Clinton Invites Local Couple to Debate : Politics: Western Digital’s chairman and his wife will represent Orange County at the presidential debate in St. Louis.

Roger W. Johnson, a longtime Republican fund-raiser who defected from President Bush’s camp to support Gov. Bill Clinton, and his wife will attend Sunday’s presidential debate as Clinton’s guests.

Johnson, chairman of Irvine-based Western Digital, and his wife, Janice, apparently are the only Orange County residents to be invited to the debate in St. Louis. Janice Johnson has also been active in the Clinton campaign, recently hosting Hillary Clinton at a political event in Orange County that drew about 800 women.

Johnson will join about five others invited by Clinton who will answer questions from the press after the debate. Each candidate has about 100 tickets for supporters.

“Like all historical events, I’m looking forward to it,” Johnson said.

Johnson said his role as an ardent Republican who endorses the Democratic nominee is a major reason Clinton invited him to attend. He says he does not support Bush because he believes that the President has failed to be a strong leader, especially on economic matters.

Johnson stresses that he has not backed away from his strong support of the Republican party, but supports Clinton’s platform, especially his plans to provide incentives to businesses to help spur growth.

“My views are well-known to the governor and his advisers, as are the views of hundreds of thousands of other businessmen, to whom he has reached out,” Johnson said.

“It’s unusual for candidates of either party to (reach out to businesses). Washington is fairly insular, and he is the first Democrat to reach out to the business community so effectively in dozens and dozens of years,” Johnson said. “He is not the traditional Democrat.”