<i> A behind-the-scenes look at Orange County’s political life</i> : County Democrats Headst for White House Reception, Issue Briefing

White House-bound: County Democrats Howard Adler, Richard O’Neill, Chris Townsend and Mark Lee are on their way to Washington this week for a day of briefings with senior officials and a reception with President Clinton. According to Adler, a Laguna Hills-based shopping center developer and former county Democratic Party chairman, the Administration wants to talk to California business people about goals and about the issues facing the nation, including health care and crime.

Adler says he is going to tell Clinton’s advisers that they are doing a poor sales job on the health-care plan, which he maintains is good for small business, not the liability it is often perceived to be.

“I don’t think they have sold this plan well to small business,” says Adler, 51. “The message hasn’t come through that small companies with, say 100 employees or less, will actually do better under the Clinton plan. Right now, we are subsidizing the minority of businesses--those companies who don’t pay employee health benefits--and that ticks me off.”

On the crime bill, now stalled in Congress, Adler will suggest that the Administration find a way to sidestep the death penalty debate--perhaps making it a separate issue entirely--and get the bill passed quickly. “The death penalty appeal issue is holding the entire bill hostage,” Adler says. “I’m upset. The sooner we get more cops on the street the better.”

*

Same job: With the recent arrival of conservative political consultant Ed Rollins to the Michael Huffington Senate campaign, the question became: What does this do to former Orange County supervisor Bruce Nestande’s role? Some insisted Rollins’ arrival meant a demotion for Nestande, who has worked for Santa Barbara-based Huffington since his successful run for Congress in 1992. But Nestande insists that is not so and that there has been no shake up in the operation.

“Ed was brought aboard because he’s a very successful political consultant and manager,” says Nestande, now a resident of the north Tustin area, who is working in Huffington’s Costa Mesa office. “He did Reagan’s campaigns and has good knowledge of California. He’s helping us develop our overall campaign strategy. My main focus is networking with the political establishment in California.”

*

Silly season: It is candidate filing time in local races and Orange County’s powerful, conservative Lincoln Club will get involved at both the city council and school board levels, according to club vice presidents Tom Malcolm and Ron Meer. Neither would say whether the club will back a Republican candidate to challenge Anaheim Mayor Tom Daly, a Democrat who is up for reelection in November.

“Yes, the club does take an interest in local races. We’re trying to get more active in local issues,” says Malcolm, an Irvine attorney. “We’re looking for good candidates to run for higher offices.”

Adds Meer: “It’s not our policy to play headhunter or seek out people, but if somebody is interested in running for office, we’re interested in talking to them.”

Around the county:

* In Orange, rumors persist that 65-year-old Mayor Gene Beyer will file for reelection despite his ill health and such poor attendance that officials covered his name on the voting board, although some of his supporters are quietly trying to persuade him not to run. So far, the only other mayoral candidate is Councilwoman Joanne Coontz.

* In Newport Beach, Long Pham, 43, is a council candidate who, if elected to one of four open seats, would be the county’s second Vietnamese American to hold public office after Westminster Councilman Tony Lam. The distinction matters little to Pham, a mechanical engineer and five-year Newport Beach resident. “It is not that I don’t think about the Vietnamese community. But I think first about the community I live in.”

* In Irvine, Mayor Michael Ward surprised the crowd at last week’s council meeting by sporting a black eye patch and earring, part of a Leukemia Society fund-raising gimmick. “This is going to be great during the reelection campaign,” said Ward, who is seeking a second term as mayor. “I can see it now.”

* In Huntington Beach, Mayor Linda Moulton Patterson--a candidate for county supervisor--said two rumors floating around Surf City are false. She is not running a co-campaign for City Council nor will she seek a council appointment if she loses the supervisor’s race to her rival, fellow Councilman Jim Silva. “I’m committed to run for the Board of Supervisors,” she said.

*

Moving west: Everyone keeps insisting that Assemblyman Ross Johnson (R-Fullerton) will move west to the coast and make a run for state Sen. Marian Bergeson’s seat in a special election after Bergeson takes over as county supervisor in December. If so, Johnson would be facing Assemblyman Gil Ferguson, who has already announced he wants the seat, and possibly Assemblywoman Doris Allen (R-Cypress). The speculation increased after Johnson held a recent fund-raiser in Sacramento. So far, Johnson’s not admitting it, nor, however, is he denying the rumors.

Compiled by Times staff writer Len Hall, with contributions from correspondents Bob Elston, Lesley Wright, Debra Cano and Shelby Grad.

Latino Officeholders

The following are the number of Latinos holding office in Orange County:

Total Number Total held by Latinos of positions as of April, 1994 in May, 1992 County government 18 2 1 Municipal* 170 10 9 School boards 87 18 13 Special districts** 176 1 1 Judicial 107 7 6

*Includes council members and city clerks who are elected rather than appointed.

**These are agencies such as water districts, library districts and community services districts.

Sources: Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Orange County division of League of California Cities and Registrar of Voters.

*

Politics ’94 appears every Sunday.