INSIDE SCOOP

-- Compiled by the Daily Pilot staff

Much has been made lately of rumors that Rep. Christopher Cox

(R-Newport Beach) is going to be President Bush’s nominee for a federal

judgeship.

The political hopefuls have come from all directions, literally.

Glendale? Yes. Irvine? Of course. Virginia? Sure, good old “B-1” Bob

Dornan is said to mulling a return to Capitol Hill via Newport Beach.

Cox, however, has been -- depending on the day -- noncommittal or

downright dismissive of the rumor. He’s happy, he says, being one of the

top Republicans in the House.

That’s understandable, given his “fifth-ranking Republican” status as

chairman of the House Policy Committee.

He may want to reconsider, however, given the power rankings put out

by YoungCongress.com on Friday. While California as a whole is the most

powerful state in the Union (above Texas, New York, Florida and Ohio),

Cox isn’t even in the top five for the state, counting both

representatives and senators.

He just misses at No. 6 for California, and No. 49 out of 437 members

of Congress.

So let the rumors continue.

Settling down with an ocean view

We’ve got to give it to Councilman Gary Proctor. The man has a healthy

sense of humor. After hearing last week that Proctor had bought a house

in the city, we asked him where he’d be moving to.

“Corona del Mar,” came the response and after letting us sweat there

for a second, he burst out laughing.

Of course he’s not moving to the village by the sea. He represents

West Newport Beach on the council and is required to live in his

district.

Recently, another paper had reported that Proctor’s actually living in

San Jose. That’s wrong, though. About once a week, he commutes to

Northern California, where he has a second law firm. And his wife and

kids moved there a few years ago to take care of ailing family members.

For the last 18 months, Proctor has rented a condominium with three

bedrooms. While he’d been looking to buy a place for six months, he said

his district’s high percentage of rentals had limited his options.

Down by the beach, homes went for $1.2 million, he said. The condo

he’s buying costs under $500,000 and is in the same complex he’s been

living in until now.

Proctor said he expects to move in once escrow closes in mid-May. He

might not be right by the water, but he’s very happy about his new ocean

views, he said.