Fund-Raiser Puts $40,000 in Dornan Coffers

Orange County’s conservative community gathered Sunday night for a dinner that raised $40,000 for the reelection of one of their own--Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove).

Television newsman Bruce Herschensohn, who was runner-up in the GOP senatorial primary to Rep. Ed Zschau (R-Los Altos), was among the conservatives at the fund-raiser at the Meridien Hotel in Newport Beach.

Herschensohn was cheered by the crowd when he was introduced, and Dornan greeted him warmly. Dornan also said that the current U.S. Senate race between incumbent Democratic Sen. Alan Cranston and Zschau would be closer if Herschensohn had won the Republican nomination. “About this time we’d have a neck and neck affair instead of what we have,” said Dornan, obviously referring to Cranston’s current lead in voter-preference polls.

Pat Boone Emceed

Others at the fund-raiser included Mickey Conroy, an activist in behalf of military veterans, and Assemblyman Gil Ferguson (R-Newport Beach), both of whom tried earnestly but unsuccessfully earlier this year to oust Assemblyman Tom Hayden (D-Santa Monica) from the Legislature.

Also attending were Anaheim Mayor Donald R. Roth, who is a candidate for county supervisor; state Sen. Edward R. Royce (R-Anaheim), and Assemblywoman Doris Allen (R-Cypress). Singer Pat Boone emceed the event for “my friend, Bob Dornan,” and Olympic gymnast Cathy Rigby danced and sang.

During dinner conversations, the conservatives predicted that Dornan would “clobber” his Democratic opponent, Assemblyman Richard Robinson of Garden Grove, in the November election.