CALIFORNIA ELECTIONS / CONGRESS : Bush Headlines Dornan Fund-Raiser in Irvine : The former President sees a chance for ‘significant change’ in Congress with GOP tide.

Predicting a year of “significant change” in the makeup of Congress, former President George Bush briefly hit the campaign trail again Wednesday to rally support for Rep. Robert K. Dornan at a fund-raiser in Irvine.

Bush was the star attraction among a constellation of Orange County Republicans, including congressmen and state legislators who back the Garden Grove incumbent in his bid for a ninth term.

“I’m thrilled to be here with Bob Dornan,” Bush told about 230 Dornan supporters at the Chanteclair Restaurant. “He’s been a loyal friend, and if we had our differences, it didn’t obscure the overall picture. I strongly support him.”

However, Dornan’s Democratic challenger, Mike Farber, said the Bush visit shows the Dornan campaign is in a “serious tailspin.”

“After the mean and disrespectful remarks Dornan made about Bush after the 1992 election, it’s awfully generous of the former President to try and lend his respectability to a man whose personal conduct and professional incompetence has been an embarrassment to himself and Orange County,” Farber said.

Dornan suggested after Bush’s defeat in 1992 that the President’s endorsement hadn’t helped him much.

Dornan said Bush offered to appear at the fund-raiser Wednesday because he was in Los Angeles for a business meeting.

“Can you picture me saying I don’t want a former U.S. President here?” Dornan said.

Bush urged supporters to vote to ensure Republican victories. Political observers note Republicans have a reasonable chance of capturing a majority in Congress for the first time since the Dwight Eisenhower Administration.

“I believe this will be a year of significant change,” Bush said. “I’ve sensed it all over the country.”

Bush also accused the press of a “national rampage” against conservative politicians.

“Politics isn’t as fun as it used to be,” he said.

Before Bush’s remarks, Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-Huntington Beach) taunted the short-lived Democratic strategy called “BeatBob Inc.” aimed at ousting the eight-term congressman.

“Last year we heard cries of ‘Beat Bob,’ ,” Rohrabacher said. “We are grateful to have George Bush here today to say, ‘Win, Bob, win.’ ”

Dornan supporters seemed equally enthused by the Bush visit, and believed it would increase momentum before the election.

“I think this will really help,” said Tom Tracy, a businessman from Santa Ana. “But you can’t get cocky because last time it turned into a very close race.”

Dornan also used the gathering to parade a blowup of a photo of the crowd at the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 1963 march on Washington that apparently includes him. Farber recently challenged Dornan’s claim that he had participated in the event.

“There’s no doubt about it,” said Dornan, pointing to the photo. “That’s me.”