MISSION VIEJO : 2 School Candidates Quit, Support Others

Two candidates among a crowded field vying for seats on the Saddleback Valley Unified School District Board have decided not to run and have pitched their support behind a pair of other hopefuls.

Arleen Brown and Kathy Kirlin announced Wednesday that they will pull out of the race and campaign for Sandie Gonzales and Pamela S. Rush.

The move trims to eight the number of candidates seeking two seats in the district of 29,000 students. It serves Lake Forest, Laguna Hills, Trabuco Canyon, Portola Hills and parts of Mission Viejo and Rancho Santa Margarita.

Two incumbents, Dore J. Gilbert and Bobbee Cline, are running for reelection, and announced a joint campaign in late July.

The November election could turn into a potential three-way battle of tandem candidacies seeking to control the balance of power on the fractured board.

Two other candidates, with a more conservative agenda, are considering whether to campaign as a team.

Dave Schultz said Thursday that he and Pat Soriano have talked about running together as a way to capture more votes.

Schultz and Soriano have been labeled by opponents as advocates for positions favored by the religious right. But Schultz downplayed religious beliefs and said that such labels are misleading.

The two remaining candidates in the race, Williams (Bill) J. Goodwin and Susan Krumpotich, also have been labeled conservatives.

Schultz said he and Soriano would probably benefit by running in tandem if Goodwin and Krumpotich pulled out of the race but said he didn’t see the field shrinking.

Krumpotich said Thursday that she is not quitting.

“Bill and I are the best candidates out there,” Krumpotich said. Goodwin could not be reached for comment.