BACKING OF DEMS SOUGHT IN L.A. RACE.

Byline: Rick Orlov Staff Writer

With Democrats forming a majority of Los Angeles voters, the campaign for mayor heated up Tuesday as Councilman Antonio Villaraigosa revived a 4-year-old issue to try to retain the support of the county Democratic Party.

Villaraigosa's campaign mailed Democrats a letter recalling a mailing that Mayor James Hahn sent out in 2001, which bashed the party for its endorsement of Villaraigosa.

``After not getting your support four years ago, Jim Hahn told Republicans that he didn't want the Democratic Party endorsement,'' said the letter, signed by Councilman Jack Weiss and Doug Boxer, son of Sen. Barbara Boxer.

Democrats also received a copy of the Hahn mailer, which identified Villaraigosa as a ``liberal Democrat'' whose campaign had received more than $1 million from the party.

The county Democratic Party is scheduled to decide in two weeks whether to endorse in the nonpartisan race, which includes three other well-known Democrats: Councilman Bernard Parks, former Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg and state Sen. Richard Alarcon, D-Van Nuys.

The election for mayor will be on March 8 with a runoff May 17 if needed. Democrats make up 58 percent of the city's 1.36 million registered voters. Republicans are 26.5 percent and the rest are in other parties or decline to state a political party.

``This is going to be a tough decision for us,'' said Jim Hilfenhaus, regional director of the state party. ``This is a tough nut to call when they are all good Democrats.''

He also said Hahn has been calling members of the party and seeking their support.

``We made a mistake four years ago and you learn from it,'' Hahn campaign consultant Kam Kuwata said of the effort to either win over Democratic Party members or block the endorsement of Villaraigosa.

The strategy already has shown some dividends when the Democratic Party of the San Fernando Valley decided to remain neutral, at least through the primary election.

``The feeling was no one would get 60 percent support from the executive committee to win the endorsement, so we decided to hold off to prevent any hostility,'' said Jeff Daar, chairman of the group, which had backed Villaraigosa four years ago.

Villaraigosa campaign spokesman Ace Smith said the councilman remains confident he will do well in the San Fernando Valley, but Kuwata called it an important symbol.

``We're encouraged any time anyone who endorsed Antonio last time doesn't now,'' Kuwata said.

Rick Orlov, [phone]

rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com