<i> A behind-the-scenes look at Orange County’s political life</i> : Speaker Newt Gingrich, at Nixon Library, Mum on County Bankruptcy

He signed books for two hours and talked only briefly, but House Speaker Newt Gingrich still managed to touch on a variety of topics at the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace in Yorba Linda last week.

* Gingrich on the federal budget: “We’re obligated to balance the budget. The last time we had a truly balanced budget was under President Eisenhower.”

* On welfare: “The Republican Party is absolutely committed to pursuing genuine welfare reform.”

* On a new plan for Medicare that the GOP will present in early September: “Any senior citizen who prefers the current system can stay on it. . . . Everyone will have the right to choose other approaches.”

* On advice to the Board of Supervisors of bankrupt Orange County: “Oh no, I’m not going to get into that. It’s a big challenge, but that’s why I believe in local government.”

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Money train: Rep. Ed Royce (R-Fullerton), a sophomore member of Orange County’s congressional delegation, actually raised the most funds during the first six months of the Republican “revolution” (not counting the presidential campaign fund of Garden Grove Republican Rep. Robert K. Dornan).

Fund-Raising Efforts

Money raised, spent by Orange County’s congressional delegation, all Republicans, between Jan. 1 and June 30:

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Congressman Net raised Net spent Cash on hand Christopher Cox (R-47th) $122,928 $49,052 $440,085 Robert Dornan* (R-46th) 3,130 75,306 34,333 Jay C. Kim** (R-41st) 90,046 74,695 23,372 Ron Packard (R-48th) 45,269 21,330 130,755 Dana Rohrabacher (R-45th) 35,125 68,573 10,440 Ed Royce (R-39th) 142,873 54,891 92,812

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* During same reporting period, Dornan raised $139,827 for his presidential campaign.

** Kim has outstanding debt of $305,684.

Source: Federal Election Commission;

Researched by GEBE MARTINEZ / Los Angeles Times

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In the running: Federal campaign records also show several candidates for Dornan’s Central County seat next year. Among those filing reports were Republican Phil Yarbrough of Santa Ana, who raised less than $5,000, and Katherine Hatch Smith, an Anaheim Republican who filed a statement of candidacy.

Among the Democrats exploring the race, former Capitol Hill staffer Jim Prince of Santa Ana had contributions totaling $33,745. Mike Farber, the Santa Ana businessman who lost to Dornan in 1994, raised $118,629 but did not itemize most of his donations. He mailed a national anti-Dornan letter earlier this year to raise money.

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Motor voters: County residents are already taking advantage of the new “motor voter” law that allows them to register to vote at Department of Motor Vehicles offices, said Rosalyn Lever, county registrar of voters. In Orange County, about 160 registrations per day were made at DMV offices throughout the month of July, Lever said.

“That represents about 26% of all the registrations we received during that month,” Lever said. “That, of course, will increase as we come closer to a major election.”

California was late in implementing the national “motor voter” law because Gov. Pete Wilson delayed it. He was sued by the American Civil Liberties Union, however, and after two federal courts ruled against him, the law went into effect on June 19.

Lever said no statistics are yet available on how many of the registrations were new voters or those changing an address or party affiliation. Lever said she expects the new law to ultimately increase the number of registered voters in the county by 20%.

Statewide, nearly 100,000 Californians took advantage of the new law in the first 45 days after it went into effect, according to the secretary of state’s office.

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Quiet November: What was expected to be a slow election season in November just got even slower. Because nearly all of Orange County’s cities, schools and special districts have switched their elections to even-numbered years, only the Santa Margarita Water District Board of Directors and the Orange Unified School District Board of Education were scheduled for November races.

But the water board election was canceled Aug. 11 because no one bothered to challenge any of the five incumbents, all of whom filed for reelection and will be appointed to new terms.

In ever-contentious Orange Unified, three of the district’s seven trustee areas were scheduled for elections. One incumbent, trustee Robert H. Viviano, was unopposed and will also be appointed to a new four-year term. Board President Maureen Aschoff and trustee Bill Lewis, however, have been challenged.

Aschoff, a four-year member of the board, said that she will base her campaign on familiar issues: “Local control, educational reform and the agenda of the people versus the agenda of the unions,” she said. Gloria I. Wildman, a counselor for the disabled, will run against Aschoff.

Lewis, also ending his first term, is facing two challengers: Sue McCann, a business manager for the Garden Grove Unified School District, and David Gernak, an accountant. Both challengers are parents and said they are distressed by the antagonism between the board and the teachers.

UPCOMING EVENTS

* Monday: The general meeting of the Republican Central Committee of Orange County will be held at 7 p.m. at the Westin South Coast Plaza hotel in Costa Mesa. The public is invited. Call (714) 556-8555 for more information.

* Tuesday: The Los Alamitos Rotary Club will hold a debate on the proposed recall of Assembly Speaker Doris Allen (R-Cypress) at noon at the Ramada Inn, 5865 Katella Ave., Cypress. Tickets are $15. Call Joe Partise at (310) 799-8540 for more information.

* Friday: A luncheon honoring Speaker Allen will be held at 11:30 a.m. at the Irvine Marriott hotel, 18000 Von Karman Ave. Call (714) 586-6584 for more information.

Compiled by Times staff writer Len Hall, with contributions from staff writer Gebe Martinez and correspondent Lesley Wright.

Politics ’95 appears every Sunday.