With Vote Over, It’s Time to Count Ballads

OK. We admit it. After months of covering political campaigns, with their attendant charges and countercharges, we think it’s time to write about a little romance.

But to avoid decompressing too quickly, the focus will be kept to the two GOP nominees of the heavily Republican 40th and 42nd congressional districts--bachelors Dana Rohrabacher in the 42nd and C. Christopher Cox in the 40th.

For ex-presidential speech writer Rohrabacher, the prospect (nearly sure) of winning a post that will put him in Washington as much as his own district means that his 1 1/2-year relationship with Paula Dobriansky, deputy assistant secretary of state for human rights, has a brighter future. Rohrabacher said his decision to move back to California previously had put “a roadblock in our relationship” because Dobriansky wanted to remain in the capital.

“I think now that I’m going to be going back and forth, it gives us a better chance,” Rohrabacher said the day after topping seven other Republican candidates bidding to replace Rep. Daniel E. Lungren (R-Long Beach). Rohrabacher added of Dobriansky, “We’re not engaged--yet.”

As for Cox, a former lawyer for the White House, his girlfriend is Phyllis Dembowski, whom he has been dating off and on since they met at a party of mutual friends from USC, their alma mater, 10 years ago. Dembowski’s picture appeared in one of Cox’s campaign mailers, in which she was described as Cox’s “friend.”

Cox said that returning to Orange County for the campaign allowed them time together, because Dembowski worked on his campaign. But a campaign doesn’t allow for much romance.

“The demands on me in the course of campaign were such that I never got to have a Friday night candlelight dinner with her,” Cox said, “which I hope I can find time for in the coming months.”

Cox and Rohrabacher, both former White House employees who returned to their home districts to run for Congress, raised their hands in a victory salute Thursday morning at an Orange County Republican Party breakfast--their first official appearance as the GOP nominees.

Cox got a laugh when he promised that Republicans would “beat George Deukmejian” in the fall. Well, heck, lots of people mix up the two Dukes--the Republican California governor and Massachusetts Gov. Michael S. Dukakis, the Democratic presidential nominee-apparent.

Rohrabacher, trying to set aside the primary battles, told a joke about a man, dressed as a devil, who got lost during a storm on his way home from a Halloween party.

“He saw a church and stopped to ask directions,” Rohrabacher said. When he swung open the church door, lightning bolts flying, the congregation panicked and began jumping out of windows to escape from “the devil.”

“Finally, the church was cleared except for one little old lady,” Rohrabacher said. “I’ve been going to this church for 40 years,” she said as she hobbled up to the costumed man, “but I’ve really been on your side the whole time!”

As the laughter died down, Rohrabacher added: “Now I know a little pandemonium broke loose when Chris Cox and Dana Rohrabacher came home (to run for Congress). And I know all of you have been on my side all the time.”

After losing the Republican primary in the 40th Congressional District for the second time since 1986, Newport Beach businessman Nathan Rosenberg was asked about his plans.

Although he did not rule out another run for elective office, he said, “Maybe I’ll just go out and make another million dollars.” He then paused and amended the remark after recalling some advice he received from Gus Owen, president of the county’s Lincoln Club, a prestigious GOP support group.

“My good friend Gus Owen said, ‘Don’t make a million, make $10 million,’ ” Rosenberg said, smiling. “Then I can go out and buy an election.”

Spending by the nine Republicans in the GOP primary in the 40th District may top a record $2.4 million, and Cox, the eventual winner, was the big spender. He forked out $650,000; Rosenberg and Irvine City Councilman C. David Baker each spent about $500,000.

Candidates have been known to send thank-you letters to supporters after an election.

But Irvine Councilwoman Sally Anne Miller, a real estate agent, said she was so grateful when an effort to defeat her not only failed but brought her more business that she mailed a note of thanks to the chairman of a slow-growth group that opposed her.

In the closing days of her reelection campaign, William Speros, chairman of the Committee of Seven Thousand, sent 48,000 political circulars to Irvine voters portraying Miller as pro-development. The mailer prominently displayed a picture of Miller’s name on her real estate signs.

“Not everybody in Irvine is anti-development, so their little ploy failed,” said Miller, who took six weeks off from work to run for her second term. She said her phone has “been ringing off the hook” with calls from potential clients.

“I guess a lot of people didn’t realize I was in real estate,” she said. “That flyer was the best thing that could have happened to my business.”