Year of the campaign won’t end with ’06

True to 2005’s glut of elections, 2006 will begin with state Senate campaign; one hopeful adds conservative endorsement; low vote-getter hungry for more. There’s no rest for the politically minded, especially in Orange County. Voters may be weary after three special elections in 2005, but the campaigning isn’t likely to let up in 2006, with five of Newport Beach’s seven City Council seats and two of Costa Mesa five council seats on the ballot, plus up to three local initiatives in Newport and a number of statewide ballot measures in the works.

In Newport Beach, fourth district Councilwoman Leslie Daigle will run for the seat to which she was appointed in September 2004, and she’s already raised more than $20,000 for her campaign.

“I’m very serious about it,” she said Wednesday.

Newport Beach City Councilman Ed Selich, who has been on the dais since his appointment in June, plans to run but hasn’t started raising money. Also, Mayor Don Webb will run for reelection, he said Wednesday.

In the undecided camp -- officially, at least -- are Newport Beach Councilman Dick Nichols and Costa Mesa Mayor Allan Mansoor. Nichols first ran in 2002 with the backing of the slow-growth Greenlight committee, and he still considers himself one of theirs.

“I think I’m a Greenlight councilman, but everything has lefts, rights and centers,” Nichols said. “Greenlight also has a wing of it that is very, very environmental, and I don’t agree with that wing. There’s a place to put wildlife, and I don’t think it’s in the middle of a city.”

Nichols said he’s leaning toward a run for reelection to his seat, but he can’t fund a campaign by himself.

“I have to have fairly good support from people, or it won’t make sense to run,” he said.

Mansoor said he’ll probably decide early next year whether to run to keep his seat.

“It’s something I’m seriously considering right now,” he said. “I certainly want to see the city continue in the direction it’s going right now.”

Each city also will have one open council seat due to term limits: Costa Mesa Councilman Gary Monahan and Newport Beach Councilman Tod Ridgeway will leave office in late 2006.

Newport voters may also see two resident-driven ballot measures -- one to put more voter controls on development and another to require a public vote on city borrowing of more than $3 million.

Oh, and there’s a special primary April 11 to fill the open 35th District state Senate seat. Happy voting!

HARKEY ENDORSEMENTS KEEP ADDING UP

In another potential blow to Huntington Beach Assemblyman Tom Harman’s campaign for state Senate, the Lincoln Club of Orange County on Monday endorsed his sole opponent, fellow Republican Diane Harkey.

A Dana Point City Councilwoman since 2004, Harkey has already pulled support from Newport Beach Rep. John Campbell, who vacated the seat in question earlier this month.

Lincoln Club President Richard Wagner dismissed experience in public office -- Harman’s strong suit -- as a qualification for a candidate. Harkey’s long career in banking, Wagner said, makes her an obvious choice for a business-focused group like the Lincoln Club.

Wagner also criticized Harman as a proponent of taxes because of some of his Assembly votes and bills, including one that would have placed a recycling fee on personal care products such as diapers.

LOOKING FOR VOTE 102

After making the poorest showing of the 17 candidates on the ballot in the Oct. 4 special primary for a House seat, Huntington Beach businessman Ed Suppe announced he’ll challenge Rep. Dana Rohrabacher in 2006.

Members of the House of Representatives aren’t required to live in their Congressional districts, so Suppe jumped into the open primary for the 48th Congressional District seat, which represents Newport Beach and points south. Rohrabacher represents the 46th District, which includes Huntington Beach and Costa Mesa and several other cities in Orange and Los Angeles counties.

In the October race for an open seat, Suppe earned just 0.1% of the votes cast, or 101 votes.20051222ip1mw1knKENT TREPTOW / DAILY PILOT(LA)Newport Beach City Councilwoman Leslie Daigle, center, says she is “very serious” about her upcoming bid for reelection. Above, she’s shown in October celebrating the addition of crossing guards near Eastbluff Elementary School.