Judge Carter Says He’ll Seek Dornan’s Seat

Superior Court Judge David O. Carter announced Tuesday that he is a seeking the Democratic nomination for Congress and promptly lashed out at the incumbent, Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove), for scuffling on the floor of Congress.

“It’s inappropriate in the highest office of the land to debate with either fists or grabbing ties. That’s not a place for pushing or shoving,” Carter told a news conference, recalling an incident last April in which Dornan seized Rep. Thomas Downey (D-New York) by the tie. Carter said he would run “a positive campaign.”

Carter, 41, a no-nonsense judge making his first bid for legislative office, has spent slightly more than a year considering the race. Such prominent Orange County Democrats as developer David Stein and county party chairman Bruce Sumner have urged him to run, arguing that Carter, a decorated war veteran and former prosecutor, could beat the flamboyant Dornan.

Seeking 4,000 Signatures

On Tuesday, Carter took the plunge, formally announcing that he would seek Dornan’s 38th Congressional District seat.

To do so, he said, he will be filing more than 4,000 signatures on a nominating petition supporting his candidacy, in lieu of paying a $749 filing fee.

And at 5 p.m. today, Carter will begin a leave of absence from his $77,129-a-year job as judge to devote himself to a grass-roots campaign--walking precincts at least five hours a day and directing more than 100 volunteers.

Although Carter described his goal as defeating Dornan, one major obstacle stands in his way: fellow Democrat and five-term Assemblyman Richard Robinson (D-Garden Grove), who also wants to run for Congress.

Since December, when Robinson said he was 99% sure he would run, Democratic leaders have tried to talk him out of the race. Howard Adler, former Orange County Democratic Party chairman, warned that a contested primary would be “a disaster,” not only wasting money but also creating infighting that could destroy the Democrats’ chances of defeating Dornan.

But Robinson reportedly has continued making plans. On Tuesday, he would say only that he was making “courtesy calls” about those plans and would explain further at noon today. Associates said, however, that Robinson intends to run for Congress.

Also Tuesday--one day before the deadline for candidates to file their “declarations of intention” for state and local office--there were these developments:

- Former Brea Mayor Ron Isles said he will seek the Republican nomination for the 39th Congressional District seat being vacated by Rep. William E. Dannemeyer (R-Fullerton). A 25-year resident of Orange County, Isles, 47, said he believes in traditional values, “such as basic family structure and school prayer.” So far no Democrat has announced for Dannemeyer’s seat.

- Lawyer Mark Rosen, a candidate for the 71st Assembly District seat being vacated by Assemblywoman Doris Allen (R-Cypress), who is planning to run for state Senate, filed 1,667 signatures on a nominating petition, 167 more than required. Also seeking election in the 71st Assembly District is Peace and Freedom Party candidate C.T. Weber.

- Assemblywoman Allen filed declarations of intent for two seats--her own seat representing the 71st Assembly District and the 32nd state Senate seat now held by Edward R. Royce (R-Anaheim). Royce, meanwhile, has said he will run for the congressional seat now held by Dannemeyer, who is running for the U.S. Senate.

“The explanation is that I filed for both because we are still not sure,” Allen said. She said she was keeping her options open in case Dannemeyer backed out of the U. S. Senate race, thus keeping Royce in his state Senate seat.

- Also keeping his options open, Royce has taken out nominating petitions for Dannemeyer’s seat and filed a declaration of intent to run for his own state Senate seat.

Royce said, however, that he has no intention of running for anything except Congress--unless Dannemeyer changes his mind. He said he has 100 volunteers scheduled Saturday to begin collecting the 3,000 signatures he needs for his congressional nomination papers.

- A Democratic candidate has also indicated his interest in Royce’s seat. Francis (Frank) Hoffman, an attorney and member of the Orange County Board of Education, has filed his declaration of intent to run for the 32nd state Senate seat.

- Meanwhile, Assemblyman Dennis Brown (R-Signal Hill) has indicated he will run for reelection. Democrat Peggy Staggs has taken out papers indicating she would like to unseat him.

- Assemblyman Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach) has indicated he will run for reelection in the 70th Assembly District.

- Another Republican, George Heaney, joined retired military man Richard Longshore in seeking the Republican nomination in the 72nd Assembly District, the seat now held by Assemblyman Richard Robinson (D-Garden Grove.) Santa Ana Mayor Daniel E. Griset is the only Democrat so far to have filed for that seat.

In the 38th Congressional race, although there is no legal residency requirement, Carter, who is divorced and the father of four children, is now moving from Laguna Beach into the district, which includes Garden Grove, Stanton, Anaheim, Santa Ana and Westminster.

At his press conference Tuesday, the judge called himself “liberal in terms of funding for education” but conservative in other areas, saying he would like to build more prisons and do away with parole boards.

Carter declined to estimate the cost of his campaign but said he and many volunteers would walk precincts.

Also at Carter’s press conference, listening quietly from a seat at the back, was Brian O’Leary Bennett, chief of staff for Dornan.

“He’s a nice guy, an attractive guy, but a lot of his views, you’ve got in Bob Dornan,” Bennett said of Carter. “I think we’re covered.”

Bennett noted that the Dornan campaign spent $1.2 million in 1984 to defeat five-term congressman Jerry Patterson, a Democrat. “I think it’ll cost less this time,” Bennett said.

Contributing to this story was Times staff writer Kenneth F. Bunting in Sacramento.