‘60% Rule’ Would Trouble O.C. Lawmakers

A proposal to require members of Congress to raise 60% of their campaign funds within their own districts might cause considerable grief for members of Orange County’s delegation on Capitol Hill, only one of whom came close to that percentage during the last election.

But the good news for county lawmakers is that even if the House of Representatives approves the measure, scheduled to be debated this week, the Senate has already rejected another bipartisan campaign finance reform bill and is not expected to take up the issue again before the November election.

The controversial legislation, proposed by Rep. Bill Thomas (R-Bakersfield), seeks to empower congressional constituents and bolster the clout of political parties.

It would require candidates to raise 60% of their campaign money from within their congressional districts. But it also would raise the limit of individual contributions from $1,000 per election to $2,500.

Ellen Miller, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics, a Washington group that monitors campaign spending, said the bill would allow a smaller number of wealthy donors to spend more money on campaigns.

“It allows Congress to become more beholden to the economic interests that finance their campaigns,” Miller said. “If they pass anything, it’s a rhetorical statement, not a statement that they are sincere about reform.”

Raising 60% of campaign funds within a single district could be a serious problem for Orange County lawmakers. During the 1994 election cycle, only Rep. Christopher Cox (R-Newport Beach) came close to doing that, according to statistics on contributions of $200 or more compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics.

Candidates are not required to list contributions of less than $200, and the Federal Election Commission does not tabulate them.

Rep. Robert K. Dornan (R-Garden Grove) would have the worst problem adjusting. Individual contributions within his district comprised just 3.5% of his $2.2-million war chest.

Meanwhile, more than 96% of the individual contributions of $200 or more that Dornan raised for his reelection bid came from elsewhere around the country.

Dornan and his staff declined comment.

Rep. Ed Royce (R-Fullerton) said he supports the measure, even though he raised just 30.2% of his funds inside his district in 1994. “Sixty percent is fine with me,” Royce said. “I think it strengthens the local role.”

Royce also likes the legislation because it would allow contributors to give more money than ever to political parties, which could then redirect the money to a candidate for Congress. “That makes for a more competitive national election, especially for a challenger running against an incumbent,” he said.

Cox easily achieved the delegation’s best record for fund-raising within the district, collecting 51.1% of his contributions from his affluent district, centered in Newport Beach.

Rep. Jay C. Kim (R-Diamond Bar) raised 17.4% of his funds inside his district; the figure for Rep. Ron Packard (R-Oceanside) is 22.2%; and Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach) brought in 36.2% from his district.

Rohrabacher said he favors the legislation but hasn’t made a final decision on it, press aide Dale Neugebauer said.

The Center for Responsive Politics is critical of the provision in the bill requiring a majority of money to be raised within the congressional candidate’s district.

“If you are white and Republican, it works real well. But if you are a minority or a woman, you are in deep trouble trying to raise money,” Miller said.

A study by the group concluded that expanding the fund-raising boundary to an entire state is a fairer system, because it would aid candidates from poorer districts.

Also contributing to this report was Times staff writer Gebe Martinez.

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Fund Seekers

Orange County’s six representatives would have to rethink fund-raising strategies should a bill requiring members of Congress to raise 60% of campaign funds within their own districts become law. Source for individual contributions of $200 or more, 1993-94 election cycle.

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Robert K. Doran, R- Garden Grove

Outside District: 96.2%

Inside District: 3.6%

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Jay C. Kim, R- Diamond Bar

Outside District: 81.6%

Inside District: 17.4%

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Ron Packard, R- Oceanside

Outside District: 75.7%

Inside District: 22.2%

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Ed Royce, R- Fullerton

Outside District: 69.3%

Inside District: 30.2%

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Dana Rohrabacher, R- Huntington Beach

Outside District: 63.5%

Inside District: 36.2%

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Christopher Cox, R- Newport Beach

Outside District: 46.9%

Inside District: 51.1%

Note: Numbers do not add to 100% because of some contributions could not be determined.

Source: Center for Responsible Politics