Condit not afraid of his bad publicity California lawmaker says character will lead him to victory in primary

WASHINGTON--Rep. Gary Condit (D-Calif.) says voters in hisdistrict will decide his future based on his record, not tabloidaccounts about his relationship with a young federal intern or the"cheap-shot comments" of his colleagues.

Condit acknowledged Tuesday in an interview with the AssociatedPress that character will be an issue in his bid for an eighth term.

"I've been married 34 years. I don't drink, don't smoke, don'tparty," Condit said. "I have received thousands of letters frompeople who understand that the media has trampled on my civilliberties and privacy and has tried to lynch me in the press. It'sjust nonsense, but it's damaging when people can do that."

He said he counted 7,000 negative articles about him in recentmonths.

Condit, 53, has been under close scrutiny because of hisrelationship with Chandra Levy, a 24-year-old constituent whodisappeared in Washington more than seven months ago. During thethird of four interviews with police, Condit acknowledged an affairwith Levy, a police source says.

Condit has said repeatedly he had nothing to do with Levy'sdisappearance. Police have said they do not consider him a suspect,but have expressed consternation he wasn't more cooperative earlier.

Condit said his character can withstand a tough examination. Herepeatedly called press coverage of him unfair and rejectedallegations that he lives a bachelor's life in Washington, portrayinghimself as a strong family man when home in Ceres, Calif., where hiswife lives.

Several Democrats have lined up to run against Condit in the Marchprimary, including state Assemblyman Dennis Cardoza, a one-timeCondit aide and political protege.

Condit said he will campaign on his support for agriculture, whichdrives his central California district's economy, and his work tokeep the area from being overshadowed in Washington by the concernsof Los Angeles and San Francisco.

He said he was not worried that the criticism of prominentDemocrats, including California Gov. Gray Davis and House MinorityLeader Richard Gephardt, would affect his constituents.

"You can get 15 minutes of TV time if you make a comment aboutGary Condit," he said. "The voters of the 18th Congressional Districtwill decide. Cheap-shot comments aren't going to make that decision."

Davis and Gephardt spoke out after Condit's interview in Augustwith ABC's Connie Chung, in which he acknowledged only that he andLevy had a "close relationship."

Condit conceded the interview--the leading edge of a publicrelations strategy to rehabilitate his image--went poorly.

Despite the torrent of negative publicity, Condit said he wantsthe Levy case to stay in public view. "Until she's found, the subjectshould not go away," he said. "But if you want to make it into atabloid ... scandal, then I'm not a participant." AP