Raising money to run

Candidates for U.S. House seat count their fundraising totals; Marinapark blog generates some interest; Chuck DeVore’s wife posts her pumpkin pie recipe to much acclaim. As families around the 48th Congressional District prepare to carve their birds and fill their bellies, candidates for the open U.S. House seat are preparing to count their cash. In the last two weeks, Republican state Sen. John Campbell, Democratic candidate Steve Young and American Independent Party candidate Jim Gilchrist have all held fundraisers to help pay for that last mailer or ad before the Dec. 6 election.

A Nov. 14 event in Washington, D.C., headlined by Vice President Dick Cheney netted more than $125,000 for Campbell, campaign manager Jim Terry said. Gilchrist feted Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo at the Balboa Bay Club on Monday, though campaign officials said totals weren’t available yet.

The numbers aren’t in yet from Young’s Sunday event with Los Angeles Rep. Maxine Waters either, but his campaign is already working on a blowout for Dec. 3 that may feature retired Marine Corps Gen. Joseph P. Hoar and other distinguished military guests.

BLOG SHOWS SIGNS OF LIFE

After languishing in electronic obscurity for a couple of weeks, the Newport Beach city blog about proposals for the Marinapark property has finally drawn some comments from the community.

But it’s hard to say how useful the feedback is -- most of the postings are anonymous, so Assistant City Manager Dave Kiff has posted a couple of messages asking that people at least pick an identifier so they can gauge the breadth of the response. Typically, some of the postings call for more public park and beach space rather than a marina, and others ask that the city-owned land be kept as a mobile-home park.

However ironic, it’s worth noting that an article in this newspaper first called attention to the city’s fledgling blog, which was then blogged about by two other, more high-traffic blogs. With the city hoping for as much feedback as possible, more online mentions can only be to the good.

Newport Beach’s Marinapark blog can be found at marinapark.blogspot.com.

MMMMMM ... PIE

If you’re in a last-minute pinch for dessert today, here’s one more reason to thank your state legislators for their dedicated public service: Diane DeVore’s recipe for pumpkin pie.

Newport Beach Assemblyman Chuck DeVore has touted his wife’s recipe and even posted it on his website. After it was mentioned in a local newspaper, DeVore said, his website had a glut of visitors.

“I’ve gotten letters and faxes sent to my official office by people that basically said hey, great, we tried your wife’s recipe and we loved it,” DeVore said.

Since he was elected in 2004 DeVore has tried to make a difference in Sacramento, he said, adding ruefully, “I think without a doubt the thing I’ve gotten the most response out of so far is my wife’s pumpkin pie recipe -- but I’m not jealous.”

For the pie recipe visit www.chuckdevore.com and click on “pumpkin pie.”20051124iqc5iiknDOUGLAS ZIMMERMAN / DAILY PILOT(LA)Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) right, gives a hand to U.S. House candidate Jim Gilchrist at a recent fundraiser at the Irvine Marriot.