In This Race for Supervisor, El Toro Debate Is the Noisiest

Plenty of issues in the general election separate Orange County Supervisor Jim Silva and his challenger, Dave Sullivan. But the fight over plans for a commercial airport at El Toro has nearly consumed their race for a board seat.

With airport plans progressing on 3-2 votes by the board, a victory by the anti-airport Sullivan over the pro-airport Silva would change the balance of power and turn the single biggest issue in county politics upside down.

Throughout the county, backers and opponents of the proposed international airport have rallied to support the candidate they favor, even though most don’t live--and can’t vote--in the northwest communities that make up the 2nd District.

What is happening in the 2nd District is endemic to the entire county as the controversy over plans to replace the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station continues to dominate the political landscape.

“It is a significant problem in Orange County that the airport is an all-consuming issue,” said Costa Mesa Mayor Peter Buffa. “We may be losing focus on other issues that are just as important.”

While the airport has become the defining issue in county politics, both Silva and Sullivan say they are trying to turn their attention to other matters. The district’s voters aren’t as interested in the airport as it might seem, they say.

Indeed, Los Alamitos resident Patricia Elevi, said she hears constantly about the airport but it’s not a key issue that will have an impact on her daily life. “It’s not a big thing because it’s so far away,” she said.

Yet the candidates accuse each other of making the airport the top issue, one that has been the primary catalyst behind their fund-raising.

“I’d say the fund-raising has been dominated by El Toro,” Sullivan said. “But voters will decide to vote on issues that are in the 2nd District.”

Silva said: “I’m running my campaign on my last four years in office, and the issues that are important to my constituents.”

To be sure, both candidates have addressed crime, development of the Bolsa Chica mesa and job creation as part of their platforms. But the airport issue is never far from the surface.

On Wednesday, nearly 100 residents of Leisure World in Laguna Hills opposed to the airport organized a bus trip to the 2nd District to try to persuade fellow seniors in Seal Beach’s Leisure World to vote for Sullivan.

On Tuesday, about 150 airport foes in South County picketed a $1,000-a-plate fund-raiser for Silva at the Coto de Caza home of developer William Lyon, who called in sheriff’s deputies to disperse the crowd.

Sullivan this weekend sent out mailers featuring anti-airport Supervisor Todd Spitzer questioning Silva’s “integrity and honesty.” The mailers are related to Silva’s support for a new contract for county Chief Executive Officer Jan Mittermeier, whom Spitzer and other anti-airport forces oppose.

Spitzer accused Silva of “flip-flopping” on the Mittermeier issue and withdrew his endorsement of the supervisor. But on Saturday, Spitzer said he didn’t know anything about the mailer and hadn’t seen it.

While major business executives support Silva, both for his airport and pro-development stands, the airport issue alone has ignited Sullivan’s campaign.

Silva has raised $291,000 so far, compared with Sullivan’s $270,000.

Some voters in the 2nd District say they do not consider the airport to be a critical issue, though many have become interested in the controversy.

Seal Beach resident Mike Mancini, who isn’t sure yet whom he will vote for, said that an El Toro airport “will impact my life but it will not impact my decision as to who to cast a ballot for.”

Times staff writer Jean O. Pasco contributed to this report.