Most Newport-Mesa leaders face scant partisan challenge

Paul Clinton

NEWPORT-MESA -- There were few surprises among the names of candidates

filing for offices representing Newport Beach and Costa Mesa.

Any candidate hoping to represent Newport-Mesa on a county, state or

federal level needed to complete and file the final paperwork by Friday

to run for the office.

In the newly redrawn 46th Congressional District, which includes Costa

Mesa and is now represented by Dana Rohrabacher, no Republican

challengers filed for the March 5 primary.

However, Rohrabacher will face a new Democratic challenger in the

November general election. Gerrie Schipske -- a nurse practitioner,

teacher and attorney -- will take on Rohrabacher. Schipske, who lives in

Long Beach, ran against former Rep. Steve Horn, whose district was

dissolved during reapportionment.

Schipske lost her race against Horn by fewer than 2,000 votes. She

also managed to raise nearly $675,000 in that losing effort. So far, she

has just less than $6,400 on hand, according to campaign finance records

filed at the end of June.

Schipske said she is optimistic about her chances because the 46th

District boundaries have been redrawn. Rohrabacher gained neighborhoods

in Long Beach.

“I think what the new district is, is much more moderate than the

prior 45th District, which included [sections of] Newport Beach,”

Schipske said.

Rohrabacher raised about $130,000 in 2000 to win reelection. As of

June 30, the congressman had about $94,000 cash on hand.

Rohrabacher said he isn’t concerned about Schipske’s fund-raising

abilities. In 1998, Patricia Neal, a Realtor, considerably outspent

Rohrabacher and still lost in a landslide.

“I’ve been up against a woman before who outspent me by a huge margin,

and it didn’t make much of a difference,” Rohrabacher said. “What gives

me confidence is that [voters] voted for George W. [Bush] overwhelmingly

[in the district]. They vote for the more conservative policies.”

Keith Gann, a Libertarian, also has been certified to run for the

seat. Gann lives in Tustin.

Neither incumbent of the two Newport-Mesa state Assembly seats will

face challengers. In the 68th District, which includes Costa Mesa,

Republican Ken Maddox is squaring off against Democrat Al Snook and

Libertarian Doug Scribner, a Costa Mesa resident.

In the 70th Assembly race, Republican incumbent John Campbell is also

free from any challenge in March. In November, Campbell will meet

Democrat John Kane, a computer programmer from Lake Forest, and Paul

Studier, a Libertarian also from Lake Forest.

Supervisor Jim Silva, who represents Newport-Mesa, is also free from

challenge in March. Silva was first elected to his 2nd District seat in

1994 and was reelected in 1998. He is a former mayor of Huntington Beach.

* Paul Clinton covers the environment and John Wayne Airport. He may

be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail ato7

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