ACTOR DECLARES CANDIDACY FOR ASSEMBLY SEAT; SEVERAL DEMOCRATS VYING FOR JOB.

Byline: Lee Condon Staff Writer

Barry Gordon, former president of the Screen Actors Guild, announced Monday he will run in the March 7 Democratic primary in the 44th Assembly District.

Last November, Gordon received 47 percent of the vote in his unsuccessful bid to unseat Rep. James Rogan, R-Pasadena, in the 27th Congressional District.

``I am the proven vote-getter in this race,'' Gordon said at a news conference where he formally launched his campaign. ``I will have the money I need to fund my campaign and I have an ongoing dialogue with the voters of our district. They know that I share their values. They know their concerns are my concerns.''

Although he lost to Rogan, Gordon's strong support among voters surprised some political analysts, in part because he spent just $502,000 as he went up against an incumbent with a campaign treasury of $1.2 million.

Gordon's bid for the state Legislature will cover some of the same territory as the congressional race. The 44th Assembly District includes Sunland, Tujunga, and parts of Glendale, La Crescenta, La Canada Flintridge, Pasadena, Altadena and South Pasadena.

So far, he faces two opponents in the Democratic primary for the seat being vacated by Assemblyman Jack Scott, D-Pasadena. Scott is giving up the post to run for state Senate in the 21st District.

The Senate position also is becoming vacant because the incumbent, Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena, has decided to give it up and challenge Rogan during his re-election campaign in 2000.

Gordon said he will focus on the issues of education, health care reform, public safety and gun control. Gordon said that like schools, the Legislature needs to ``get back to basics'' in reforming education.

``Smaller class sizes require more classrooms, real classrooms not trailers, and more well-trained teachers,'' Gordon said. ``If we expect teachers to be professionals then they should be paid as professionals and held accountable as professionals.''

Gordon, a lawyer and actor, was president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1988 to 1995. He was a regular on TV's ``Archie Bunker's Place'' and ``Fish.''

He was in the 1965 film ``A Thousand Clowns'' and was nominated for a Tony award for his performance in the Broadway version of ``A Thousand Clowns.''

Still a working actor, he recently taped a guest appearance on TV's ``NYPD Blue'' as a fingerprint expert.

Gordon faces potentially tough competition from fellow Democrats in the Assembly primary. Campaign finance reports show him running behind La Canada Flintridge Mayor Carol Liu, who reported having $210,824 cash on hand. Liu raised $88,779 and loaned $150,000 to her own campaign.

Gordon himself reported having $124,545 cash on hand, including $73,229 he has raised and $40,000 he loaned to his own campaign.

Diana Peterson-More, a lawyer and human resources consultant, has raised $55,274 for her campaign and reported having $53,110 cash on hand.

The only Republican to enter the contest so far is San Marino resident Susan Carpenter-McMillan, an anti-abortion activist who recently served as spokeswoman for Paula C. Jones, who accused President Clinton of sexual harassment. Carpenter-McMillan raised $8,222 and loaned $50,500 to her campaign.

Gordon's list of endorsements includes Assemblyman Tony Cardenas, D-Panorama City; Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Woodland Hills; Los Angeles Board of Education member Valerie Fields; Glendale Councilman Gus Gomez; Pasadena Councilwoman Joyce Streator; and Pasadena Councilman Chris Holden.

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Photo: Gordon