<i> A behind-the-scenes look at Orange County’s political life</i> : Dornan Feels Reagans’ Pain at Naked Aggression Shown by Daughter Patti

Worse Than Caning: Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove) was all in a froth the other day over the appearance of former President Reagan’s daughter, Patti Davis, in the pages of this month’s Playboy magazine wearing nothing but a suntan.

Dornan, a staunch Reagan loyalist, was waving around the nude photographs of Davis and making a tizzy about it to anyone who would listen. The irascible congressman wondered aloud why Davis would do such a thing.

“What she’s doing is, she’s caning her parents,” Dornan groused, “and caning your parents in their head and heart is worse than on the behind.”

Most galling of all, Dornan sighed, was that Davis posed with Hugh Hefner’s dog.

*

Big Bucks: With the appearance of mega-millionaires like Ross Perot and Michael Huffington on the political scene, much has been made of the effect of personal wealth on politics. But if last Tuesday’s primary election proved anything, it’s that money can’t buy political love in Orange County.

Haydee V. Tillotson finished third in the race for a county supervisor’s seat after loaning her campaign $342,000. Tillotson spent $19.35 a vote in a losing cause, the equivalent of a nice meal for three at Denny’s.

Allied Business PAC, the group of wealthy Christian business leaders who have bankrolled numerous conservative candidates and causes during the past three years, forked over nearly $160,000 to Irvine Councilman Barry J. Hammond, who finished third in the GOP primary in the 70th Assembly District. Allied spent $12.35 for each vote Hammond got.

*

Here Comes the Judge: Attorney Thomas G. Reinecke, who ran in the 70th Assembly District’s GOP primary, is facing behind-the-scenes criticism from fellow attorneys that he has been improperly using his credentials as judge pro tem.

A few have pointed out in letters to Superior Court Judge Donald E. Smallwood that Reinecke uses the title in his Yellow Pages ad and has included a picture of himself on the bench in campaign literature. As presiding judge last year, Smallwood authored a policy prohibiting such things.

Reinecke said he was not aware of the policy, but he said the state Legislature has sanctioned the use of the title in political materials, and that he checked with the Municipal Court in Newport Beach’s lead judge before doing so. “Those attorneys are incorrect,” he said. “I am a judge pro tem and proud to be one and I will continue to be a judge pro tem.”

*

Bad News Bears: If they were a baseball team, the Republican Majority Coalition would be the cellar dweller in the American League West.

Although the squad of moderate Republicans sought to put 21 new faces on the conservative-dominated Orange County Republican Central Committee, only three got elected last Tuesday.

“The big push failed,” crowed Matthew Cunningham, a conservative who didn’t let the loss of his own central committee seat dampen his delight. “It’s just another unsuccessful salvo in the liberal jihad.”

*

A Morrissey by Any Other Name: Jim Morrissey, the Republican candidate for the 69th Assembly District, wasn’t the only Jim Morrissey to show up at the candidate’s Santa Ana campaign headquarters on election night.

Several men named Jim Morrissey called up the Morrissey campaign office to ask about their namesake. One stopped by the candidate’s Santa Ana headquarters to pick up a political sign for his desk. Another drove from the northern reaches of the county to participate in the Morrissey celebratory party.

“Morrisseys are just coming out of the woodwork,” said Tom Morrissey, of Buena Park, the older brother of Jim (yes, the candidate) Morrissey. “We’re very prolific.”

*

Electrical Voting: One voter last Tuesday was willing to go to the extreme to vote--anywhere, that is, except his neighborhood polling place. The voter called county officials, complaining that he was afraid to cast his ballot because of a high-voltage line above his polling station. He was given directions to the registrar of voters office in Santa Ana so that he could vote there.

*

Quote of the Week: “It took lots of sun block on my head.” --Jim Morrissey on the shoe-leather effort that helped him win the 69th Assembly GOP primary.

Political Ticker

Orange County politicians saw their public stock rise or fall after Tuesday’s primary election. Here’s our insider assessment of who’s up, who’s down--and who’s out of business.

(Graphic: Up Arrow) * M. Brewer: A moderate from the 70th AD!?!? Forget all those absentee votes to count. This abortion-rights fan is a winner for now.

(Graphic: Down Arrow) * T. Reinecke, B. Hammond: These conservative twins split the vote and let former Demo Brewer get the GOP nod. Shame on you squabbling boys.

(Graphic: Up/Down Arrows) * R. Hurtt: Hammon defeated despite your bucks, but the Morrissey win in 69th AD helps. Come November, can you spare $1 million?

(Graphic: Up Arrow) * T. Moreno: Lost close one in the 69th Demo primary, but the ticker loves the political drama. Career with more plot twists than “Melrose Place.”

(Graphic: Up/Down Arrows) * T. Umberg: So you’re officially the Demo candidate for AG. Big deal! Now comes the hard part against incumbent Lungren.

Politics ’94 appears every Sunday.