DeVore plans to stay put

Assemblyman says he won’t run for state Senate if John Campbell is elected to U.S. House; voters can get their candidates-forum fix two days in a row in Irvine. Another domino has fallen, or rather decided not to fall, in the anticipated race to fill the still-occupied 35th District state Senate seat.

Despite the urging of various political bloggers, Newport Beach Assemblyman Chuck DeVore said Wednesday that he won’t run to replace Sen. John Campbell, who is the leading candidate in the U.S. House seat formerly held by Chris Cox, who’s now chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“I am conclusively not running for the state Senate,” DeVore said, but he may throw his support to someone he thinks can carry on Campbell’s legacy.

With five more years before he’s termed out of the Assembly, DeVore said, “I think that I would rather develop a strong reputation as a government reformer and a tax cutter, and that when my time comes, it’s my hope that my constituents will look at my record and will act accordingly.”

So far the declared candidates for Campbell’s Senate seat are Huntington Beach Assemblyman Tom Harman and Dana Point City Councilwoman Diane Harkey. Others who have expressed interest include Orange County Board of Education President Alexandria Coronado and Irvine City Councilwoman Christina Shea. All are Republicans.

A Senate election would follow a Campbell win in a Dec. 6 special general election.

THE FORUMS NEXT DOOR

In case anyone forgot there’s a U.S. House race going on in Newport-Mesa, two events planned for next week aim to bring the Dec. 6 election to the front of voters’ minds. Candidates’ forums have been announced for Monday at the Merage Jewish Community Center in Irvine and Tuesday at Irvine City Hall.

There are five candidates seeking the 48th Congressional District seat: Republican state Sen. John Campbell, Libertarian Bruce Cohen, American Independent Party candidate Jim Gilchrist, Green Party candidate Béa Tiritilli, and Democrat Steve Young. All but Campbell have said they’ll attend the Monday event, and everyone is expected at Tuesday’s forum.

The Monday event is set for 7 p.m. at the Merage center, One Federation Way, suite 200. For information call (949) 435-3400, ext. 397.

The UC Irvine forum will be held at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Irvine City Hall, 1 Civic Center Plaza. Call (949) 824-5227 for details of the event. It will also be broadcast online at www.ci.irvine.ca.us.

SYMBOLIC SUPPORT

Young on Wednesday announced three new endorsements in his bid for the Congressional seat -- three fellow Democrats he defeated in the Oct. 6 primary for the House seat.

Retired teacher Bea Foster, marketing consultant Tom Pallow, and UC Irvine business professor John Graham -- who has sought the U.S. House seat four times -- have all endorsed Young, though the value of their support is mainly symbolic.

But in a news release, Young remained optimistic.

“This campaign is the stepping stone for the Democratic Party for the 2006 midterm elections, and it is exciting to have the full support of my former opponents,” Young said in the statement.20051110ifl501kfKENT TREPTOW / DAILY PILOT(LA)Newport Beach Assemblyman Chuck DeVore, shown at a news conference in April, has announced that he won’t run for state Senate.