GALLEGLY FAVORED FOR 24TH INCUMBENT CONGRESSMAN HAS $1 MILLION WAR CHEST, NOVICE OPPONENTS.

Byline: Bill Hillburg Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Oxnard, 58, who is seeking his ninth term in the reapportioned 24th Congressional District, said he is running in the Nov. 5 election because ``I still have a passion for what I do'' and pointed to his record of accomplishment and growing clout on Capitol Hill.

Democratic candidate Fern Rudin, 49, a public relations consultant from Thousand Oaks, is making her first run for elective office. She said she was motivated to enter the race ``because no one should run unopposed, especially after 9-11.''

The 24th District includes most of Ventura County, except for a small coastal strip that includes Oxnard, and inland Santa Barbara County.

Republicans account for 46 percent of the district's registered voters while Democratic registration is 35 percent. Libertarians make up only 0.6 percent of the district's registered voters. The Libertarian Party candidate is Gary Harber, a computer programmer from Camarillo.

Gallegly chairs the House International Relations Subcommittee on Europe, where he has played a key role in lining up allies for the war on terrorism. He is also a highly ranked GOP member of the Judiciary and Resources committees.

Gallegly, a longtime Simi Valley resident, said he has worked hard to balance his work in Washington and among his constituents, returning home nearly every weekend while achieving a 98 percent voting attendance record.

``I know this district like the back of my hand, and that makes me more effective,'' he said.

``Pro-choice is the bottom line for me,'' said Rudin, a divorced mother of two teenagers. She criticized Gallegly for what she termed his anti- abortion stance and his call for strengthened immigration laws.

``My opponent does not have a record of innovation, and you have to be innovative to meet the community's needs,'' she said.

``I believe we should protect the unborn,'' said Gallegly, who stressed that he has never made abortion a major theme in his work. He also said that he believes that ``illegal immigration compromises legal immigration'' and noted that his district office does extensive advocacy work on behalf of immigrant constituents.

According to the latest Federal Election Commission filings, Gallegly has $1.02 million in his campaign fund. Rudin has reported no contributions to the FEC, which requires filings once a candidate has collected a minimum of $5,000.

(1) GALLEGLY

(2) RUDIN

CAPTION(S):

2 photos