CAMPAIGN '96 SPOTLIGHT.

The 29th Congressional District seat has been held by Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Los Angeles, since 1974. Here are brief biographical sketches and comments from the six candidates in the March 26 primary on why they are running and what their constituents needs.

Henry A. Waxman

Age: 56

Occupation: U.S. Congressman

Education: Law degree from UCLA.

Previous elected office: 11 terms in the House, six years in state assembly.

Primary residence: Los Angeles

Family: Married, two children.

Campaign financing through Jan. 1: Total contributions of $52,770; cash on hand $424,510.

"I'm urging people to vote for me to fight against the extreme mesaures being backed by the Newt Gingrich Republicans in the House and to advance the issues I've worked on like the anti-smoking initiative and other health and environment issues... people in Los Angeles want to see a federal government that is working with the local governments to clean up the environment, especially air pollution, and to try to provide an economy that will produce more jobs."

REPUBLICANS

Nathan Boatner

Age: 61

Occupation: Attorney

Education: Law degree from Berneadean University of Los Angeles.

Previous elected office: None.

Primary Residence: Hollywood

Family: Single.

Campaign financing: Hasn't reached $5,000 threshold for reporting.

"I'd like to see the economy taken out of the Clinton-Waxman real estate depression and otherwise recession we are in from these oppressive taxes. They're strangling business ... The most important issues to the people in this district are economic issues."

Paul Stepanek

Age: 35

Occupation: Advertising company owner

Education: Bachelor's degree from Valpariso University

Previous elected office: None

Primary residence: Westwood

Family: Married

Campaign financing: Has not reached the reporting threshold.

"I want to bring attention to crime in our streets and violence in our homes ... I'm working to support Federal Aviation Administration reform so that Mayor Riordan can have privatization of Los Angeles International Airport. I'm supporting victim restitution legislation that makes criminals pay the victims of their crimes."

LIBERTARIAN

Mike Binkley

Age: 49

Occupation: Computer software engineer

Education: Bachelor's degree from UCLA.

Previous elected office: None

Primary residence: Bel Air

Family: Single

Campaign financing: Has not reached the reporting threshold.

"I think that the Democrats and Republicans have many policies that are unsustainable. In the fiscal area, it's patent irresponsibility and it's going to kill this country, or transform it into one that none of us wants... The so-called war on drugs is a foolish replay of prohibition. I would decriminalize drug use and pardon everyone in prison for drug charges. You'd have a radical decline in crime and free up room in the prisons."

NATURAL LAW

Brian Rees

Age: 41

Occupation: Family physician

Education: Medical degree from Tulane University

Previous elected office: None

Primary residence: Pacific Palisades

Family: Married, two children.

Campaign financing: Has not reached reporting threshold

"The political process, run in large measure by political action committees and special interest groups, certainly needs to be changed ... I think the divisive nature of the political process is really unnatural and unnecessary. It comes from political leaders who are entrenched and politics that are about winning election and re-relection."

PEACE and FREEDOM

John Peter Daly

Age: 31

Occupation: HIV/AIDS educator

Education: bachelor's degree from Kean College of New Jersey

Previous Elected Office: none.

Primary Residence: Silver Lake

Family: single.

Campaign financing: Has not reached reporting threshold.

"The reason we're running as socialists in this election is to reach out to all of those people who are being effected by the cutbacks. We can fight back and win a tripled minimum wage. The money's there... The main issue is jobs. The other one is fighting to have affirmative action expanded and reinstated."

CAPTION(S):

PHOTO[ordinal indicator, masculine]MAP

Photo (1) Henry Waxman (2) Nathan Boatner (3) Paul Stepanek (4) John Peter Daly (5) Brian Rees (6) Mike Binkley Map 29th CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT