THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE:

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher will throw his annual margarita- and chili-drenched birthday bash at the home of Newport Beach supporters this weekend.

The soiree will include a special musical appearance by former Doobie Brother and original Steely Dan member Jeff “Skunk” Baxter. Since recording the guitar solo for the 1974 hit single “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number,” Baxter has gone on to a successful second career as a defense consultant. The guitarist and Rohrabacher are close friends. The congressman acted as an early political mentor to Baxter.

“Even if I wasn’t in office, he’d still be helping me celebrate my birthday,” Rohrabacher said.

An advocate for missile defense, Baxter began his consultant career when he gave a paper he wrote on the subject to Rohrabacher. He now chairs a Congressional Advisory Board on missile defense and acts as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Defense.

Rohrabacher and Baxter have had “a lot of adventures together,” the congressman said. The president of the Philippines once arranged a special airplane ride for Rohrabacher and Baxter over the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea because he was a big Doobie Brothers fan, Rohrabacher said.

Before he was married, Rohrabacher gained infamy in Washington, D.C., circles for his famous tequila and chili parties, he said. Now he hosts a surf-themed birthday party fundraiser on the beach each year.

This year’s party also will include a performance by the surf rock band The Counselors and hot bowls of wild game chili. Rohrabacher’s “Magic Margarita Mix” also will be a big part of the festivities. Don’t ask the congressman for the recipe — it’s a matter of national security.

“NASA wanted to use it to fuel the space shuttle, but we talked them out of it at the last minute,” Rohrabacher said.

The party kicks off 6 p.m. Saturday at the Balboa Peninsula home of Laura Lee and Dick Browne. Call (714) 969-7457 or visit rootcosmo@yahoo.com to make a reservation.

MOORLACH: NEW SHERIFF is the ‘ANTI-CaRONA’

Sandra Hutchens would not have been appointed Orange County sheriff if it hadn’t been for the vote of local Supervisor John Moorlach, who calls the woman the “anti-Carona.”

Moorlach said after he and five members of his staff interviewed Hutchens, they all independently recommended her, in part because of her stellar people skills. He expects her to bring ethics back to the position after former chief Michael Carona resigned in January.

“We were most concerned about the culture of the jails and leadership,” Moorlach said.

Hutchens said reforming the jail system was one of her top priorities, calling for a “house cleaning” to get rid of the barbaric atmosphere that the jail allegedly has. Last year, video surfaced showing jailers napping, watching TV and text-messaging while an inmate was beaten to death in Theo Lacy Jail.

Orange County has never had a female sheriff. Moorlach was the only supervisor out of the five to break gender lines with his vote. He said gender had nothing to do with his decision.

Supervisors Patricia Bates and Janet Nguyen voted for Hutchens, while supervisors Chris Norby and Bill Campbell voted for Santa Ana Police Chief Paul Walters.

BRIANNA BAILEY may be reached at (714) 966-4625 or at brianna.bailey@latimes.com. ALAN BLANK may be reached at (714) 966-4623 or at alan.blank@latimes.com.