ROGAN GOP'S DARLING IN D.C. BUT COULD FACE BATTLE AT HOME.

Byline: Lee Condon Daily News Staff Writer

In his freshman term in Congress, Rep. Jim Rogan, R-Pasadena, has made quite a splash in Washington, D.C.

Embraced by the Republican leadership, he is viewed in the nation's capital as a man with a bright future and recently made cable TV news channel MSNBC's list of the top 10 political stars of the new century.

House leaders waived their rules so Rogan could serve on two high-profile committees - Commerce and Judiciary, the latter now weighing the fate of President Clinton. His role on the Judiciary Committee has made him a regular source for the capital press corps and landed him on ABC's ``This Week,'' a Sunday morning political talk show, twice in the past month.

Local challenge

But back home in the voting precincts of Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena and Sunland, the GOP's rising star is running for re-election in a district where 44 percent of the voters are Democrats and only 39 percent are Republican.

His Democratic opponent, former Screen Actors Guild President Barry Gordon, is running an aggressive, well-funded campaign and is trying to convince voters there are two Jim Rogans - an archconservative who plays to the GOP leadership in Washington and an easygoing moderate who is presented to voters back home.

``Once people understand his voting record, they run away from him,'' said Gordon, a lawyer and actor. ``This is not the Jim Rogan people see here, but it is the Jim Rogan who is representing them in Washington. He's certainly in Newt Gingrich's inner circle, and he's been there since he got there.''

Besides Rogan and Gordon, the 27th District race includes Glendale businessman Bob New, who is running as a Libertarian.

Rogan dismissed Gordon's strategy, saying it is an example of Democrats' ``cookie cutter'' campaigns that try to portray Republicans as rabid right-wingers.

``They morph all the Republicans into one group. Anybody who happens to be pro-life is an extremist,'' Rogan said. ``I don't need to defend myself against this kind of silliness. (Gordon) desperately wants to run against Newt Gingrich.''

Rogan's political rise, as a former Glendale Municipal Court judge and state assemblyman, reflects his success as a vote-getter in the region. He downplays his new higher profile in Washington, saying he has turned down most of the interview requests he received.

But while the 27th Congressional District once was considered solid GOP turf, voter registration has swung to the Democrats in recent years, and the Democratic Party has labeled it a target of opportunity.

Until two years ago, Republicans held all the local seats for state and federal elected legislative seats. But in 1996, for the first time in decades, local Democrats won the seats in both the state Senate and Assembly.

``Now Rogan is only Republican in town,'' said Alan Hoffenblum, a veteran GOP political consultant who also publishes a bipartisan subscription service analyzing key political races. ``He's in a district that is very volatile.''

Nothing assured

While Hoffenblum expects Rogan will win, he said Rogan will have to campaign to keep the seat and take nothing for granted - regardless of whether folks in Washington see him as the next big thing.

Rogan said he is proud of the work he has done in Congress since 1996. ``We've balanced the budget and given America a surplus economy,'' he said, adding that he has his eye on HMO reform and establishment of a Social Security trust fund.

Gordon said the race will be decided by swing voters who may be in the dark about their congressman's record.

Gordon said Rogan has voted against gun-control laws, is an abortion foe, has accepted $18,000 from tobacco companies during his various campaigns for public office, and has voted in favor of bills to weaken state and federal anti-pollution laws, college financial aid, the Head Start program and programs supporting low-income school districts.

Rogan countered that Gordon is trying to paint him as being anti-education and anti-environment because he didn't support Democratic budget proposals that called for large increases in spending that would have made it impossible to balance the budget. The Republican budget held the line on spending while providing the appropriate funding for programs, he said.

Gordon's campaign notes that the National Journal's annual rankings of members of Congress reported that Rogan was more conservative than 90 percent

of his House colleagues on social issues, 88 percent of them on foreign issues and 73 percent on economic issues.

Rogan said he may be conservative, but he does not follow his party in lock step, noting that The Wall Street Journal recently referred to him as a ``reasonable Republican.''

``I'm not a fool,'' he added. ``I have to be reasonable and work with both sides. It's the most practical way of getting the job done.''

Olivia Morgan, a spokeswoman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said Rogan's membership on the committee evaluating possible impeachment could be a liability.

``Rogan is in a precarious position, being on the Judiciary Committee and simultaneously representing a district that has supported Clinton,'' Morgan said.

But Ron Reese, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said the Democrats can't beat Rogan.

``There is no chance Jim Rogan is going to get beat in November,'' Reese said. ``The Democrats are certainly overstating their chances.''

Gordon also has criticized Rogan for not paying enough attention to the battle over Burbank Airport expansion, which Burbank officials and residents oppose out of their belief that it would bring more noise and traffic.

Specifically, Gordon said Rogan should have been in Burbank for Federal Aviation Administration boss Jane Garvey's visit last month.

Rogan sent a letter to Garvey asking her to be sensitive to Burbank's concerns. He said last week that he is willing to offer any assistance he can, but ultimately it is up to local officials to work out their problems.

``Everyone wants either Sacramento or Washington to mandate a solution,'' Rogan said.

As for the dispute itself, Rogan said he is sympathetic to Burbank residents and their complaints about noise, and that Glendale and Pasadena officials should take those concerns seriously.

James E. Rogan

Republican

Age: 42

Education: Graduated UCLA School of Law, 1983; University of California at Berkeley, 1979.

Political experience: One term in Congress; California assemblyman, 1994-96; Glendale Municipal Court judge, 1990-94.

Professional: Gang prosecutor for L.A. County district attorney, 1985-90.

Money: Campaign estimates Oct. 15 filing will report $470,000 cash on hand.

Entertainment industry contributors: Political action committees for Disney, Time Warner, Fox, Sony and Viacom.

Personal: Married to Christine Rogan since 1988; twin daughters, age 6.

Barry Gordon

Democrat

Age: 49

Education: Graduated Loyola Law School, 1993; attended UCLA and later graduated from Cal State Los Angeles.

Political experience: Made unsuccessful run for 27th District in 1996 primary. Served as president of Screen Actors Guild, 1988-95.

Professional: Business lawyer; actor since he was 3 years old; was a regular on ``Archie Bunker's Place.''

Money: Campaign estimates Oct. 15 filing will report $350,000 raised, $160,000 cash on hand.

Entertainment industry contributors: Barbra Streisand, Nicolas Cage, Helen Hunt, Sony President John Feltheimer, Universal President Ron Meyer and Castle Rock President Rob Reiner.

Personal: Married to Gail Schaper-Gordon; one adult son.

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2 Photos

PHOTO (1) Barry Gordon

(2) James E. Rogan