Candidates eyeing congressional seat

Alicia Robinson

While the seat’s not even open yet, candidates are already lining up

to replace Rep. Chris Cox in Congress, and Irvine state Sen. Dick

Ackerman appears to be leading the pack.

President Bush on Thursday appointed Cox to head the federal

Securities and Exchange Commission, following Wednesday’s

announcement that current SEC Chairman William H. Donaldson will

resign June 30.

Cox, 52, has represented the heavily Republican 48th Congressional

District -- which includes Newport Beach -- since 1988. He’s never faced a serious election challenge, and that has other Republicans

salivating over the seat Democrats have been unable to touch.

So far, the short list of potential replacements for Cox includes

Ackerman, a Republican from Irvine who said he’ll run, and

Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, who hasn’t decided for sure.

DeVore said he’s gotten “a lot of phone calls and e-mails from

people” suggesting that he should run for the seat, but he hasn’t

officially decided because he’s been swamped with Assembly business.

He pointed out that he was one of Cox’s first staffers when the

congressman took office in 1988, and his Assembly district falls

fully within Cox’s 48th Congressional District.

Ackerman said he’s definitely interested, and he noted his 10 1/2

years in the state legislature.

“I think they’re going to look for somebody with experience and

someone that shares the standards and principles of the people in

that district,” he said.

Even though no candidates are official yet, everyone’s got his or

her favorite.

“This is a district that has a lot of money, and money has an

inclination to breed candidates,” former Orange County GOP Chairman

Tom Fuentes said, adding “There are hardly any that could hold a

candle to the studied and insightful understanding of policy that

Chuck DeVore has.”

Former Assemblywoman and state Senator Marian Bergeson said she’d

like to see a woman go for the seat. Out of a number of capable

candidates, Bergeson said, Newport Beach businesswoman Cristi

Cristich “has the qualifications to make an excellent congresswoman.”

Cristich lost to DeVore in the March 2004 primary for the 70th

District Assembly seat.

But for current Orange County GOP Chairman Scott Baugh and Orange

County Supervisor Bill Campbell, the money’s on Ackerman.

“He’s the [Senate] Republican leader. He’s the senator over a

great part of that [congressional] district,” Baugh said. “I think a

lot of folks really like and admire and trust Dick Ackerman, and

they’d like to see him move on to Congress.”

Although nothing can officially happen until Cox is confirmed by

the Senate and vacates his congressional seat, candidates for the job

may start raising money and drumming up support right away.

Within two weeks of Cox leaving office, the governor must call a

special election. A primary will be scheduled in roughly two months,

followed by a general election about two months after that, Orange

County registrar of voters spokesman Brett Rowley said. However, if

any candidate in the primary gets more than 50% of the votes, that

candidate is declared the winner and no general election will be

held.

Other names have surfaced as possible candidates -- including

Assemblyman Todd Spitzer of Orange, former Assemblywomen Pat Bates,

and Marilyn Brewer -- but state Sen. John Campbell said even if a

dozen people express interest, there probably won’t be more than

three serious contenders.

And, he added that he won’t be among them.

“I’m a dyed-in-the-wool Californian, and I have a lot to do in

Sacramento and in state government, and I’m intending to stay here

and do that,” Campbell said.

But the process of replacing Cox may open opportunities for other

Republicans hoping to get into office or move to a new one.

“It’ll mean a series of special elections -- if Dick wins,

somebody will have to replace Dick,” and that person, in turn, may

need to be replaced, Baugh said. “It creates quite a domino effect.”

* ALICIA ROBINSON covers government and politics. She may be

reached at (714) 966-4626 or by e-mail at alicia.robinson

@latimes.com.