KNIGHT CONFIDENT NOVEMBER VICTORY WILL FOLLOW PRIMARY WIN.

Byline: Patricia Farrell Aidem Daily News Staff Writer

To Assemblyman W.J. ``Pete'' Knight, November's election is just a formality. His victory in Tuesday's primary for a seat governing a largely Republican district cinched his ascent to the Senate. ``I don't think there's any doubt I'll win,'' the former Palmdale mayor said Wednesday in a phone interview from his Sacramento office. ``I think the election was the primary.''

Knight faces Democrat Steven A. Figueroa in the Nov. 5 election for the 17th Senate District, which stretches from Santa Clarita through the Antelope Valley toward Bishop.

Figueroa, a Victorville tax preparer, did not respond to calls Wednesday from the Daily News.

Roberta Gillis, president of the Santa Clarita Valley Democratic Club, acknowledged that the party recognizes Knight as the frontrunner, to say the least.

``It's very, very difficult when you live in a heavily Republican area,'' Gillis said. ``It is very hard to raise money because, frankly, everyone knows it won't be a tight race. I am a realist.''

Knight and Wyman ran neck in neck Tuesday night as ballots were counted in territories of the district in Kern and San Bernardino counties. But as Los Angeles County votes were counted from the more populated Antelope and Santa Clarita valleys, Knight took a definitive lead.

Also in the race was Victorville City Manager James Cox who came in third.

Knight refused Wednesday to talk about specific goals, saying instead he would base his agenda on legislation and policy agendas during the remainder of his Assembly term.

Responsibility, he said, would be the theme of any bills he would introduce. The theme would cover issues ranging from term limits to teen pregnancy.

``The dream is to change the people's attitude,'' he said. ``We've lost our initiative. We've lost the ability to accept responsibility.''

Welfare reform is a top priority.

``Those kind of people are all over,'' he said. ``The state needs to crack down on welfare fraud.''

Knight suggests cutting welfare to pregnant teen-agers and forcing them to gain support from family, churches or private agencies to eliminate reliance on the government.

``We've developed generations of people who accept teen-age pregnancy,'' he said. ``In fact we subsidize it. I think we have to take away the incentive.''

He also said he intends to pursue measures that would allow residents to carry concealed weapons and disallow recognition of gay marriages.

Locally, he would pursue economic incentives to bring industry to his district, particularly to the Antelope Valley.

Another priority for his constituents, he said, would be to obtain transportation funds to improve existing state highways and eventually extend Highway 126.

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Photo: W.J.``Pete'' Knight

Running for Senate seat