`RUNNING SCARED' PAYS DIVIDENDS FOR GALLEGLY : CONGRESSMAN CITES EQUAL REPRESENTATION FOR SUCCESS.Byline: Christopher Noxon Daily News Staff Writer A day after trouncing the latest challenger for his seat in Congress, firebrand fire·brand n. 1. A person who stirs up trouble or kindles a revolt. 2. A piece of burning wood. firebrand Noun conservative Elton Gallegly Elton W. Gallegly (born March 7 1944), an American politician, has been a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives since 1987, currently representing the 24th District of California (map). said the secret of his political longevity has less to do with partisan politics than with basic representative government. ``I make a real effort to hear and represent everyone,'' said Gallegly, the former Simi Valley Simi Valley (sē`mē, sĭm`ē), city (1990 pop. 100,217), Ventura co., SW Calif. in an oil, fruit, and farm region; laid out 1887, inc. 1969. mayor who easily won his sixth congressional term. ``I have taken some pretty hard stands. But even if I don't agree with everyone, I still work for everyone.'' With some absentee ballots still uncounted, the Simi Valley Republican has 96,418 votes, a comfortable 23 percentage point advantage over semiretired sem·i·re·tired adj. Working only on a part-time basis, as for reasons of ill health or advanced age. sem Ojai teacher Robert Unruhe. The 23rd District covers most of Ventura County and a portion of Carpinteria in Santa Barbara Santa Barbara (săn'tə bär`brə, –bərə), city (1990 pop. 85,571), seat of Santa Barbara co., S Calif., on the Pacific Ocean; inc. 1850. County. Gallegly raised more than $200,000 for his campaign compared with $23,000 for Unruhe. And while Gallegly's seat was never considered at risk, the congressman said he campaigned hard and never took the outcome for granted. ``I always run scared,'' he said. ``I always run as if I'm running against the toughest person in the world. That way I sleep comfortably on election night, knowing I did all I could.'' During his past term, Gallegly was named by House Speaker Newt Gingrich to head a panel on immigration immigration, entrance of a person (an alien) into a new country for the purpose of establishing permanent residence. Motives for immigration, like those for migration generally, are often economic, although religious or political factors may be very important. . Gallegly called for tighter border control, swifter deportation deportation, expulsion of an alien from a country by an act of its government. The term is not applied ordinarily to sending a national into exile or to committing one convicted of crime to an overseas penal colony (historically called transportation). and even federal protection for guard dogs. He also authored a provision of an immigration bill - a proposal that was eventually withdrawn - that would have denied public education to illegal immigrants illegal immigrant n. an alien (non-citizen) who has entered the United States without government permission or stayed beyond the termination date of a visa. (See: alien) . He says he has been careful, however, not to neglect the district while caught up in national legislative battles. Gallegly said he routinely departs the Capitol on Thursday night to return to his field office in Oxnard for the business day Friday. After a weekend of meetings and public appearances, Gallegly catches a red-eye flight A red-eye flight is a flight operated by an airline late at night or very early in the morning, during the period from 9:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. local time. The term "red-eye" derives from the fatigue symptom of having red eyes. Red-eye flights are often called a "dry flight". back to Washington. ``The commute is pretty tough,'' he said. ``But it's very difficult to represent your district if you don't spend any time there. Some congressmen pick up and move to Washington and only come back to their district to ride in a parade or catch up on the newspapers. I make a real effort to represent Ventura in Washington and not Washington in Ventura.'' A resident of Simi Valley since 1968, Gallegly, 53, worked as a real estate broker and was first elected to the City Council in 1979. He was mayor until running for Congress in 1986. With 10 years of seniority, spots on three subcommittees and a chairmanship all but assured, Gallegly said he will be in a better position to advocate his brand of local-bred conservatism. Gallegly said he hopes not to encounter too much resistance from newly re-elected President Clinton. ``During his campaign he sounded more like a Republican than most Republicans,'' Gallegly said. ``I hope and pray Bill Clinton was listening to the things he was saying. I believe the people of this country will hold his feet to the fire until he follows through on the things he promised.'' If there is such a thing as a safe seat, Gallegly has it, said Herbert Gooch, a political science professor at California Lutheran University Mission statement The University's mission statement is as follows: "California Lutheran University is a diverse, scholarly community dedicated to excellence in the liberal arts and professional studies. . ``Unless they split up his district, he's safe in that seat for another 10 years,'' said Gooch. ``His district is a Republican-leaning Yuppie area that votes conservatively every time.'' But Gallegly said his record shows more broad-based support. ``When you consider that there's more Democrats than Republicans in my district, it's pretty gratifying grat·i·fy tr.v. grat·i·fied, grat·i·fy·ing, grat·i·fies 1. To please or satisfy: His achievement gratified his father. See Synonyms at please. 2. to get 60 percent support,'' he said. ``Regardless of politics, people feel I represent them.'' CAPTION(S): Photo Photo: (Color) Congressman Elton Gallegly reviews election results with Donna Jevens on Wednesday. Andy Holzman/Special to the Daily News |
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