First Woman, Latina to Chair Democratic Party Committee : Politics: She says she will continue strategy of electing four Democrats to local office next year.

Dorianne Garcia has been chosen to lead the Orange County Democratic Party’s Central Committee, becoming the first woman and Latino to hold that position.

Central Committee members on Monday night unanimously selected Garcia, 35, of Cypress. Previously vice chair of the county party, Garcia replaces Howard Adler, who resigned last month for health reasons. She ran unopposed.

Noting that she is a working mother and a union member, Garcia said Tuesday that local Democrats can expect some changes from the way the Central Committee was led by her affluent male predecessors.

“It’s going to be a very different committee, just because I see things differently,” she said.

But Garcia, a Pacific Bell communications technician, said she plans to continue Adler’s announced strategy of electing four Democrats to local offices next year.

The four offices targeted include those held by Rep. Robert K. Dornan, state Sen. Rob Hurtt and Assemblyman Curt Pringle, all Republicans from Garden Grove. The fourth effort would be to protect the seat held by Democratic Assemblyman Tom Umberg of Garden Grove, who is considering a race for state attorney general.

“With that (strategy) in mind,” Garcia said, “we need to work very hard to strengthen the Democratic registration in those areas.”

Garcia ran unsuccessfully for a state Senate seat last year against Sen. Marian Bergeson.