Packard packs it in

"If it's true that Bob Doman is moving to a city in my district, / would welcome him to a long list of my supporters. / look forward to and anticipate his support of my reelection to Congress in the year 2000."

--Rep. Ron Packard (R.-Calif.) HUMAN EVENTS, Dec. 15, 1998

" We stayed longer than we planned and, boy, it's been a wonderful thing... We feel good about what we've done and we want a life after There are 34 grandkids that are really begging for us to come home and spend a little time with them."

----Rep. Ron Packard announcing his retirement Nov. 3, 1999

When HUMAN EVENTS broke the story that former Rep, (197682, 1984-96) Robert K. Doman (R.-Calif.) had sold his house in his Orange County district, was building a residence in San Juan Capistrano in the 48th U.S. House District, and would seek a return to Congress if GOP Rep. Ron Packard retired in 2000, we contacted Packard for a response.

Within a matter of minutes, Packard-from an airport in California--dictated to his office a very clear-cut response spelling out his intention to run again, a copy of which was promptly faxed to us. (Eight days later, a Packard staffer came to our office to make sure his boss's remarks had made it into print correctly.)

What made nine-termer Packard do a turnabout and announce two weeks ago that he was stepping down after all? Could it be, as one California wag put it, that "Bob Doman scared him off"?

in all likelihood, the family reasons cited by the 68-yearold Packard had much more to do with his exodus than any plans by Doman, who had said he would run only if the 48th District (Northern San Diego County) became vacant. Indeed, only two months ago, Doman-apparently deciding that Packard was staying--bad said he was "80% certain" to launch a primary challenge to another fellow Orange County conservative congressman, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, with whom Doman has lately had frosty relations. Now, Doman-watchers say, a bid against Rohrabacher is almost out of the question, and Doman (lifetime ACU rating: 96%)-who represented first a suburban Los Angeles district and then an Orange County district--will run in the 48th if he decides to reenter politics next year.

Still blessed with the fiery voice and seemingly superhuman energy that were staples of his stormy career, Bob Doman has to be considered a factor in any Republican primary anywhere in the Golden State. (With an estimated 58% of its voters registered Republican, the 48th is one of the safest of California House districts for the GOP.)

For more than a decade, the former TV actor and talk show host has held conservative C-SPAN viewers spellbound, orating fervently for the pro-life cause or denouncing Bill Clinton for "giving aid and comfort to the enemy" during the Vietnam War. His mailing lists are said to include more than 60,000 contributors nationwide. In addition, Doman can count on his own mobile campaign "war room" eager and able to relocate and go to work on his behalf--wife Sallie and-their five grown children.

But many of the conservatives who revere Doman nonetheless believe that-at 66 and after two defeats in his old district---it would be presumptuous for him to attempt to revive his career on turf in which he has only recently begun to put down roots. Besides, they note, Doman has just started a new career as a host of a syndicated radio program for which he has been building a large audience, so why should he return to politics so quickly?

"I have a lot of respect for Bob, but at least in these parts, people do care about your roots in the community," observed State Assemblyman Howard Kaloogian (R.), a much-respected conservative leader in the San Diego area and in the legislature. "A lot of folks encouraged me to run in the 48th, but I live about ten miles away from the district and my legislative district is only a slice of the congressional district. It just wasn't right for me. And besides: The 48th has some fine, homegrown conservative leaders of its own."

Copyright Human Events Publishing, Inc. Nov 19, 1999
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