A behind-the-scenes look at Orange County’s political life : Financially, Candidate Dornan Is Matchless; He Hopes Not for Long

The U.S. Treasury last week began paying out federal matching funds to presidential candidates, but Rep. Robert K. Dornan was left off the list. It seems the Garden Grove congressman has not applied for the funds, but should know within a few days whether he qualified by raising $5,000 in each of 20 states from contributions of $250 or less.

“We are so close,” said Dornan’s campaign manager, daughter Theresa Cobban. “We have money from all 50 states, but in some we are close to the $5,000 mark.”

In debt and strapped for money, the campaign has decided to place Dornan’s name on primary ballots only in states that don’t have filing fees. Their focus, as it has been from the start, is in New Hampshire, the first primary state, and Iowa, where the first delegate-selection caucuses will be held. Both votes are next month.

“We have no regrets,” Cobban said of their strategy. “At this point, we have done everything we set out to do. Dad is there with the message.”

And Cobban added that no matter what happens, Dornan plans to run for the GOP presidential nomination again in 2000.

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Battling Bob: Some predict that Dornan could face a serious challenge in the March primary, with two challengers, Felix Rocha Jr. of Fountain Valley, an Orange County Board of Education trustee, and Katherine H. “Kathy” Smith of Anaheim in the race.

Smith, 55, an Anaheim resident for 31 years and the wife of a physician, said last week that she will spend $100,000 of her own money on the race. She is also well-known in the county for her anti-gang, anti-drug activism.

“I’m a very conservative, Republican woman . . . but I’m going to offer fresh new ideas. The old ideas have not worked,” Smith said.

Rocha, 50, who is also running for another school board term, said he’ll spend “less than $500” of his own money, but “I’m taking donations.”

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Newt Gingrich

Ron Packard

Here comes Newt: Security will be extremely tight for Saturday’s Orange County visit by House Speaker Newt Gingrich, said Mike Eggers of Dana Point, an aide to Rep. Ron Packard (R-Oceanside). Gingrich, who will attend an event with Rep. Sonny Bono (R-Palm Springs), will be on hand for Packard’s 65th birthday celebration at the Hyatt Regency Irvine.

“Security will be very, very intense. I’ve got an 11-page list of things that have to be done,” said Eggers, adding that it took a one-hour conference call on Thursday to iron out all the details with Gingrich’s advisors and the private security firm traveling on the trip. “Maybe this has something to do with his approval ratings.”

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Bob and Dan show: Why not have some fun? That’s the theory that will drive the campaigns of two South County Democrats from Dana Point, Robert D. Wilberg and Dan Ferrell, who are running against two heavy favorites, Assemblyman Bill Morrow (R-Oceanside) and Packard, respectively.

With Democrats outnumbered in South County nearly 2-1, Wilberg and Ferrell say they will join forces and walk precincts together, go to forums together and, whenever possible, crack wise at the expense of their opponents.

They say the highlight of their campaigns would be an appearance with talk show hosts Mark and Brian, who made national headlines for taking a shower with former San Francisco Mayor Frank Jordan in a publicity stunt.

“You have to bring the shower caps,” Ferrell told Wilberg.

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Dueling endorsements: Candidates Jim Beam and Bill Campbell, both Republicans running for Assembly in the 71st District, are staging a fierce battle to outdo each other in the number of endorsements they receive.

Beam, of Orange, issued a recent press release trumpeting his endorsement by Sheriff Brad Gates. But the complete list of officials backing his candidacy includes County Supervisor William G. Steiner and former Supervisor Gaddi H. Vasquez, and goes on for more than a page.

Campbell, of Villa Park, includes state Sens. Rob Hurtt (R-Garden Grove) and Richard Mountjoy (R-Arcadia), as well as Assemblyman Mickey Conroy (R-Orange), who is leaving the seat to run for county supervisor, on his list. But Campbell’s list also goes on for more than a page.

UPCOMING EVENTS

* Wednesday: Presidential candidate Steve Forbes will be the special guest at the 1996 Winter Dinner sponsored by the California Republican Party and the Golden Circle at 6:30 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency Irvine. Information: (818) 841-5210.

* Wednesday: The Orange County Coordinating Republican Assembly will have its annual convention at 7:30 p.m. at Garden Grove Community Center, 11300 Stanford. Information: Doug Thomson at (714) 637-3019 or Steve Brody at (310) 430-8400.

Compiled by Times staff writer Len Hall, with contributions from Times staff writers Gebe Martinez, David Reyes and Eric Bailey.

Politics ’96 appears every Sunday. Items can be mailed to Politics ‘96, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626, or faxed to (714) 966-7711.