Rohrabacher vs. Dornan could mean money

Alicia Robinson

Local political observers expect to see a bundle of money poured into

the March Republican primary race between Rep. Dana Rohrabacher and

conservative talk show host Bob Dornan.

Dornan, a former congressman with a colorful history, surprised

fellow Republicans last week when he filed to run against Huntington

Beach’s Rohrabacher in what was expected to be an uneventful race.

“Money is the key, always,” UC Irvine political science professor

Mark Petracca said. “Dornan’s going to need a big bag of cash to

carpet bomb the district [with campaign literature.]”

Historically, Dornan has been a strong fundraiser with myriad

small contributors, Petracca said. And if Dornan is raising and

spending a lot of money, Rohrabacher may have to follow suit,

something he wasn’t expecting to do in the March election.

Dornan’s campaign coffers aren’t exactly brimming yet -- his

latest report filed with the Federal Elections Commission listed less

than $37,000 cash on hand as of Sept. 30, compared with the $156, 600

Rohrabacher had as of that date. But in the past, Dornan has been a

formidable fundraiser, netting contributions of $3.7 million in

1997-98 elections while Rohrabacher raised just $316,700 in the same

election cycle.

Some Republicans are worried that because Rohrabacher has an

opponent in the primary, his campaign will require dollars he usually

gives to the support of other Republicans.

‘We’re always concerned when Republican dollars are spent in a

primary election,” Orange County Republican Party Chairman Tom

Fuentes said.

Rohrabacher has always been a generous giver to other candidates,

said Carl Forti, National Republican Congressional Committee

spokesman.

“From the NRCC standpoint, we’re 110% behind Mr. Rohrabacher, and

we’ll give him any assistance he needs,” Forti said.

While money is important, it won’t be the sole factor in winning

the race. Image will also count, and onlookers expect personal

attacks to be part of the campaigning.

Dornan’s record -- included a tussle with a fellow congressman and

alleging that illegal votes helped Rep. Loretta Sanchez beat him in

1996 -- gives Rohrabacher ammunition to undermine Dornan’s

credibility, Petracca said.

But Rohrabacher will need to watch his back.

“If [Dornan is] at all serious about doing this, he’ll fight tooth

and nail, and it’ll be a very, very vicious campaign,” Petracca said.

While both candidates are likely to be asking for money as March 2

draws closer, Rohrabacher can count on some support from an

unexpected quarter.

“Anything I can do to make sure that Bob Dornan does not represent

me is what I feel I must do,” said William Orton, a Costa Mesa

Democrat and former candidate for the 67th Assembly District seat.

While he’ll support a Democrat in the general election, Orton said

he dislikes Dornan enough that he’d help Rohrabacher with fundraising

for the primary.

“I’m going to send Dana Rohrabacher a check,” Orton said.

* ALICIA ROBINSON covers business, politics and the environment.

She can be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail at

alicia.robinson@latimes.com.