Lieutenant Governor: A Race to Swift or Strong?

Not just the weather, but the race for the GOP nomination for lieutenant governor. Orange County Supervisor Bruce Nestande has already announced. Look for two other candidates for lieutenant governor to emerge soon--former Lt. Gov. Mike Curb and, surprising to many, Assemblyman Don A. Sebastiani. They are both busy looking for support from GOP heavy hitters.

SORRY, WRONG NUMBER--The California Republican Party will return a $10,000 check from Long Beach physician Dr. Edward C. Allred, sources tell us. That contribution put Allred and his wife’s names on the invitation to the California Salutes the President dinner, as one of 70-plus co-chairs of the Aug. 22 event. But once it was called to the state GOP’s attention that Allred operates the Family Planning Medical Group, a statewide chain of clinics that have been picketed by anti-abortion forces, the check was in the mail . . . . Look for First Lady Nancy Reagan as an added attraction at the Century Plaza dinner.

STAR-CROSSED--While her estranged husband, Stacy Keach, is busy testifying before congressional committees and handing out awards, Jill Keach on Saturday is having a garage sale at her Malibu home along Pacific Coast Highway. Look for the signs.

WIN, PLACE--Democrats worried about Supreme Court Justice Rose Elizabeth Bird being a drag on their chances may be looking at the wrong scapegoat. According to political analyst Steve Teichner, it is difficult for a voter to keep expending political venom down to the end of the ballot. And Bird’s 11th-place spot means that it’s not who she hurts, but if she gets hurt. For her to be hurt, Teichner said, the Republicans must be successful in keeping the voter’s anger going through Senate and Assembly races. In recent past elections, Teichner said, voter participation in the bottom of the ballot has dropped way off. In the 1984 November general election, with Republicans and Democrats lined up on either side of reapportionment issue, almost 600,000 voters dropped off. That meant they voted for the top of the ticket, and for offices below the presidential race, but chose not to vote in the Deukmejian-supported campaign concerning reapportionment.

“For Bird to lose, the voter has to feel that voting against Democratic Assembly members and voting against Rose Bird accomplishes the same thing. . . . We know Republicans can lose the bottom of the ticket while they are carrying the top overwhelmingly,” Teichner said.

HOLD THE DATE--Lew Wasserman has turned over the Universal Amphitheater on Oct. 14 for a multi-star benefit produced by Jack Haley. One star--Frank Sinatra. Proceeds go to fight drug abuse, supporting the DARE program of the L.A. Crime Prevention Advisory Council.

BY ANY OTHER NAME--A letter from Mas Fukai, chief deputy of Supervisor Kenneth Hahn, inviting friends to Hahn’s 65th birthday dinner: “A very select group has been invited to this happy occasion. You have been a great supporter of the Hahn family. I know he will appreciate you joining them.” No gifts, obviously. Just the $1,000 tab. . . . In a similar vein, the invitation from Sen. Pete Wilson and the Corporate Host Committee for a special lunch for Sen. Slade Gorton points out that the Washington senator “is a member of the following committees: Committee on Commerce, Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs, Committee on the Budget” etc., etc. Old hands around town said they’ve never seen an invite so clearly delineate just why a particular senator is worth a $500 lunch.

MORE MOORE--Remember months ago when that ‘lil rascal Dudley Moore kept showing up at Ma Maison to party and play the piano late into the evening? Patrick Terrail is never one to miss a good thing, so he’s since hired Tony Cobb (son of the late actor, Lee J. Cobb) to play for late diners. Tuesday night Moore showed up--with his current constant, Brogan Lane--and did duets.

NEW BREED--Hotshots from the new Democratic Leadership Council make their first big L.A. trip next week. Irv Kipnes hosts a $1,000-a-head dinner at Jimmy’s on Thursday for Arizona Gov. Bruce Babbitt, Arizona Sen. Dennis DeConcini, Virginia Gov. Chuck Robb and Missouri Lt. Gov. Harriett Woods. If that seems a little high, the next morning, Rep. Mel Levine is hosting one of his regular $12-a-head “community breakfasts” at the Sheraton Miramar with Robb, Babbitt and DeConcini. That’s not a fund-raiser, but two governors, a senator and a congressman for $12 is a real bargain.

ENTERTAINING--Three generations of Annenbergs shared a table at last Saturday’s gathering for Rep. Bobbi Fiedler, as Wallis Annenberg, the host, was joined by her daughter Lauren Weingarten and her aunt, Lita Hazen. Grace Robbins was lunching here and was not in the South of France because Harold is finishing a new book. Earlier in the week, at the kickoff for the October benefit for the Devereux Foundation, Mrs. Hazen--who maintains residences here and in New York City--met, for the first time, actress Joan Collins. “Why, you’re really much prettier in person, dear,” she told the “Dynasty” doyenne. Congresswoman Fiedler could pick up a few political lessons from Aunt Lita. Even the Annenbergs’ good food and pleasant atmosphere saw a hefty handful of the guests depart before Fiedler’s very off-the-record Q & A on why she should be in the U.S. Senate.

OVER THE TRANSOM--Atty. Gen. Edwin Meese speaks at the Jewish National Fund dinner honoring U.S. District Judge Manuel L. Real on Sept. 12 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. . . . Northrop’s Lily Ring Balian has been reappointed chair of the National Advisory Council on Adult Education. . . . Mayor Tom Bradley and UC Regent Vilma Martinez host a Fiesta ’85 to benefit the La Clinica Familiar del Barrio at the First Interstate Bank Athletic Foundation, Saturday. . . . ABC Correspondent Sam Donaldson addresses the Radio and Television News Assn. dinner, Aug. 21 at the Sportsman Lodge, and on Aug. 22, talks to the Public Relations Society of America. . . .

The Great Chefs of L.A. Malibu Beach Party, supporting Pro Peace, hosted by a blue-ribbon group including Barbara Stevenson, Ted Field and Lila Garrett, featuring food from Ken Frank of La Toque; Robert Grenner of Geoffrey’s; Michael Roberts of Trumps; Antonio Tommasi of Pinafini; Claude Segal, Bistango; Roy Yamaguchi of 385 North and “gourmet pizza” by Ed Ladou of the California Pizza Kitchen, Aug. 25.