LOCAL ELECTIONS / CONGRESSIONAL RACES : ‘Non-Candidate’ Leads 38th District

A Democratic candidate who vowed not to run in November if nominated appeared headed for victory over a supporter of a political extremist in the 38th Congressional District primary election Tuesday.

The apparent win by “non-candidate” Barbara Jackson of Buena Park, a Planned Parenthood official whose withdrawal from the race came too late for her name to be dropped from the ballot, virtually assures another term for Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove), whose 38th District covers Stanton, Garden Grove, Anaheim, Buena Park, Santa Ana, Westminster and part of Los Angeles County. Despite Jackson’s vow not to run, Democrats endorsed her over Art Hoffmann, a supporter of jailed extremist Lyndon H. LaRouche Jr.

Jackson held a comfortable 2-1 lead over Hoffmann in early returns. She was hastily selected by the Democrats after Ron Kovic, the Vietnam veteran whose life story is told in the movie, “Born on the Fourth of July,” said he had decided against entering the primary campaign.

In the 42nd District, which includes Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley, Democrats Guy C. Kimbrough, Bryan W. Stevens and James Cavuoto vied for the right to challenge Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Lomita) in November. Rohrabacher defeated Kimbrough in the 1988 general election. Stevens was holding a slight lead over Kimbrough in early returns.

In the 39th District, covering Orange, Fullerton, Brea and Yorba Linda, four Democrats sought the nomination to go up against Rep. William E. Dannemeyer (R-Fullerton) in November. They included John Woodland Black, Francis X. Hoffman, Anthony J. Roberts and Truman Swann. Hoffman and Black ran neck-and-neck in early returns, but Hoffman’s lead steadily increased throughout the evening.

Dornan, Rohrabacher, Dannemeyer and the county’s two other GOP congressmen, Ron Packard (R-Carlsbad) and C. Christopher Cox (R-Newport Beach), did not face primary challenges.

Democrat Eugene C. Gratz ran unopposed in the 40th District and will challenge Cox in November.