ELECTIONS ’88 ORANGE COUNTY : Yudelson Says His Poll Shows Dornan Vulnerable

In a bid to show that Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove) is vulnerable in the Nov. 8 election, Democrat Jerry Yudelson released a poll Tuesday showing that only 36% of registered voters in 38th Congressional District say Dornan should be reelected.

However, in a head-to-head comparison, Dornan comes out ahead except when the pollsters supply negative information about the fiery, two-term incumbent.

Dornan was unavailable, but Brian Bennett, his press secretary, said: “I’m not going to trust a poll they (Yudelson) paid for. It’s his poll.”

The survey of 400 registered voters in central Orange County’s 38th Congressional District was conducted July 9-12 by Fairbank, Bregman & Maullin of San Francisco and Santa Monica. The possible margin of error was 5%.

Larry Remer, Yudelson’s campaign manager, said Tuesday that the survey results were released to coincide with Yudelson’s attempts to raise additional campaign funds from labor groups and Washington-based political action committees, as well as the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Remer acknowledged that Dornan topped Yudelson 50% to 22% in a head-to-head comparison, but he attributed the Democrat’s lower score to his lack of name recognition among voters. “We’re putting up our signs next week and soon we’ll have one of our mail pieces out,” Remer said.

In the survey, voters were asked: “Thinking ahead to the general election next November, do you think Congressman Dornan should be reelected or do you think it is time for a change and a new person should be elected to Congress?”

Thirty-six percent of those surveyed said Dornan should be reelected, according to pollster John Fairbank, while 35% said a new person should be elected; 11% said it depends on who the other person is, and 18% had no opinion.

Other findings:

- Nine percent of those surveyed rated Dornan’s job performance excellent, 27% good, 24% only fair, 15% fair and 25% didn’t know.

- In a head-to-head comparison, Dornan was selected over Yudelson, 50% to 22%, with 28% undecided, before any significant campaigning by either man.

- In another head-to-head test taken after those surveyed were read both positive and negative statements about each candidate, Yudelson finished ahead of Dornan, 42% to 33%, with 25% undecided.

“The results of this poll clearly demonstrate that Dornan is vulnerable,” said Remer, who also quoted from a Sept. 20 fund-raising letter mailed nationwide by Dornan. In the letter, Dornan tells potential donors: “Our situation is critical! My seat in Congress is in serious jeopardy!” and advertises a private fund-raising luncheon with “our hero, Colonel Oliver North” on Oct. 15.

Bennett said that although Dornan does not believe Yudelson is a serious political threat, the letter was worded as an emergency plea for funds because “you never know, so you might as well run scared.”