Is He in Senate Race? Dornan Will Say Monday : Politics: The congressman was coy about his intentions Friday, but he sounded like someone getting ready to seek higher office.

Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove), who for months has hinted that he may run for the U.S. Senate seat to be vacated by retiring Democrat Alan Cranston, will announce a formal decision Monday in Los Angeles.

In an interview Friday, the conservative stalwart was coy about his intentions but talked like a politician ready to seek higher office. Dornan had just finished a stint as guest-host of conservative humorist Rush Limbaugh’s national radio talk show.

“When you’re sitting on a national radio show, talking to all 50 states, and people are calling in very nicely telling you to run for the presidency, let alone the Senate . . . you get to thinking about it real hard,” Dornan said.

“But I am going to be very disciplined and embargo all comments until Monday,” he added. The announcement is scheduled to be made at 11 a.m. at the Los Angeles Press Club.

Dornan, 58, a staunch opponent of abortion and homosexual rights, is known in the capital as an often emotional orator who has taken advantage of cable television coverage of House proceedings to get his message out through frequent “special order” speeches at the close of House business.

“I am the best known of all 45 (California) congressmen, and I plan to stay that way for the foreseeable future,” Dornan said, “given radio shows like this one, and a lot of TV coverage and a lot of hard work.”

Dornan’s only other bid for the Senate, in 1982, ended in failure; he received only 8% of the vote in the Republican primary.

If Dornan chooses to run, he would face at least two rivals for the Republican nomination for Cranston’s Senate seat: Rep. Tom Campbell (R-Stanford), a former Stanford University law professor from the so-called Silicon Valley high-technology center south of San Francisco, and conservative Los Angeles television commentator Bruce Herschensohn.

Herschensohn lost a bid for the GOP Senate nomination in 1986 to moderate Republican congressman Ed Zschau. Campbell now represents Zschau’s old district.

Three Democrats have announced for the Cranston seat: Former Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr., Lt. Gov. Leo T. McCarthy and Rep. Barbara Boxer (D-Greenbrae), whose district is in Marin County. Rep. Mel Levine (D-Santa Monica) and state Controller Gray Davis are also said to be considering entering the race.

Dornan has said he would not seek the other California Senate seat up for grabs next year. The post is now held by Republican Sen. John Seymour, whom Gov. Pete Wilson appointed in January to fill Wilson’s unexpired term. Seymour is being challenged in the Republican primary by another conservative Orange County congressman, Rep. William E. Dannemeyer (R-Fullerton).

“I wouldn’t challenge Bill,” Dornan said. “That’s a tougher shot and a bigger problem for the party.”

The latest Los Angeles Times Poll, taken May 18 through 21, found Dornan would trail Campbell 24% to 21% in a Republican primary, with Herschensohn, at 20%, finishing third. The margin of error for the poll was plus or minus 5 percentage points. Among conservatives, Dornan finished second behind Herschensohn, 28% to 25%, with Campbell trailing with 22% of the vote.

Dornan is a skilled fund-raiser: He has averaged about $1 million a year for election years over the past decade. He draws on a nationwide base of conservative direct-mail givers.

But direct-mail is an expensive way to raise money. Last year, for example, Dornan reported raising a total of $903,231 but had only $176,488 on hand as of Jan. 1, 1991, according to documents filed with the Federal Election Commission.

Dornan was first elected to the House in 1976 in a western Los Angeles County district that he served for three terms. After reapportionment forced him out of that district, Dornan moved to Orange County and ran in the 39th Congressional District in 1984, defeating Democrat Jerry M. Patterson. He has been reelected three times.