Endorsements for nonpartisan posts on the rise

Say goodbye to any pretense of nonpartisan offices ? even city council.

The Orange County GOP has begun the endorsement process for November elections, this time widely expanding its endorsements in traditionally nonpartisan local races like city council, school board and even the water district board.

Newport Beach City Council members Keith Curry and Leslie Daigle, and Costa Mesa Mayor Allan Mansoor received endorsements at a Monday meeting of the party’s central committee.

They were part of the first round, when Republican incumbents are considered. Challengers and any incumbents who don’t make the first cut ? like Newport Beach Councilman Dick Nichols ? can make their bids for the party’s support in August.

The process of endorsing in nonpartisan races was put in place shortly before county GOP chairman Scott Baugh took the reins in 2004, and it was used to a limited degree in that election cycle, Baugh said.

On Monday, incumbent council candidates in 20 of the county’s 34 cities were given the party’s stamp. Those who were endorsed are officeholders who have helped the Republican party and about whom there is no controversy, Baugh said.

In the early round, any central committee member can pull someone off the list without giving a reason, he said. That’s what happened to Nichols, who retained his seat on the central committee in the June 6 election.

The move toward endorsing in races where parties haven’t overtly been part of the mix is not really new, UC Irvine political scientist Mark Petracca said.

Parties ? and in Republican-leaning Orange County, namely the GOP ? have been involved in local races, but it’s been behind the scenes with recruitment and fundraising, he said.

“Endorsement is sort of the last door to walk through. Now the only thing nonpartisan about these nonpartisan races is that there’s no party designation on the ballot,” Petracca said. “That’s it.”

That system is good for political parties because they can build up a stable of candidates who are recognized as party members and groom them for higher office, he said.

To Baugh, getting involved in local races is logical because it’s all politics.

“We at the Republican party do not believe nonpartisan races exist,” Baugh said. “Whether you’re voting on taxes or property rights or some other type of regulation, those votes are rooted in a philosophy ? and philosophical matters are inevitably partisan.”

Baugh acknowledged the endorsement process is biased toward incumbents ? a fact that bothered Newport Beach council candidate Barbara Venezia.

“I was terribly disappointed in that because I am a longtime Republican,” Venezia said. “Obviously I don’t have a chance [for an endorsement] because they didn’t even consider anybody.”

She pointed out that Daigle, whom she is challenging for the fourth district seat, was appointed to the council in 2004 and has never been chosen by voters.

However, Venezia said she doesn’t expect the GOP endorsement to make a big difference in the election because when Newport voters have a choice between two Republicans, “they vote for the best candidate.”

Daigle said she can’t say how much the endorsement will matter.

“What I can say is that I’m honored and appreciative to have the endorsement, and I represent the principles of the party,” she said.

Other candidates who received early endorsements from the Orange County GOP were Costa Mesa resident Jan Debay and Steve Sheldon of Newport Beach, both of whom serve on the Orange County Water District board.

Newport-Mesa Unified school board members pulled from the endorsement list were Tom Egan, Judy Franco and Serene Stokes.