CANDIDATES SOUND SIMILAR.

Byline: CHARLES F. BOSTWICK Staff Writer

PALMDALE -- Assemblywoman Sharon Runner and her Democratic challenger Robert ``Bo'' Bynum sounded more alike than different as they faced off during a Palmdale Woman's Club-sponsored debate.

``You sound like a Republican,'' Runner told Bynum after he spoke in favor of giving local school officials more control over spending and educational programs now dictated by the state and federal government.

``At last something we can disagree on,'' Bynum told Runner after she said she opposed recently passed state global-warming legislation as likely to cost jobs and said she believes present environmental laws are sufficient.

Bynum, a Palmdale School District trustee, is challenging Runner for the 36th Assembly District seat that covers the Antelope and Victor valleys and which the Lancaster Republican has represented since 2002. Bynum, a former professional football player and Antelope Valley resident since 1987, was a Palmdale planning commissioner for five years before his election to the Palmdale school board in 2003 and also is a basketball coach at Palmdale High School.

Runner, an Antelope Valley native, founded Desert Christian Schools in Lancaster with her husband, George, Antelope Valley's state senator. She succeeded her husband as the Antelope Valley's representative in the Assembly and was re-elected in 2004.

Speaking Tuesday night in a 65-minute debate before about 50 people in the Palmdale Woman's Club clubhouse, Bynum said he would be better able to deliver legislation benefitting the 36th District as a Democrat in a Legislature that is predominantly Democratic. But he also said he would be independent in doing what is best for his constituents.

``It's not doing what your party wants. It's doing the right thing,'' Bynum said.

Bynum spoke in favor of stiffening punishment for child molesters, even speaking favorably of Runner's ``Jessica's law,'' the Proposition 83 ballot measure that would lengthen prison sentences and require serious offenders to wear satellite locator devices when they get out of prison, though he added that the measure has flaws.

Bynum said more must be done to combat increasing crime in the Antelope Valley, including cracking down on welfare recipients who violate the rules of the so-called ``Section 8'' housing subsidies.

He said President George W. Bush's No Child Left Behind Act, whose provisions include regular standardized tests to gauge public school students' academic progress, is restricting children's education by leading schools to ``teach to the test.'' And he said public schools should re-emphasize vocational education such as auto or computer repair, to engage the students who won't go to college.

Runner said she fought against hiking California's vehicle-license fee, supported the recall of former Gov. Gray Davis, authored legislation that gave Antelope Valley schools a more equitable share of state funding, worked to return more money from state government to cities and counties, and worked with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Proposition 1A, the Nov. 7 ballot measure that would require using the state sales tax on gasoline only on transportation projects.

``I think my record speaks clearly for what I believe in,'' Runner said.

Runner said Democrats killed legislation that would have speeded up the time for ending Section 8 subsidies for people who violate the rules as well as legislation that would allow prosecution of those who possess large amounts of child pornography as a felony.

Runner said Bynum is naive in believing he can sway the Legislature's Democratic leaders by himself, and said Democratic lawmakers stopped efforts such as those Bynum favors in reducing state controls on local school districts.

She questioned why he was unable this session to swing Democrat lawmakers to back a bill he supported: her husband's legislation that would have changed state law so that public-school workers who plead guilty to drug charges but complete a drug-treatment program don't get their jobs back plus back pay for the time they are off work.

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(1 -- 2 -- color) Assemblywoman Sharon Runner, left, and Palmdale School District trustee Robert ``Bo'' Bynum debated Tuesday.

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