Political newcomer faces Lieber in Assembly District 22 Political newcomer faces Lieber in Assembly District 22 (October 29, 2004)

Dominguez-Gasson, 20, wants to improve face of GOP

By Jon Wiener

It might be the lowest-profile election in the entire Bay Area, but that does not mean Marie Dominguez-Gasson is giving up.

Her opponent, state Assembly member Sally Lieber, happens to be assistant speaker pro tem, the third-highest ranked position in the chamber. The former Mountain View mayor served on the city council for four years before replacing termed-out Elaine Alquist in the state Assembly in 2002. Lieber won the seat with nearly 60 percent of the vote in the general election after surviving a tough three-way primary battle.

Armed with $1,900 in campaign funds and a full college courseload, the 20-year-old Dominguez-Gasson is out to change perceptions of the Republican Party.

"The Republican Party isn't looked too well upon in the area, said Dominguez-Gasson. "People assume automatically that I'm an old rich man."

With Lieber's star rising and a Democratic majority in Assembly District 22, the Republican Party was looking for someone to bolster the party's image in Silicon Valley. They selected Dominguez-Gasson, a senior at Santa Clara University majoring in political science and philosophy, who will proudly tell you that she is young, female and part Hispanic.

"It's kind of like a sacrificial lamb seat for Republicans, but we've run a full campaign nonetheless," she said.

Running a campaign focused on youth groups and her college campus, Dominguez-Gasson has registered hundreds of young voters. But with a victory likely far from reality, she is spending the final days of the campaign helping to drum up volunteers for Steve Poizner, the millionaire Republican trying to score an upset in Assembly District 21.

Dominguez-Gasson calls herself "an Arnold Republican." She describes her policy views as pro-choice, pro-environment, pro-gay rights and wants to see more funding for higher education. Dominguez-Gasson believes that California puts too much of a burden on businesses.

Lieber sponsored a minimum-wage increase that was ultimately vetoed by the governor.

She also drew the ire of talk-show host and classic car enthusiast Jay Leno for her bill requiring cars less than 50 years old to get smog checks.

Lieber's district office manager and fellow Old Mountain View resident, Monica Smith, said that despite an overwhelming advantage in resources and demographics, Lieber and her campaign staff would be walking precincts in the days leading up to the election.

Lieber is popular locally with both day workers and mobile home owners who have struggled with park management. She is planning to back a ballot measure establishing rent control for the space rents charged to homeowners in Mountain View's mobile home parks.

She is supportive of the city council's efficiency studios project and recently sponsored a symposium on local toxics issues.

E-mail Jon Wiener at jwiener@mv-voice.com

E-mail a friend a link to this story.