2 INCUMBENTS RUN, 3 RELAX IN HOUSE RACES.

Byline: Lee Condon Daily News Staff Writer

Tough congressional fights are brewing in the 24th and 27th districts, but House incumbents are positioned for easier re-election with the advantages of name recognition, plentiful campaign funds and voter registration in their favor in three other areas in and near the San Fernando Valley.

The closest races are expected in two districts where candidates' resources are comparable and voters are almost evenly split between the two major parties. Those races are in the 24th District, where Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Woodland Hills, is opposed by Randy Hoffman, and in the 27th, where Barry Gordon is challenging Rep. James Rogan, R-Pasadena.

Other contests aren't likely to be so close, said Alan Hoffenblum, a veteran Republican political consultant who also publishes a bipartisan newsletter tracking and analyzing elections.

He said congressional veterans Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon, R-Santa Clarita; Rep. Howard Berman, D-Mission Hills; and Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Los Angeles, all will have easy races.

``Buck McKeon is as safe as you can get. Waxman is safe, and Berman doesn't even have a Republican running against him,'' Hoffenblum said.

Still, Berman is facing opposition from several third-party candidates, including Juan Carlos Ros, a Libertarian.

Ros said that since no one from the GOP is running against the eight-term incumbent, he thinks some Republicans may be attracted his candidacy.

``My hope is to get a lot of those voters,'' Ros said. ``My goal is to get government out of people's lives.''

Ros also wants to take advantage of the crisis in the White House and suggests himself as an alternative for people who are frustrated with the way both Democrats and Republicans have handled themselves during Special Prosecutor Kenneth Starr's investigation.

Also on the ballot against Berman in the 26th District are Green Party candidate Maria Armoudian, a journalist, teacher and entrepreneur from Mission Hills, and Natural Law Party candidate David L. Cossak, a Valley Village businessman.

The Democratic party has not fielded a candidate against McKeon, whose only challenger is Bruce Acker, a Libertarian and a small-business owner from Chatsworth.

McKeon has held his seat since 1992 in the 25th District, which stretches from the north Valley to Santa Clarita and the Antelope Valley.

In the 29th District, including the southeast Valley and the Westside, Waxman is seeking re-election to the congressional seat he has held since 1974.

He faces Republican businessman Mike Gottlieb of Los Angeles; Libertarian Mike Binkley, a computer software engineer from Los Angeles; and Natural Law Party nominee Karen Blasdell-Wilkinson, a research administrator from Long Beach.

In the 23rd District, covering most of Ventura County, Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Simi Valley, is seeking a seventh term.

Gallegly has a campaign treasury of $500,000. His Democratic challenger, Daniel Gonzalez, reported he has raised $9,500 for his campaign and has been walking door-to-door to drum up votes.