HERTZBERG HAS COZY LEGISLATURE VALLEY JOINS IN ENLARGING RULING PARTY'S DOMINANCE.

Byline: Harrison Sheppard Staff Writer

With Democrats nearly sweeping the San Fernando Valley in state Legislature races - and gaining their largest Assembly majority since 1978 - Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg finds himself in an enviable position.

The Van Nuys Democrat has a 50-member majority to work with in the Assembly, as well as a Democratic governor and state Senate, plus two U.S. senators and a majority of congressmen. The one hitch will be if the still-uncertain presidential election goes to Republican George W. Bush.

``We'll just have to fight harder for those resources,'' Hertzberg said. ``I don't like sending that money back to Washington. We want our fair share.''

Among the issues Hertzberg thinks the new Legislature should work on first are electric industry restructuring, public education and maintaining the strong economy.

When the Assembly reconvenes on Dec. 4 to swear in new members and choose the next speaker, Hertzberg doesn't expect any serious challenges to his leadership post.

His own district election - a lopsided 70-23 blowout over accountant Kyle Hammans - was so easy that he spent much of his time campaigning for other candidates around the state.

Hertzberg's new member orientation - nicknamed ``Hertzberg U.'' - begins Friday, and continues for 10 days over the next few weeks.

Of seven Assembly races in the Valley, six were taken by Democrats.

The 38th District was the exception, although the Los Angeles County portion went Democratic by a slim margin, with Ventura County pushing Dr. Keith Richman over the top. The seat is currently held by Republican Assemblyman Tom McClintock, who won election to the 19th Senate District.

Richman had expected his margin to be a little higher than the actual result, but he said Democrats turning out in force for Vice President Al Gore hurt him in Los Angeles.

``I think in the context of all the elections in California, I'm pleased with the win,'' Richman said.

Richman is chairman of the board of Lakeside Health Care, a large medical group that has more than 120,000 patients throughout the San Fernando, Santa Clarita and Antelope valleys. He plans to leave his chairmanship and give up his own medical practice, but is still considering whether he will retain a diminished role with Lakeside.

He plans to head to Sacramento today for his first party caucus, at which the new GOP leadership team will be chosen.

One of the less predictable races, the 41st Assembly District of the Southwest Valley, Malibu and Santa Monica, ended up being a wide victory for Fran Pavley, the former mayor of Agoura Hills. Pavley won with 60 percent of the vote, with Republican Jayne Murphy Shapiro taking 35 percent and Libertarian Colin S. Goldman getting 5 percent.

Pavley said she got the concession call from Shapiro around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday.

``We both looked forward to working together,'' Pavley said. ``It was a clean campaign and the voters appreciated that.''

Shapiro said she intends to remain active politically, working on issues of health care, education and transportation.

``I'm not finished yet,'' Shapiro said. ``This to me is just a beginning and it's exciting. Of course I don't like to lose, nobody would, but I don't look at it that way. I just think it's the beginning.''