Winning the New Majority vote

Does this sound like anyone you know?

Self-made multimillionaire. Dabbled a bit in politics. Has strong

Republican-type beliefs about the size of government, economics and

business practices. Socially, however, more moderate than

conservative Republicans.

It’s a fairly apt description of the typical member of the New

Majority, a moderate Republican group with strong ties to

Newport-Mesa that has been on the scene for the past few years.

Members of the group have included George Argyros, Don Bren, Gary

Hunt, Roger Kirwan, Paul Folino and Henry Samueli. Their goal: to

elect more moderate Republican candidates, people they believe stand

a better chance of gaining votes from across the political spectrum.

The description also is a fair initial one of a leading candidate

in the gubernatorial recall: Arnold Schwarzenegger. And Arnold, if he

wins, could rewrite the New Majority story dramatically.

(As an aside, given that Arnold can go by his first name, I’d love

to see every candidate go with a single nom de plume: Cruz. Larry.

Gary. Bill. It would make the decision just that much more daunting

for voters.)

So far, the New Majority has had mixed success in getting

candidates elected. Huntington Beach Assemblyman Tom Harman is one of

the few. During the last gubernatorial election (amazing it was just

a year ago), the group was behind former Los Angeles Mayor Dick

Riordan.

The ties between Arnold and the New Majority are more than just

coincidence. In the closing days of that election, Arnold made an

appearance at a fund-raiser at the home of New Majority member Mark

Chapin Johnson. It helped raise more than $100,000 for Republican

Bruce McPherson, who was running for lieutenant governor.

Among those at that fund-raiser was Todd Theodora, a Newport Coast

resident and an attorney with Stephan, Oringher, Richman & Theodora,

which has an office in Costa Mesa.

Theodora is also a member of the New Majority. Speaking solely for

himself, and not the group, he said of Arnold: “Arnold wants to make

the GOP a big tent party with mass appeal.

“He also says it’s cool to be a Republican.”

Both of those have been key New Majority goals.

But Arnold is not the only figure running who appears to fit the

New Majority mold. Former baseball Commissioner Peter Ueberroth, a

Laguna Beach resident whose campaign headquarters is in Newport

Beach, has the appropriate businessman profile.

And for moderate Republicans, that’s a pleasing sight.

“The Republicans seemed poised to do very well in this upcoming

election because Peter Ueberroth is an excellent candidate in his own

right,” Theodora said.

Like members of the New Majority, Arnold is being attacked by more

conservative Republicans who don’t like his stances (still not fully

laid out) on gun laws, abortion rights and gay civil unions.

But if anyone can survive those attacks (he’s made it through

bullets, fire, aliens and morphing robots on screen), it’s Arnold.

And if he or Ueberroth get elected, it might mean a direct line to

the highest levels of political power for some of Newport-Mesa’s most

powerful.

CAMPAIGN FINANCE LOOPHOLE

Just a thought here: With the passage of Proposition 34 in 2002,

donations to candidates are limited to $3,000 per contributor. But

with Arnold’s movie, “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines” still in

theaters, maybe there’s a way for supporters to funnel money into the

box office and to Arnold’s pockets. Only problem: He reportedly got

$30 million for the role, but there’s no mention of a percentage of

the revenue.

QUIET ON CAPITOL HILL

The Hill newspapers, which serves Capitol Hill along with Roll

Call, is reporting that Rep. Darrell Issa -- who briefly had a

campaign headquarters in Costa Mesa before he dropped out of the

recall race he helped get on the ballot -- is expected to keep a low

profile when Congress returns in September. They say he’ll focus on

his committee assignments and constituent work and try to avoid the

cameras.

Strangely enough, that’s what he was elected to do.

* S.J. CAHN is the managing editor. He can be reached at (949)

574-4233 or by e-mail at [email protected].