ELECTION: Garrick has two opponents in Assembly race

Incumbent is out of touch with voters in 74th District, Dem says

By EDWARD SIFUENTES - Staff Writer | Wednesday, September 17, 2008 5:01 PM PDT ∞

Freshman Assemblyman Martin Garrick, R-Carlsbad, is facing two opponents on the November ballot for his 74th District seat.

Garrick, who is seeking a second, two-year term, said he wants to return to Sacramento to continue pressing for better roads, stronger public safety and a more business-friendly environment.

"I haven't wavered from those positions," Garrick said.

If recent history is an indication, Garrick likely will return to Sacramento given the overwhelmingly Republican district that he represents.

But his Democratic opponent, Encinitas lawyer Brett Maxfield, said Garrick has strayed too far to the right and is out of touch with the voters. Maxfield said the incumbent has taken hundreds of thousands of dollars from business interests and catered to corporate needs over those of his constituents.

"He's not representing the constituents of this district," Maxfield said. "He is representing special interests."

Paul King, the Libertarian candidate, said he would like to see greater government accountability, especially on public spending.

King, a small business owner from Carlsbad, has run unsuccessfully for office several times in recent years, including a bid for the 50th Congressional District in 2006 and a previous run for the 74th District in 2004.

The 74th Assembly District stretches from Del Mar to Oceanside along the coast and east to Escondido. Registered Republicans in the district outnumber Democrats, 98,172 to 68,892, according to the San Diego County registrar of voters.

The third-largest bloc is undeclared voters, or those without party affiliation, 50,482. There are 1,353 people registered as Libertarians, according to the registrar's latest census released last month.

Given the district's political demographics and historic Republican representation, Garrick appears to have a clear advantage over his opponents.

Even though Republicans outnumber Democrats, Maxfield said he hopes to win over a large number of undeclared voters and even some disgruntled Republicans.

"I stand for accountability, transparency and integrity," he said. "I do not blame the Republicans for all the problems up there. I blame those who take money from lobbyists and represent their interests rather than those of the people that voted for them."

Whoever the voters decide to send to Sacramento, he will face a state mired in budget deficits.

Legislators were deadlocked for more than two months this summer over the state's budget, which is more than two months overdue. Lawmakers are at odds over how to close a $15.2 billion budget shortfall.

Garrick said he is against proposals from Democrats and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to bridge that gap with an increase in the state sales tax. He favors a Republican plan that would borrow from future lottery earnings and cut spending to make up for the shortfall.

Garrick earns $113,000 a year as an assemblyman. He was among several lawmakers who declined a $3,110 pay increase that took effect in December 2007.

In his two years in office, the assemblyman, who calls himself a Reagan Republican, has introduced and endorsed dozens of bills ranging in subjects from education to illegal immigration.

This year, he introduced a bill now on the governor's desk that would allow the Del Mar racetrack to open more dates for horse racing if another track in the state closes. He also introduced a bill that would require police to notify immigration authorities when an illegal immigrant is arrested for drunken driving. The bill failed to make it out of committee.

Garrick, a Solana Beach businessman, won the seat in 2006 after winning the Republican primary over Escondido Councilwoman Marie Waldron and Carlsbad businessman Scott Packard. The Assembly seat was previously held by Mark Wyland, R-Del Mar, who left the office due to term limits and is now a state senator.

King said he would create incentives for state departments to save money by allowing department employees to keep a share of the money they save. He said the current system encourages departments to spend every dollar they are budgeted.

Maxfield said he would close corporate tax loopholes.

"Stop giving away subsidies to corporate welfare," he said. "These are people that are making huge profits."

Maxfield moved to San Diego County in 2005 when he took a job with the city of San Diego's department of real estate assets. He alleged he was wrongfully terminated by the city in 2006. He is now working on his campaign full time, he said.

King said he is not raising money for his campaign. Maxfield said he has raised about $7,000 for his campaign.

That's a fraction of the $265,000 Garrick reported having raised from January, 2007 to June, 2008. Most of the money came from corporate interests including companies such as Boeing, Anheuser-Busch and Pacific Life Insurance. Each of those companies donated $1,000 to Garrick.

Despite Maxfield's criticism over the donations, Garrick said the contributions do not influence his votes. He said corporations are made up of individuals.

"These individuals are donating because of the principles and values that I hold," Garrick said.

Contact staff writer Edward Sifuentes at (760) 740-3511 or esifuentes@nctimes.com.