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A local Democratic candidate for state Senate pleaded no contest in 1990 to a charge of assaulting his girlfriend, according to court records.

And the state Republican Party is using the misdemeanor assault to accuse Democrats of hypocrisy for their criticism of Republican lawmaker Jonathan Paton's decision to forgo his re-election campaign to serve in Iraq. If he's returned to office, Paton also will miss several weeks of the legislative session.

A statement distributed from Republican Headquarters in Phoenix says party leaders learned of the incident just days after a group of prominent Democratic-activist veterans called Paton "irresponsible." The GOP statement accused the Democrats of ignoring Senate candidate Jeff Chimene's actions, which were "a little more than irresponsible."

Chimene, who is running against Republican incumbent Tim Bee in Legislative District 30, pleaded no contest to the charges and spent a year on probation. After the year of probation, the charge was dismissed with no conviction recorded.

Chimene, former first vice chairman of the county Democratic Party, was not among those who spoke against Paton.

Chimene's girlfriend, who said she was beaten with a two-by-four, later sued and was awarded $25,000 for her injuries and in punitive damages.

Chimene and the woman had bought a home together on the Northwest Side in 1987, but by 1989 the relationship was deteriorating. In court files, she said in January 1990, Chimene beat her with the two-by-four during an argument.

Although he pleaded no contest, Chimene said Wednesday that he never beat the woman.

"We were having severe problems by that point, and I was thinking of leaving, and she really had a hard time with that," he said. Chimene said she placed herself in his car to prevent him from leaving, and he tried to get her out of the car.

"It wasn't a two-by-four," he said. "It was a stick, a two-by-two. A piece of tree or something."

Chimene said the woman intentionally tried to anger him, and his low blood sugar made him irritable.

"I recognize what I have done, and I've done a lot to control my diet and things that led to that," said Chimene, who expected the incident to come up when he decided to run for office.

"I certainly take responsibility for it, and I own up to it. One of the things we have to do is get on with our lives. I didn't leave. I didn't run. I said: You know it's wrong, and I need to deal with it."

Chimene, 49, has been married for 15 years. He works as a computer systems consultant.