<i> A behind-the-scenes look at Orange County’s political life</i> : Guy Rogers, the Reigning King of Petitions

When it comes to circulating petitions, Guy Rogers is a man on a mission. He wants another vote on a commercial airport at the El Toro Marine base and has walked all over South County to get it. Rogers, a 75-year-old Leisure World resident, has knocked on doors in Mission Viejo, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel and Irvine in the process of circulating 375 petitions by himself.

Rogers is a member of the Taxpayers for Responsible Planning, a group opposed to building the airport, which hopes to put an initiative on the March ballot.

“I’ve never done anything like this in my life,” said Rogers, the former owner of a wholesale industrial chemical distributorship. “I don’t know why all of a sudden I became so gung-ho about it, but it just began to mean something to me. Why do we need another airport? There’s only one reason, so Newport Beach can move John Wayne Airport down here.”

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After Gaddi: A favorite pastime among government watchers is handicapping the contenders in the race to succeed Supervisor Gaddi H. Vasquez, who is scheduled to step down Wednesday (but may stay longer if needed). Gov. Pete Wilson will make the decision on the next supervisor.

The front-runners include:

* Lisa Hughes: A divorce attorney who lives in Coto de Caza and is a member of the Orangewood Children’s Foundation board of directors. It doesn’t hurt that she’s close to Irvine Co. officials and goes to the same church as state Sen. Rob Hurtt (R-Garden Grove).

* Frank Greinke: Owns an oil firm in Orange and is a member of the conservative, influential Lincoln Club. He is the former mayor of Tustin and co-chaired the anti-Measure R campaign.

* Don Saltarelli: Real estate broker, lobbyist and another respected former Tustin mayor.

* Gary L. Granville: The county’s clerk-recorder is popular on both sides of the aisle and not afraid to speak his mind. Being a former journalist is not held against him.

* Thomas A. Fuentes: There was talk that he wanted to run against Vasquez even before the bankruptcy. Acknowledges that after 10 years, he has surpassed unofficial term limit as chairman of the county Republican Party.

* John Ben: President of the South Orange County Chambers of Commerce, a Lincoln Club member, owns an Orange chemical company, member of Saddleback College Foundation board. He’s choice of Assemblymen Mickey Conroy (R-Orange) and Bill Morrow (R-Oceanside).

* Joe Hernandez: Former president of the South Orange County chambers, insurance salesman. He failed as a Lake Forest City Council candidate but could be a dark horse.

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Umberg II: Robin Umberg is considering running as a Democrat for the Assembly seat her husband, Tom Umberg, held until his unsuccessful run against Atty. Gen. Dan Lungren last year.

The 69th District seat is currently held by Jim Morrissey (R-Santa Ana). Robin Umberg said that a number of people have been “approaching me for months” about running and “I am feeling flattered that they think I would do a good job.”

“I really have to figure out if I can balance the demands of being a mom and military person and doing a quality job for constituents,” she said.

The Umbergs, who live in Garden Grove, have three children ages 7, 9 and 12. Robin, who is a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve, is chief nurse of the 349th General Hospital (HUM) in Santa Ana.

Since leaving office after two terms, husband Tom has practiced law in Newport Beach and continues to take an active role in Democratic Party politics. He was one of the main organizers of President Clinton’s trip to Orange County last week.

One thing pushing Robin to run is spousal revenge. “It would be a way to show Tom what it is like to be a legislator’s wife,” she said.

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City vs. city: After five contentious years, the war between south Laguna Beach and Laguna Niguel over the 22-unit hilltop project owned by Las Vegas casino owner Jack Binion ended last week. Or did it?

The Laguna Niguel City Council approved the project despite the concerns of the South Laguna Civic Assn., whose members live beneath it and are worried about floods and landslides. But the association had a junior partner--the city of Laguna Beach--providing support with letters and consultant fees.

The approval left Laguna Beach considering its options, which include: “Doing nothing, appealing to the state Coastal Commission, negotiating with [Binion] and litigation,” City Manager Kenneth C. Frank said.

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Promises, promises: Presidential candidate and Orange County Congressman Robert K. Dornan now says he will announce in mid-November whether he will seek reelection to the 46th Congressional District or stay in the national GOP contest. (All bets are that he’ll be reclaiming his seat in the House.)

Having earlier set a deadline of early October to announce his political plans, Dornan is now holding out hope that he can qualify for federal matching funds and prolong his presidential campaign.

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Courting the elephants: The recent visit to the White House by Cal State Fullerton’s national championship baseball team was, in some ways, a “makeup” session. President Clinton initially was supposed to congratulate the team in a telephone call to be broadcast during a celebration at the Titans’ baseball field.

But the President’s debate in New Hampshire that same day with House Speaker Newt Gingrich ran overtime, and the President missed the call.

Before the Rose Garden ceremony, Rep. Ed Royce (R-Fullerton), a 1977 Cal State Fullerton graduate, gently jabbed his host, who hails from the University of Arkansas. “I should mention [Cal State Fullerton] won their first World Series back in 1979 at the expense of the University of Arkansas.”

UPCOMING EVENTS

* Wednesday: Barbara Coe, sponsor of Proposition 187, will speak to the Newport Harbor Republican Women at 11:30 a.m. at the Balboa Bay Club. Information: Lee Frodsham at (714) 837-0278.

* Wednesday: State Sen. Ross Johnson (R-Irvine) will speak to the Seal Beach Republican Women Federated at 10:30 a.m. at the Pasta Grotto restaurant. Information: Jody Weir at (714) 598-3610.

* Thursday: Assemblyman Bill Morrow (R-Oceanside) will host an afternoon luncheon at noon at the Holiday Inn in Laguna Hills. Information: (714) 489-2404.

Compiled by Times staff writer Len Hall, with contributions from Times staff writers Gebe Martinez and Peter Warren and correspondent Frank Messina.

Politics ’95 appears every Sunday.