New Day of Two-Party Politics

After months of national attention and a torrent of analysis and speculation, the most expensive congressional race in the nation has come to a decisive end. Incumbent Democratic Rep. Loretta Sanchez soundly defeated her garrulous predecessor, former Republican Rep. Robert K. Dornan, in the 46th Congressional District election.

Sanchez’s win brought finality to a matchup of two colorful political personalities. For several years, this pairing has captivated the attention of political observers across the land and brought into sharp outline the emerging political potential of Latino voters in Southern California. The results and the conclusiveness of Sanchez’s victory ought to put to rest the distractions of the first term and allow her to focus fully on the needs of a district that stands as an emblem of Orange County political and ethnic diversity.

In 1996, Dornan succumbed to a lifelong dream to run for president, which opened the question of whether he represented the needs and aspirations of constituents in a changing landscape. The 46th’s status as a place transformed by immigration was dramatically evident in Sanchez’s narrow victory at that time. The time and money diverted in subsequent investigations into the status of those who voted in that election only distracted for a moment from the fundamental new reality.

Orange County was left with a redefined political geography in its heartland, where an old alliance of blue-collar Democrats and other ethnic voters no longer was reliable or sufficient to elect Republicans. Evidence could be found elsewhere. That same year, Democrat Lou Correa made a close run at incumbent Anaheim Republican Assemblyman Jim Morrissey in the 69th Assembly District, which covers some of the same terrain. This time, Correa decisively won the rematch battle. In the similar 34th State Senate District, Democrat Joe Dunn defeated incumbent Republican Rob Hurtt.

So now, in central Orange County at least, we have newly emerging two-party politics. The long-anticipated involvement of the Latino voter has given some of the impetus to this change. But today bread-and-butter issues of education, safe streets and economic hopes also cut across party and ethnic lines.

A few years ago, there were no Democrats representing Orange County in Sacramento and Washington. Soon there will be three. This remains of course a county dominated by conservatives and moderates. That both parties are capable of producing candidates who can appeal to our citizens is a good thing for the county and for its political discourse.