Jump start.

Former L.A. City Councilman Mike Feuer sent out a press release last week indicating that he had raised $181,000 for his campaign for a Westside state Assembly seat. Nothing unusual in such an announcement during an election year.

But Feuer is not running this November. He's seeking to replace Assemblyman Paul Koretz when the West Hollywood Democrat's term expires in 2006. And the March primary for that election is still 20 months away.

"I wanted to make a strong start," Feuer said last week, two months after taking out papers to run for Koretz's seat.

Feuer also was undoubtedly sending a message to any would-be challengers, hoping to dissuade them from entering. So far, five other Westsiders are looking at the post, including West Hollywood city councilmembers Abbe Land and Jeffrey Prang.

Last week, Land said she was definitely running for the seat and would release her campaign fundraising totals in the coming weeks. Prang was out of town last week; a spokesman said he was focused on running for re-election to the West Hollywood City Council next year and had not decided whether to seek the Assembly post.

As for Koretz, he's running against Republican Paul Fredrix for re-election this fall and is widely expected to win his third and final term in the Assembly. So far, he has declined to endorse anyone as his successor.

Staff reporter Howard Fine can be reached at [phone], ext. 227, or at [e-mail].