CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS / ORANGE COUNTY CONGRESSIONAL RACES : Primary to Be a Cakewalk for GOP Incumbents

Just a little more than two months ago, Rep. Robert K. Dornan was preparing for the campaign fight of his life against Democrat Ron Kovic, a well-known and potentially well-financed opponent whose political views are the antithesis of Dornan’s.

But Kovic, the Vietnam veteran whose life story is told in the movie “Born on the Fourth of July,” decided not to run at the last minute.

In the wake of Kovic’s decision, Democrats turned to Planned Parenthood official Barbara Jackson, who is also the political opposite of the conservative Dornan (R-Garden Grove).

But Jackson also dropped out of the race, although her decision came too late to keep her name off the June 5 ballot. That left Dornan, who is unopposed in the primary, with potentially only one Democratic opponent next fall: Art Hoffman, a supporter of political extremist Lyndon LaRouche.

Orange County Democrats are so concerned that Hoffman might be their party’s standard-bearer in the 38th Congressional District that they have endorsed Jackson, even though she has withdrawn from the race.

In contrast to 1988, when there were two open congressional seats in Orange County and millions of dollars were spent on the campaigns, the 1990 congressional primary campaigns have been relatively quiet.

None of the other Republican incumbents whose districts include Orange County--Reps. Ron Packard (R-Oceanside), C. Christopher Cox (R-Newport Beach), Dana Rohrabacher (R-Lomita) and William E. Dannemeyer (R-Fullerton)--are facing a primary challenge. And there are only two contested Democratic primaries in the county’s five congressional districts.

Packard, whose 43rd District includes San Clemente, will not have to face a Democratic opponent in the fall because one potential challenger was found to be ineligible. Eugene C. Gratz, an attorney from Laguna Beach, is the only Democratic candidate in the 40th District. He will be competing against Cox, who is completing his first term in office, in November.

Meanwhile, three Democrats are battling for the right to challenge Rohrabacher, whose 42nd District includes Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley, and four are seeking the nomination to run against Dannemeyer in the 39th District.

In the 42nd District, one of the Democrats is the man Rohrabacher defeated in the last general election, Guy C. Kimbrough. Rohrabacher won that race by a margin of 64% to 33%, spending almost $500,000 to Kimbrough’s $12,000.

Rohrabacher’s 42nd District stretches along the coast from Huntington Beach north to the Palos Verdes Peninsula. The district is predominantly Republican, with a GOP edge in registration of about 53% to 36%.

Despite his loss in 1988, Kimbrough, a political science instructor from Huntington Beach, said he received more votes than any Democrat seeking the seat since 1978. And building on his recognition from the last race, Kimbrough said he believes he can do better this year.

In his first term, Rohrabacher has received much attention for his opposition to the National Endowment for the Arts. He is a leader in the fight to cut funding for the program after a scandal was sparked last year when critics said an art display funded by the NEA was obscene.

For that reason, Kimbrough and the other Democrats charge that Rohrabacher is not representing the issues important to his district.

“I have yet to meet a Republican who is not really angry at Dana Rohrabacher,” said another Democratic candidate, Bryan W. Stevens, a retired high school teacher from Rolling Hills Estates. “He is associated with Sen. Jesse Helms (R-North Carolina), and (Helms) is the No. 1 evil in the country.”

The other Democrat in the race is James Cavuoto, a publisher of periodicals and literature related to computers. Cavuoto’s edge in the primary has been his endorsement by the state Democratic Party.

On the issues, the positions of all three Democrats are similar. All three support a ban on additional offshore drilling and a phase-out of existing wells. Rohrabacher supports additional wells if they are approved by the nearest community.

All three Democrats favor abortion rights, while Rohrabacher opposes legal abortion. And all three Democrats would favor some form of higher taxes to reduce the deficit. Rohrabacher opposes any increase.

Dannemeyer’s 39th District covers Orange County’s northeast corner, including Orange, Fullerton, Brea and Yorba Linda. Republicans in the district also hold an edge in registered voters by 57% to 34%.

For several years, Dannemeyer has been most active in legislation calling for the isolation of AIDS patients and opposing gay rights laws. For that reason, he is also being criticized by the four candidates for the Democratic nomination for not representing issues important to the district.

“The people deserve better service than he has given them,” said Democrat Anthony J. Roberts of Brea, owner of a bagel bakery. “It is the job of government officials to work to end discrimination, not promote it.”

Another Democratic candidate, John W. Black, added, “I think (Dannemeyer) tends to glorify the things that divide the American people.”

Black, a law professor from Newport Beach, has been criticized by the other candidates because he does not live in the district, although it is not a requirement for congressional races.

Democratic candidate Francis X. Hoffman, an attorney from Anaheim, said he decided to run because he wanted to be certain that Dannemeyer faces opposition in November.

“I’m doing this to be sure the American system has the elements it needs to prosper, which is two responsible opposing viewpoints,” he said.

The fourth Democratic candidate in the race, Truman Swann of Anaheim, could not be reached for this story.

Dannemeyer has maintained a low campaign profile, dismissing any suggestion that his seat might be threatened. About his competition, he said: “I know very little about any of the Democrats who are running. It would be presumptuous of me to say anything about them before the primary.”

CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES 38th Congressional District Robert K. Dornan

Party: Republican

Age: 57

Home: Garden Grove.

Occupation: Incumbent

Background: Elected to Congress 1984; broadcast journalist, talk show host; 1982 candidate for U.S. Senate. Served in the Air Force, 1953-1958.

Issues: Supports a ban on additional offshore oil wells; opposes abortion rights; supports the death penalty; favors a modest reduction in defense spending; opposes a tax increase to reduce the deficit.

Art Hoffman

Party: Democratic

Age: 34

Home: Santa Ana

Occupation: Technical writer (declined to identify employer)

Background: Former technical writer at Western Digital in Irvine; 1986 candidate in 40th Congressional District; 1984 candidate in 39th Congressional District. Supporter of Democratic activist Lyndon LaRouche.

Issues: Supports nuclear power as an alternative to oil wells; opposes abortion rights; opposes the death penalty; would not cut defense spending; opposes a tax increase to reduce the deficit.

Democratic candidate Barbara Jackson’s name appears on the ballot, but she has withdrawn from the race.

39th Congressional District William E. Dannemeyer

Party: Republican

Age: 60

Home: Fullerton

Occupation: Incumbent

Background: Elected to Congress, 1978; former deputy district attorney; former city attorney in Fullerton. California assemblyman, 1963-66 and 1976-77.

Issues: Supports expansion of offshore oil drilling; opposes abortion rights; supports the death penalty; favors a modest reduction in defense spending; opposes a tax increase to reduce the deficit.

John Woodland Black

Party: Democratic

Age: 64

Home: Newport Beach

Occupation: Law professor, Western State University College of Law, Fullerton

Background: Former law practice; 1972 Democratic nominee in 39th Congressional District.

Issues: Undecided on increase or decrease of offshore oil drilling; favors abortion rights and public funding for some abortions; supports the death penalty; favors a 50% reduction in defense spending over five years; favors federal cutbacks to reduce the deficit and additional taxes if necessary.

Francis X. Hoffman

Party: Democratic

Age: 41

Home: Anaheim

Occupation: Attorney

Background: Attorney since 1983; graduate of Pepperdine Law School; trustee on Orange County Board of Education since 1984; 1986 Democratic nominee in 32nd State Senate District.

Issues: Opposes additional offshore oil drilling and will consider removal of existing wells; opposes a law to prohibit abortions early in pregnancy and will support additional restrictions if they are enforceable; supports the death penalty; favors a modest reduction in defense spending; favors federal cutbacks to reduce the deficit and additional taxes if necessary.

Anthony J. Roberts

Party: Democratic

Age: 28

Home: Brea

Occupation: Co-owner of Southland Bagel Co.

Background: Bagel company owner since 1983; UC San Diego, economics major; master’s degree in business administration from USC.

Issues: Opposes additional offshore oil drilling; supports abortion rights and public funding for some abortions; supports the death penalty; says it is too early to determine whether defense cut is appropriate; opposes tax increase to reduce the deficit.

Democratic candidate Truman Swann could not be reached for information.

42nd Congressional District Dana Rohrabacher

Party: Republican

Age: 42

Home: Lomita

Occupation: Incumbent

Background: Elected to Congress in 1988. Former Orange County Register editorial writer; speech writer and special assistant to President Ronald Reagan, 1981-1988.

Issues: Supports more offshore oil drilling if it is approved by the nearest community; opposes abortion rights; supports the death penalty; supports defense cuts from the so-called peace dividend if done in unison with the Soviet Union; opposes tax increase to reduce deficit.

James Cavuoto

Party: Democratic

Age: 33

Home: Torrance

Occupation: Owner of publishing company for computer-related literature.

Background: Former editor of Lasers and Applications magazine in Torrance; public relations officer with Hughes Aircraft Co. Has a biomedical engineering degree from Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland.

Issues: Opposes additional offshore drilling and supports a phase-out of existing wells; favors abortion rights and public funding for some abortions; opposes the death penalty; supports a 10% reduction in defense spending this year and 50% “within a few years”; supports a tax cut for middle-income taxpayers and an increase for upper-income taxpayers.

Guy C. Kimbrough

Party: Democratic

Age: 44

Home: Huntington Beach

Occupation: Political science instructor, Mount San Jacinto College.

Background: College instructor for 20 years. Former administrative positions with the cities of Huntington Beach, Garden Grove and Manhattan Beach. 1988 Democratic nominee in 42nd Congressional District.

Issues: Opposes additional offshore drilling and supports a phase-out of existing wells; favors abortion rights and public funding for some abortions; supports the death penalty; favors a 5% minimum cut in defense spending now and about 25% by 1995; supports a tax increase to reduce the deficit.

Bryan W. Stevens

Party: Democratic

Age: 68

Home: Rolling Hills Estates

Occupation: Retired teacher, San Marino High School.

Background: Former president of the California Teachers Assn.; 1950 candidate for 58th Assembly District; 1964 Democratic nominee for 24th Congressional District; 1966 candidate for 25th Congressional District; former public relations consultant.

Issues: Opposes additional offshore drilling and will consider reduction of existing wells; favors abortion rights and public funding for some abortions.