Bush win could mean new possibilities for congressman

Alicia Robinson

Now that President Bush has won reelection, expect a new round of

speculation from the pundits on which of his cabinet members will

seek other jobs and who might replace them.

A recent article on the www.govexec.com website suggests Newport

Beach Rep. Chris Cox would likely make the short list to replace

Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge, should Ridge take a

private-sector job. Cox now chairs the House Homeland Security

Committee.

Based on history, it’s advisable not to read too much into such

idle musings. Earlier this year, Cox was a rumored choice to replace

George Tenet as CIA director, and the congressman has been mentioned

as a potential senatorial and vice presidential candidate. Cox

himself has generally declined comment on such hearsay.

Moving beyond

election day

Not content to rest on their laurels or cry in their beers, many

of Tuesday’s winners and losers alike had post-election plans by

Wednesday, and they ranged from the personal to the political.

“Getting married is my next project,” said Van Tran, who won the

68th District Assembly seat, which represents Costa Mesa. On Nov. 20,

he’ll wed fiancee Cindy Nguyen in Sacramento, but before that, he’s

scheduled a more traditional activity for a contest winner: “I’m

planning to go to Disneyland, seriously,” he said.

Libertarian Timothy Johnson, unsuccessful in his bid for the 35th

District state Senate seat, will revisit his political ambitions.

Johnson said he plans to run in 2006 to represent the 73rd Assembly

District, which includes cities in southern Orange County and

northern San Diego County.

Another disappointed Libertarian, Orange County Superior Court

Judge Jim Gray, will return to the bench Tuesday. He took a year

leave of absence to run for U.S. Senate but failed to defeat

Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer.

“I made some very good friends, and I’m proud of what we did,” he

said. “I don’t foresee something like this [election bid] again.”

He’ll also exercise a lesser-known talent, writing musicals.

Gray’s first musical, “American’s All,” was recently performed by

students in Irvine, and he plans to follow it up with one that’s not

just for young people.

“I’m going to write another one, so that’s going to keep me a

little bit busy,” he said.

Gray has a topic in mind, but “it’s not developed enough to talk

about yet.”

New state senator to

move into new digs

Now he can shop on his lunch break.

Newly elected 35th District state Sen. John Campbell will forsake

the Irvine district office he used as an assemblyman to open a new

one in Costa Mesa at Metro Pointe near South Coast Plaza. The Irvine

office was under a lease arranged through the state Assembly, and the

Senate handles its own office leasing, Campbell spokesman Matt Back

said.

Senator-elect Campbell will be sworn in Dec. 6 and expects to move

into the office across from Nordstrom Rack in early December, though

he’ll still divide his time between Sacramento and Orange County.

“We’re looking forward to being in Costa Mesa, and I think the

office will be nicely located for where the senate district is,”

Campbell said.

President signs

Cox ROTC bill

President Bush on Friday signed a law written by Cox that bans

research grants or other federal homeland security funding to

colleges and universities that discriminate against students enrolled

in ROTC programs.

The ROTC accounts for 70% of the U.S. Army’s newly commissioned

officers, but some schools still maintain Vietnam-era bans on ROTC

recruiting on campus, a statement from Cox said.

“This new law makes it clear that if you discriminate against the

U.S. armed services, you should not try to cash in on U.S. taxpayer

funds for national defense, intelligence and homeland security,” Cox

said in the statement.