GOP Assembly hopeful talks experience

Alex Coolman

NEWPORT BEACH -- The Republican candidate for the state Assembly seat

in the 70th district, John Campbell, paid a visit to the Balboa Bay Club

on Thursday, charming an audience of Republican women with stories and an

occasional impression of Al Gore.

Campbell hopes to inherit the seat now occupied by Assemblywoman

Marilyn Brewer (R-Newport Beach), who will vacate her seat because of

term limits.

He is challenged by a wider range of opponents than any other local

candidate, including Democrat Merritt McKeon, Libertarian Bob Vondruska

and Reformer Ray Mills.

But Campbell didn’t appear to be worried about competition. He told

his audience that Republicans were making strong gains in California as

Texas Gov. George W. Bush closed the gap with the vice president.

“If Bush takes California, he wins. He’s president. Period. That’s

pretty important,” Campbell said.Campbell pointed to preliminary results

showing a strong turnout among absentee voters. Although the party

affiliation of the absentees could not be known, the candidate said he

thought the high numbers of ballots being sent indicated a groundswell of

Republican support.

“It’s a very early but encouraging sign that our base is energized,”

he said.

Most of Campbell’s brief address was focused not strictly on policy

but on a description of the perspective he said he would bring to

Sacramento.

Specifically, he said, his experience as a businessman, as an

accountant and as a fourth-generation Californian would give him a

concrete background lacking in the capital.

“I have been shocked to discover how little perspective, particularly

among the Democrats, there is on the real world,” Campbell said.

The Republican caught flak for his own lack of participation in the

“real world” from Anna Vondruska, campaign manager for Libertarian

contender Bob Vondruska.

She argued that Campbell’s appearance before a roomful of his

supporters was no substitute for participation in public debates with his

fellow candidates, something Campbell has ducked.

“Sure, he can do little luncheons, but he won’t go in public,” she

said. “I haven’t seen him participate even with a Democrat in any kind of

question-and-answer deal [or do anything] other than ride on the

Republican name,” she said.

It is possible that the Republican’s sense of humor wouldn’t go over

so well in a formal debate. But Campbell did get a good laugh from his

GOP audience for a talented skewering of Gore, who he imagined taking

credit for Thomas Jefferson’s ideas.

“It’s so much fun to see these stories [from Gore],” Campbell said.

“It’s unfortunate. We’re going to miss them.”