Nguyen no longer a GOP outsider

Orange County Supervisor Janet Nguyen has turned to the county’s GOP establishment to help pay off roughly $100,000 in debts stemming from her election to the Board of Supervisors and a protracted legal battle to keep the seat.

The county’s party chairman, Scott Baugh, will hold a fundraiser for her at his Irvine law office May 10, seeking donations of $250 per person, or $1,600 to be considered an “event sponsor.”

Among those underwriting the event are lobbyists and trade groups with regular business before the county, including representatives of builders, hospitals and doctors.

The event is significant because Nguyen was something of an outsider in the Feb. 6 special election: The party did not officially endorse a candidate, and most key players aligned behind Santa Ana Councilman Carlos Bustamante or Nguyen’s chief rival, Garden Grove schools trustee Trung Nguyen.

The campaign’s debt puts Nguyen in a sizable hole, and Orange County’s strict campaign finance law, which prohibits donations larger than $1,600, will require her to raise dozens of maximum contributions from separate donors to pay it off.

Her expenses from the legal battle continue to mount, and she must run another race next year, when her seat comes up for its regularly scheduled election.

In a not-so-subtle jab at Trung Nguyen’s ongoing legal effort to overturn the election’s razor-thin result, Baugh said, “To me, there’s a winner, and it’s time to unite behind that winner.” Other Republicans agreed.

Trung Nguyen was initially thought to have won by seven votes, but Janet Nguyen emerged as the victor by three votes after a recount and court fight.

The case is now on appeal.

Janet Nguyen’s last campaign finance filing showed roughly $8,000 in cash on hand, with $11,000 in outstanding expenses.

But Dave Gilliard, Nguyen’s campaign consultant, said more current figures showed that Nguyen’s campaign debts ranged from $100,000 to $120,000, from consulting and legal fees, so-called win bonuses for people who worked at a discount and possibly funds that Nguyen lent to her own campaign. A more current snapshot of the campaign’s finances will not be filed until the end of July.

“We think it’s important for the party to come together,” Gilliard said.

“It’s very important to the party to make sure she’s reelected next year, and important to the Democrats to try and beat her. It’s more than symbolism.”

Mike Schroeder, a top Republican operative who is a lawyer for Trung Nguyen, said he had no problem with Baugh and Nguyen holding the fundraiser but took issue with the characterization of her as the election “winner.”

“I don’t share that view until the court of appeal rules,” he said. “It’s not at all clear she’s going to be holding that seat for very long.”

The Orange County Lincoln Club, a top GOP group, is a co-chair of the event with Baugh. Honorary hosts include the four other supervisors, Sheriff Michael S. Carona, Dist. Atty. Tony Rackauckas and several of Orange County’s Republican legislators.

Trung Nguyen and his top elected backer, Assemblyman Van Tran (R-Garden Grove), are not listed among the elected officials supporting the event.

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christian.berthelsen @latimes.com