpark middle school principal, are also interested in seeking Takasugi’s seat.

Richard Sybert, who in November lost his bid for a congressional seat that included Thousand Oaks, said he also might be interested in entering the race. But Sybert noted that legislative term limits are being challenged in federal court and Takasugi may still be able to run for a third term. If that is the case, Sybert said, he would support him.

Sybert lives in Calabasas and works in Oxnard. If he were to join in the Assembly race, he would have to move to Ventura County.