Freshman Cox Upbraids Democratic Congress

Not quite fresh from a victory bash that lasted into the early morning, Newport Beach Republican Rep.-elect C. Christopher Cox wasted no time Wednesday bashing “fiscal irresponsibility” by the Democrat-controlled Congress in Washington.

Speaking to friendly conservatives at a breakfast session in Newport Beach, the new representative of the 40th Congressional District talked tough and touched on all the conservative issues, among them: sustained military investment without the aid of tax increases; a presidential line-item veto; balanced-budget requirements, and House Speaker Jim Wright’s ethics troubles.

The aggressive tenor of Cox’s remarks made it clear that, although two new faces will be seen next term in the nation’s capital among the county’s five congressional representatives, the hard-line conservative stands that have marked the GOP’s local delegation will probably not change.

Freshmen With Experience

Indeed, political observers predicted that familiarity with Washington may help former White House staff members Cox and Dana Rohrabacher--who was elected Tuesday in the 42nd Congressional District--to avoid the myriad frustrations that traditionally greet freshmen congressmen.

Rep. William E. Dannemeyer (R-Fullerton), who himself won a sixth term in Congress in the 39th District, said: “Cox and Rohrabacher are both bright, young and aggressive. They’re ideologically compatible with the (Bush) Administration and our delegation; they understand the Washington scene, and I expect them to get up to speed sooner rather than later.”

Predictably, the overwhelming victories by Cox and Rohrabacher completed a clean Republican sweep of the five county congressional seats on the ballot.

None of the races was close. Although about 30,000 absentee ballots remain to be counted, preliminary totals showed that Republican victories ranged from a 59% share of the votes for Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove), who beat back Democrat Jerry Yudelson, to overwhelming wins of about 74% each for incumbents Dannemeyer and Rep. Ron Packard (R-Carlsbad).

Those numbers even showed a slight net increase over the impressive victories recorded 2 years ago by Republicans in the five races.

“It’s been a damn nice night,” remarked Dornan’s son, Mark, at a jubilant election night Republican bash at the Doubletree Hotel in Orange.

Orange County Republican Chairman Thomas A. Fuentes, surrounded by red and white balloons, free-flowing drinks and festive speakers at the party, added: “This victory looks as powerful as any I’ve seen.”

But it was a bittersweet election for Dannemeyer, who saw his Proposition 102, which would have required doctors to report carriers of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome virus, rejected soundly by 61% of the voters.

Rohrabacher, a Reagan speech writer for 7 years and a former editorial writer for the Orange County Register, said low taxes and a strong defense will be among his top national priorities.

On the local level, Rohrabacher said Wednesday that he plans to open his district office in Seal Beach and a satellite office in the Torrance and Palos Verdes Peninsula area. He said he will fight in Washington for flood control and transportation improvements in Orange County.

Cox told about 150 members of the Dick Richards breakfast club in Newport Beach, a group of generally conservative businessmen, that his chief aim in office will be to promote the economic expansion of the Reagan years, while also keeping government from intruding on the lives of citizens.

Times staff writer Jeffrey L. Rabin contributed to this story.