THE POLITICAL LANDSCAPE:A boost from the general

First it was Esquire magazine, now Democratic Congressional candidate Jim Brandt has racked up an endorsement from Wesley Clark, a retired four-star U.S. Army general and 2004 presidential candidate.

Clark has been barnstorming the country to give Democratic candidates a boost in Tuesday’s election. A statement last week from his political action committee, WesPAC, announced Clark’s endorsement of Brandt, who is challenging Republican Rep. Dana Rohrabacher of Huntington Beach.

Rohrabacher represents the 46th Congressional District, which includes Costa Mesa and all or part of 12 other cities in Los Angeles and Orange counties.

“The 46th District, home to the port of Los Angeles and Long Beach, deserves a representative in Washington who will make certain that it is protected against the terrorist threat,” Clark said in a news release. “Jim Brandt, a Marine Vietnam veteran who served during the Vietnam War, will ensure that Homeland Security funds are properly used to defend our ports and critical infrastructure.”

Last week, Esquire magazine made its endorsements for Congress, naming Brandt and Steve Young, Democratic challenger in the neighboring 48th Congressional District, among its picks.

VOTING MONITORS

There won’t be armed guards at the polls, but the Orange County Registrar of Voters will help keep order Tuesday by deploying abut 200 workers to the county’s 1,057 polling places to make sure no one has trouble casting a vote.

What’s new this year, registrar Neal Kelley said, is the Orange County district attorney’s office will have employees on call to make sure people aren’t illegally prevented from voting.

“If we run into a situation where there’s voter intimidation or where we need law enforcement support, they’ll be there to assist,” he said.

The D.A.’s people may not have a lot to do. Kelley said in the last 10 elections, law enforcement officials have only been called for help five times.

And for the third time in the past few weeks, the registrar is again reminding voters to apply the proper postage to their extra-thick absentee ballots. One regular stamp won’t do it because with all the statewide issues and candidates plus local races and measures, the ballots weigh more than an ounce.

The registrar will be open for longer hours on Saturday accepting absentee ballots and offering early voting. The office in building B at 1300 South Grand Ave., Santa Ana, will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

PERFECT SCORE ON SMALL-BUSINESS VOTES

A group representing small businesses gave Assemblyman Van Tran of Costa Mesa a perfect score for supporting small business legislation in the 2005-06 legislative session, Tran’s office announced Wednesday.

The National Federation of Independent Businesses, a nonpartisan, nonprofit group, gave Tran 100% based on his voting record on small business issues. Michael Shaw, the group’s assistant director for California, called Tran “a true champion of Main Street businesses,” a statement from Tran’s office said.

SIGN THIEVES

With just days left of his campaign to unseat Newport Beach Rep. John Campbell, Young said Wednesday he’s been the victim of sign thieves. Some Newport Beach residents have reported signs being stolen or vandalized, but in some cases those were in the public right-of-way.

Young said a number of his signs disappeared Tuesday night from the yards of his supporters, and he noticed his opponent’s signs were untouched.

“Everybody’s talking about values in the campaigns,” he said. “I think we need to tell people that theft is not a political attribute.”

NO SIGNS TO HAVE STOLEN

Oh, the luxury of running an uncontested race. Newport Beach Mayor Don Webb, seeking a second term unopposed, said Wednesday that his campaign hasn’t required a lot of resources.

“I think I have four signs out so far,” he said. “I think at least three of them are still up.”