O.C. Wilson Supporters Must Rethink Own Options : Politics: Dole or Powell expected to lure most of his moderate backers. Gramm campaign sees a boon and O.C.’s own Dornan exults in outlasting governor.

Gov. Pete Wilson’s announcement Friday that he is pulling the plug on his presidential campaign could prompt the governor’s small cadre of Orange County supporters to back Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole or unannounced candidate retired Gen. Colin L. Powell, according to observers of the race for the White House.

Campaign consultants said Texas Sen. Phil Gramm--who has made inroads with local conservatives--is unlikely to attract many of Wilson’s followers, who are generally considered more moderate.

“A big chunk of those people who supported Wilson on philosophical grounds . . . will probably go with Dole,” said Harvey Englander, a Huntington Beach political consultant. “But I think a lot of them, in their hearts, are probably wishing for Colin Powell. I don’t see Gramm picking them up.”

Several party insiders said the kingpin of Wilson’s Orange County following--billionaire Irvine Co. Chairman Donald L. Bren--would most likely end up supporting Dole. But one Irvine Co. official said Bren--who contributed more than $100,000 to Wilson during last year’s gubernatorial campaign--hasn’t even begun to consider alternatives.

“I fully expect Mr. Bren is going to sit back and help the governor sort this out and be whatever assistance he can as the campaign unwinds and sifts through its financial situation,” said Larry Thomas, Bren’s spokesman and himself a longtime Wilson backer. “I expect he would be deliberate and thoughtful and probably cautious before he committed himself to another candidate.”

Even if Bren does back another candidate, Thomas said, that person probably would not receive the same level of support enjoyed by Wilson, a longtime friend of Bren’s.

“It would surprise me if Donald Bren were to take any kind of a presidential campaign to the magnitude he has for Pete Wilson,” Thomas said. “The few times he has become involved, they’ve been with people he has come to know personally and admire personally.”

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Officials in the Gramm camp, however, rejected the notion that their candidate won’t gain support in Orange County now that California’s favorite son candidate has pulled out.

“We were already doing well in Orange County,” said Gary Koops, press secretary for the Gramm campaign. “I think we’re going to do better. This was very good news for us.”

“Gov. Wilson’s decision to withdraw makes the race for California’s delegates more competitive than ever, and Phil Gramm is best situated to benefit because of his early successful efforts in our state,” added Rep. Christopher Cox, a Newport Beach Republican and California co-chairman of the Gramm campaign.

Cox pointed out that Gramm has the endorsement of the Republican leaders of both houses of the Legislature, and that one of Wilson’s followers, Republican Congressman Bill Baker of Danville, promptly threw his endorsement to Gramm.

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Orange County’s Republican political establishment, which is dominated by staunch conservatives, never really seemed to warm to the idea of a Pete Wilson presidency.

Despite being the state’s top official, the governor did not raise large sums of money in the county. Wilson gleaned just $117,750 in the first half of the year, compared with $109,550 for Gramm and $87,175 for Dole, according to financial statements. Moreover, Orange County conservatives such as state Sen. Rob Hurtt (R-Garden Grove) were among the more vocal critics of the governor’s presidential bid.

While most politicos suggested Dole or another moderate will reap most of the fund-raising advantage, the unknowns in the equation are Powell and Texas billionaire Ross Perot.

If Powell, the former Joint Chiefs chairman and Operation Desert Storm commander, launches an outsider bid for the presidency or Perot manages to establish a third party and makes a run, many of Wilson’s supporters in Orange County could head their way.

“It’ll be a mixed bag,” said Supervisor Marian Bergeson, a former state senator who was Wilson’s running mate as an unsuccessful candidate for lieutenant governor in 1990. “Much will depend on what happens with the third party and Colin Powell.”

Orange County’s own presidential candidate chortled at news of Wilson’s presidential demise.

Congressman Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove) who now says he will continue his long-shot run to become the nation’s chief executive through the New Hampshire primary in February, acknowledged great satisfaction that he had survived longer in the presidential sweepstakes than California’s better-known governor.

“Unbelievable,” Dornan said. “I have always had this strange feeling that I would, because he had no message.” He added that Wilson’s political troubles were “wounds he inflicted on himself.”

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Money Matters

During the first six months of this year, Gov. Pete Wilson was the top GOP fund-raiser in Orange County, but he topped his nearest rival by less than $10,000. County funds raised, in donations of at least $200, Jan. 1-June 30:

Gov. Pete Wilson: $117,750

Sen. Phil Gramm (Texas): $109,550

Sen. Bob Dole (Kansas): $87,175

Patrick J. Buchanan: $6,100

Note: Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove) raised $750 during the same period.

Source: Federal Election Commission; Researched by MURIELLE GAMACHE / Los Angeles Times