THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE:Poll position: starter’s orders

After simmering quietly for a few months, City Council campaigns in Newport-Mesa came to a rolling boil in the last week, with the filing period for candidate nomination papers opening Monday.

As of Wednesday, nine candidates for the six Newport Beach council seats had taken out nomination papers ? perhaps most notably former Mayor John Heffernan, who would be running against Keith Curry, the man appointed to replace Heffernan when he resigned in January.

Along with Heffernan and Curry, council members Leslie Daigle, Ed Selich and Don Webb, and challengers Nancy Gardner, Michael Henn, Barbara Venezia, and Jack Wu took out papers, which must be filed by Aug. 11 with signatures supporting each candidate’s nomination.

In Costa Mesa, first-time candidates Chris Bunyan and Wendy Leece as well as repeat challengers Karl Ahlf, Mirna Burciaga and Bruce Garlich requested nomination papers.

Campaigning in both cities will reach from border to border because Costa Mesa’s candidates all will vie for two at-large seats, and in Newport Beach the victors must win a citywide vote, although they each represent one district. Six of the city’s seven council seats are on the November ballot.

Some candidates began their campaigns under the radar, while others ? like Newport candidate Nancy Gardner ? threw higher-profile celebrations. Gardner, who served on the city’s general plan committee and is a member of the local chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, held a kickoff Wednesday.

Over the weekend, newly formed Costa Mesa activist group Return to Reason announced endorsements of council candidates Bruce Garlich and Mike Scheafer at its first event.

Everything you ever wanted to know about the GOP

The Orange County GOP recently debuted its new “Weekly Squeeze,” an e-mail newsletter of party events and news, political tidbits from the media, a weekly poll and web links to political and governmental sites.

About 4,000 people have signed up to receive the newsletter so far, and the list is expected to grow, Orange County GOP executive dirctor Erik Weigand said. The party has been upgrading its website also. To sign up for the e-newsletter, visit www.ocgop.org and click on “volunteer.”

Campbell outpaces Rohrabacher in fundraising efforts

With nearly eight months’ tenure under his belt, Newport Beach Rep. John Campbell has been a fundraising dynamo, according to reports filed this week with the Federal Elections Commission. Campbell raised $246,630 in the period from May 18 to June 30, while Huntington Beach Rep. Dana Rohrabacher was comparatively slacking with just $47,845 raised in that period. Both Republican congressmen are seeking reelection in November.

But Rohrabacher, a House veteran who was elected in 1988, can afford to take it easy, with no campaign debt to speak of and a reported $329,723 in cash on hand. Campbell, meanwhile, had $102,449 cash on hand and owes $250,000 from his 2005 run for Congress.

Campbell and Rohrabacher each have a Democratic opponent, but those candidates reported far less funding. Steve Young, running against Campbell, raised $14,645 in the reporting period and had $5,387 cash on hand. Rohrabacher challenger Jim Brandt raised $4,007 and listed $6,434 cash on hand, according to his report. Brandt reported owing $53,929 and Young’s report said he owed $151,395.

Sole statewide woman candidate to speak in Costa Mesa

State Sen. Debra Bowen will speak today at a luncheon held by nonpartisan voter group Women In Leadership in Costa Mesa.

Bowen, the only woman running for state office in California this year, is vying to become secretary of state. She was elected to the state legislature in 1992 and now chairs the Senate elections committee.

Women in Leadership will meet at 11:30 a.m. at the Westin South Coast Plaza, 686 Anton Blvd., Costa Mesa. The luncheon is $35 for WIL members and $45 for nonmembers. For information call (714)841-4864.dpt.20-pollandscape-C.1PhotoInfoEN1T43KP20060720j2ollrncCredit: MARK DUSTIN / DAILY PILOT Caption: (LA)Nancy Gardner, left, talks about her campaign with Dodie Beek, center, of Newport Beach, and Joan Kurze, right, of Newport Beach, during Wednesday night’s campaign kickoff party at Debra Allen’s home in Corona del Mar.