Dornan, Kim Appear Likely GOP Winners

Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove) seemed likely to capture the GOP nomination for the 46th Congressional District, while three Democrats were locked in a tight battle Tuesday night to challenge him in November.

In the 41st Congressional District, which dips into Orange County, incumbent Rep. Jay C. Kim (R-Diamond Bar) appeared likely to capture the GOP nomination over Upland businessman Bob Kerns. If he wins, Kim will face Democratic challenger Richard L. Waldron, who ran unopposed, as well as candidates from the Libertarian and Natural Law parties.

None of the other candidates in Orange County’s congressional districts--the 39th, 45th, 47th and 48th--faced primary opposition. They will face off in November.

In the 46th district, Dornan was fending off two challengers from his own party and appeared to be on his way to capturing the GOP nomination. Dornan’s challengers, Felix Rocha Jr. and Katherine H. Smith, had asserted that Dornan had neglected voters by also pursuing the Republican presidential nomination.

The voters of the 46th District seemed understanding late Tuesday.

Dornan, a conservative firebrand who has represented the heavily Democratic district since 1984, said he was looking forward to the November general election.

“Faith, family and freedom,” Dornan said, would be his themes in the general election. “I hope my opponent is Jim Prince because he is an honorable guy and I promise to debate him.”

It wasn’t clear who Dornan’s opponent would be late Tuesday.

Three Democrats--Michael P. Farber, Loretta Sanchez and James Prince--were locked in a close battle late Tuesday, with Farber and Sanchez nearly neck and neck.

The Democrats have high hopes of unseating Dornan. The district, which covers Garden Grove and parts of Santa Ana and Anaheim has a Democratic majority of 54% to 46%.

But the Democrats have been confident before, and Dornan has always managed to defeat them.

This year, four Democrats challenged Dornan: Farber, a 35-year-old businessman; Robert J. Brennan, 56, a heavy-equipment operator of Anaheim; Prince, 33, a former congressional aide of Santa Ana; and Sanchez, 36, a public-finance specialist of Garden Grove.

Farber emphasized economic issues, saying the government needed to take a more active role in helping workers deal with changes in business.

Farber, who lost to Dornan two years ago, said he was hoping for another shot.

“We need someone who’s going to take a more proactive role locally,” Farber said. During the campaign, Farber was chided for not showing up at several candidate forums. He responded that he could reach far more voters by mail and telephone--and he had the money to do it. Farber raised nearly $500,000, most of any candidate.

Farber campaigned without the endorsement of the Democratic Party, which backed Prince.

Prince worked for the Farber campaign for several months in 1994. He raised some $203,000.

Sanchez, a former finance manager for the Orange County Transportation Authority, emphasized jobs and education. She accused Dornan of neglecting his district, and contrasted that with her deep roots in Anaheim.

“The fact is, I believe I know the district much better than he has ever gotten to know it. We walked door to door asking for votes. Up until five minutes to eight, I was still on the phone asking people for votes,” Sanchez said.

Dornan, 63, is something of a political institution in Southern California. The former talk show host served as U.S. representative from the Santa Monica area from 1976 to 1982, then lost a run for the U.S. Senate before winning in Orange County in 1984.

Dornan is an outspoken conservative and one of President Clinton’s most caustic critics. He champions the free market, denounces abortion rights and is critical of the U.S. deployment of troops in Bosnia. He wants to abolish the income tax and the Internal Revenue Service.

Dornan has not faced a congressional primary challenge since his 1992 tussle with former Orange County Superior Court Judge Judith M. Ryan.