Realtor considering House run

S.J. Cahn

NEWPORT BEACH -- Ultra-prominent Realtor Bill Cote said Friday he is

considering a run for the Congressional seat of Rep. Christopher Cox

(R-Newport Beach), largely because he doesn’t believe any of those

mulling their own campaigns have true ties to the district.

“I do have a knowledge of the district, and far deeper than them,” he

said.

Cote stressed that he would make no announcement until Cox vacated his

seat.

Earlier this month, word leaked out of Washington that the Newport

Beach representative is one of President Bush’s choices for vacant seats

on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

While Cox has been quiet about the rumor, saying little other than to

reiterate that he is happy as the fifth-ranking Republican in the House,

a number of possible contenders have said they would run if Cox moved to

the federal judgeship.

The list contains state Sen. Dick Ackerman (R-Tustin), Assemblyman

Bill Campbell (R-Villa Park) and Supervisor Todd Spitzer. Others who are

considering a run, or are being courted, include former Assemblywoman

Marilyn Brewer, former Rep. Jim Rogan, Newport Beach philanthropist John

Crean, state Sen. Ross Johnson (R-Irvine) and former state Sen. John

Lewis.

Tustin millionaire Mark Chapin Johnson is the only potential candidate

to firmly say he would run, and he has pledged to spend about $1.5

million of his own money.

Members of the list do not impress Cote by their ties to Newport

Beach, Costa Mesa or Irvine.

“They have no nexus to the community,” he said, adding that they don’t

understand the issues that are important to the area, including the

battle to build an airport at the former El Toro Marine Air base.

As Cox’s district stands now -- and redistricting following the 2000

Census could alter the seat -- Tustin, Villa Park and Lake Forest are all

included. However, Cote emphasized that he has been in the community for

more than 30 years while the politicians on the list have been in

Sacramento or are not from the district at all.

During those 30 years, Cote -- who recently has lived in Irvine but is

in the process of moving back to Corona del Mar -- has been among the

city’s top Realtors, with clients from Joseph Wambaugh to Donald Bren. In

recent years, he has sold homes for baseball legend Brooks Robinson and

owns Orange County’s record home sale of $14.5 million on Harbor Island.

In total, he has sold in the neighborhood of $500 million worth of

property.

Despite that hefty sum, Cote said he “would not try to buy the

election.” Instead he plans to seek “grass-roots level” funding.

If he cannot get that funding, he added, it would show he would not be

able to get the votes, either.

Cote also pointed out that he has never held elected office.

Not yet, anyway.

“This is one time I might make a run for it,” he said.