Santa Ana Mayor Young Won’t Seek Reelection : Politics: Instead, he backs Councilman Miguel A. Pulido Jr. in his bid to become city’s first Latino leader while making plans to run for Congress or Assembly.

Stating that it is time to leave office and “allow new leadership to move on,” Santa Ana Mayor Daniel H. Young said Tuesday he will not seek reelection in 1994. Instead, he said he will back Mayor Pro Tem Miguel A. Pulido Jr., widely expected to run for the post in November. “Miguel would become our first Hispanic mayor, and with the demographic changes (in the city), I think it’s time for that,” Young said. “He’s got marvelous people skills to get through the troubling things we have in our city, like crime and gang problems.”

Young, who has served on the council since 1983, first became mayor in 1986, two years before switching from the Democratic to the Republican Party. But he said he sees no problem in supporting Pulido, a Democrat. “He has a wealth of experience,” Young said. “He’s well on his way to putting together a very strong campaign.”

Pulido said he is raising money and “knocking on doors” in preparation for the mayor’s race, but will not officially declare his candidacy until early next year. He called Young’s support a “tremendous honor and a very strong and powerful endorsement.”

Candidates for the mayoral race must file applications by Aug. 12.

Young also is getting his own campaign rolling, but this time for the 46th Congressional District.

Rep. Robert K. Dornan (D-Garden Grove) now holds that seat, and Young said he will jump into the race if Dornan does not run for reelection, as he has hinted. An invitation for the mayor’s next fund-raiser in Santa Ana on Dec. 8 features a picture of Young and the caption: “Mayor Young goes to Washington.”

Dornan on Tuesday repeated what he has told reporters before--he will make known his decision to seek reelection sometime near Christmas.

If Dornan decides to seek reelection to Congress, though, Young has indicated he might run for the 69th Assembly District seat now held by Assemblyman Tom Umberg (D-Garden Grove).

Young believes his main support lies in central Orange County, which Umberg represents, because he has been reelected in Santa Ana five times. “I’ve got hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of name recognition,” Young said.

Umberg is raising money for a possible run in the state attorney general’s race, but will not officially announce his plans until January, an Umberg aide said Tuesday.

If neither opportunity materializes, Young said he will concentrate on his family and development business. “I’m perfectly comfortable with leaving public office and never looking back,” Young said.

Young cited his main accomplishments in the city as fostering the growth of neighborhood associations, increasing business development and improving relations between the city government and the school district.

“Dan’s provided good leadership,” City Councilman Thomas E. Lutz said.

Pulido said it is too early to speculate about what he would do if he became mayor. But he said he might, for example, try to get the city a federal enterprise zone designation. “I don’t know if I’d say it’s different (from Young’s approach as mayor)--it’s just a sign of reacting to a new international reality.”

In addition to the mayor’s post, City Council positions now occupied by Pulido, Robert L. Richardson and Patricia A. McGuigan are up for election in 1994.

Times staff writer David Lesher contributed to this story.