Write-in candidates pull off an upset

Lolita Harper

COSTA MESA -- Two high-profile write-in candidates celebrated Tuesday

night as a late -- and highly unlikely -- campaign to unseat a besieged

Orange County Superior Court judge seemed headed for victory.

With 726 of 2,094 of the county’s precincts reporting, a group of 11

write-in candidates had 57.4% of the vote. Incumbent Judge Ronald Kline,

who is under house arrest relating to child pornography and molestation

charges, garnered only 42.6%. His percentage steadily declined as the

night wore on, leading his challengers to rejoice.

Former Daily Pilot columnist Gay Sandoval, who prosecuted child

molesters and others while she was a deputy district attorney, was the

first to challenge Kline. She opened the door for 10 other write-in

candidates, including Costa Mesa Councilwoman Karen Robinson.

At press time, the Orange County registrar of voters had not released

tallies for the individual candidates. Kline’s defeat was official

because he did not gain 50% of the vote.

“It was all worth it, and I’m glad I didn’t get discouraged by all the

people who told me it couldn’t be done,” Sandoval said.

Robinson said she was happy the Orange County voters educated

themselves about the facts and turned out votes for a race that is

largely neglected.

“I am just so happy that Orange County paid attention and that the 11

write-in candidates brought it to the forefront so the people could do

something about it. And so far, it looks like they are,” said Robinson,

who in a telephone interview was barely audible over the celebration

going on in the background.

Political analysts consistently said the write-in campaign was nearly

impossible to win. In addition to unseating an incumbent -- an uphill

battle in itself -- write-in candidatesmust count on voters to remember

and write in their names and then punch the corresponding chad.

Sandoval said she was glad to let those naysayers eat a little crow.

“I just want to call up all those people who said there was no chance,

that it was impossible, that we would never be able to educate the

voters,” Sandoval said. “I knew we could do it.”

It appears the two top vote-getters will compete in a runoff in

November, except for the highly unlikely chance that one write-in

candidate gained more than 50% of the overall votes.

While the Kline judgeship race was the most publicized in the county,

a handful of other Newport-Mesa residents ran for seats in other offices.

Vickie Ann Bridgman of Newport Heights kept a solid lead in the race

for Office No. 22, with 47.1% of the votes.

Corona del Mar resident Glenda Sanders led in Office No. 27 with 46.8%

of the vote.