Republican push for assembly.

Only a dozen of the 100 seats up for election in the state Legislature (80 in the Assembly and 20 in the Senate) have anything resembling competitive races.

But four of those seats happen to at least touch Los Angeles County, and they promise to liven up what would otherwise be a ho-hum local field on Election Day. Two of them are open seats (thanks to term limits); the other two are held by Democrats whom Republicans perceive as vulnerable.

In the 53rd Assembly District, Redondo Beach Mayor Greg Hill, a Republican, faces Democrat and former El Segundo Mayor Mike Gordon, who is known around L.A. for his opposition to expansion of Los Angeles International Airport.

In the neighboring 54th Assembly District in Long Beach, a rematch is taking shape between termed-out Democratic state Sen. Betty Karnette and Republican former Rep. Steve Kuykendall. Kuykendall won when the two faced off for the same Assembly seat 10 years ago.

In the 44th Assembly District in the Pasadena area, incumbent Democrat Carol Liu laces a stiff challenge from Republican community activist Lynn Gabriel, whose husband, John LaBarbera, founded the popular Closet Factory franchise chain. And in the 61st Assembly District in the Pomona-Ontario area, incumbent Democrat Gloria Negrette McLeod is being challenged by Republican Ontario City Councilman Alan Wapner.

In an ordinary year, Liu and McLoed would not likely have drawn serious Republican challengers. But last year's recall election changed the dynamics, according to political consultant Allan Hoffenblum, who co-authors the Target Book, which tracks state legislative races.

"In all four of these districts, when you look at the returns from the recall election, the Republican candidates--Schwarzenegger and Tom McClintock--together drew an absolute majority of the vote," Hoffenblum said. "That convinced Republicans that they might be able to take some of these seats where they might have stayed out before."

What's more, Hoffenblum said, three of the four Republican candidates are considered social moderates who may be able to appeal to independents and Democrats who voted for Schwarzenegger.

But this time, many of those voters are likely to support Sen. John Kerry for president. "The challenge here for the Republican candidates is to convince these voters who are likely to go for Kerry that they can vote for moderate Republicans for the state Legislature," he said.

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