Fund-Raising List Topped by Dornan

Capitalizing on a well-oiled direct-mail machine, Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove) raised $636,000 in political contributions last year, more than any other Orange County congressman. But Dornan spent more than three times as much as any of his colleagues, largely on his expensive fund-raising efforts.

As a result, the largest Orange County campaign war chest at year’s end belonged to four-term Rep. Ron Packard (R-Carlsbad), who had stashed away $166,600 to finance his 1990 campaign. Packard, whose district includes Southern Orange County, is not expected to face strong opposition this election year.

Freshman Rep. C. Christopher Cox (R-Newport Beach) ended the year deepest in debt, owing $238,600 to political consultants and others who helped elect him in 1988. Cox finished 1989 with only $28,000 in the bank.

This fiscal profile of Orange County congressional campaign organizations emerged this week as officials made public the latest federal campaign finance reports. The reports paint a detailed picture of the divergent money-raising strategies of the five congressmen who represent Orange County’s 2.3 million residents.

Dornan relied on a national network of modest donors to raise the $636,000 for two campaign organizations. The largest chunk--$554,500--went to Dornan’s 1988 campaign committee, which spent $569,000 and wound up with outstanding debt of $40,700 at year’s end. The committee, “Dornan in ‘88,” began 1990 with less than $800 in the bank after have paid off more than $40,000 in debts.

The 1990 Dornan campaign committee raised $81,900 and spent $61,800, largely on printing, mailing and political consultants. The 1990 campaign goes into the election year with slightly more than $20,000 in cash on hand.

Dornan, whose district includes much of Anaheim and parts of Santa Ana, so far is the only Orange County incumbent facing the possibility of a major challenge. It may come from Vietnam veteran and anti-war activist Ron Kovic, whose life is the subject of the book and recently released film “Born on the Fourth of July.” Kovic, who could expect strong financial support from Hollywood liberals, is mulling a candidacy and must declare his intentions by the end of next month.

If Kovic does enter the race, political observers expect that he and Dornan each will raise more than $1 million.

“If he taps the Hollywood left--(Jane) Fonda, (Ed) Asner, et al--they can only give a thousand bucks each” under federal election laws, Dornan said. “That’s limiting.

“But if Bruce Springsteen makes good on his (reported) promise, if he does a concert (for Kovic), then the money rolls in (from concert-goers who are considered individual contributors) and I’d have to go well over a million.”

Dornan said he is concerned about the high cost of direct-mail fund-raising. He switched firms in 1990, ending a relationship with veteran Republican fund-raiser Richard Viguerie. “We just found a better house that doesn’t charge a creative fee for writing letters. We write them all ourselves,” Dornan said.

Much of the cost of direct mail is attributed to “prospecting,” or seeking donations from untried mailing lists. Once a list of proven contributors is developed, the ratio of contributions to expenses dramatically increases.

Unlike other Orange County representatives, Dornan reported that most of his contributions were made in gifts of $200 of less. Contributions that were more than $200, and itemized, appeared to come largely from retired citizens from across the country.

“A lot of it has to do with the frequency that I make myself available for radio shows, television shows,” Dornan said. “I know that somewhere out there, I’m talking to my small contributors.”

Packard, a former dentist and Carlsbad mayor, is not taking any chances even though no strong opposition has surfaced so far, said David Coggin, his chief of staff.

“You never know when there is somebody out there. Money in the bank tends to scare people away,” Coggin said. “But the money he’s got in the bank is nothing for a race in California that’s a serious race.” Packard raised only $54,600 in 1989.

However, Coggin said Packard’s fund-raising efforts will pick up this year, with an eye on 1992. That year, the congressional redistricting that is tied to the 1990 census is likely to dramatically alter the political landscape. California is expected to gain up to seven new seats in Congress, with most new districts alloted to Southern California.

“It could be a whole different district,” said Coggin. “We have to think ahead.”

Cox, whose district stretches from Newport Beach across central Orange County, said he took a break from fund-raising last year to organize his district and Washington offices.

“This is an election year, and . . . I’m rolling up my sleeves and digging in in 1990,” Cox said. “I have been very successful in fund-raising in the last round and expect to be equally successful in 1990. It’s stupid to assume you are invulnerable.”

Cox said he does not have a clear fund-raising target, but wants to raise enough money to pay off his debt of $238,600 and also finance an aggressive campaign. Nearly all the debt remaining from the 1988 campaign is owed to pollsters, political consultants and fund-raisers, Cox said. Commercial vendors already have been paid off.

Those still owed money undoubtedly will expect to be paid, Cox noted, “before I get much into the current campaign.”

The Cox organization raised $255,250 in 1989 and ended the year with $27,800 in the bank. Most of his contributions arrived in gifts of $200 or more and were made almost exclusively by Orange County residents.

Fellow freshman Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Lomita), whose district includes northwestern Orange County, also relied on local contributions for the $175,400 he raised in 1989. With expenditures of $102,300, Rohrabacher ended the year with $100,500 in the bank. He also reported leftover debts of $43,000.

“I think I’m in a respectable position,” Rohrabacher said. “I haven’t spent an inordinate amount of time fund-raising. I’ve spent more of my time being a congressman.”

Rohrabacher, who so far is not facing serious opposition for re-election, said Vice President Dan Quayle has agreed to appear at a fund-raiser in the near future.

Rep. William E. Dannemeyer (R-Fullerton), who regularly wins elections in his northern Orange County district with margins in excess of 70%, raised $111,250 in 1989 and spent $203,400. Still, his campaign organization ended the year with $39,000 in the bank.