Bob Dornan
Encyclopedia
Robert Kenneth "Bob" Dornan (born April 3, 1933) is a Republican and former member of the United States House of Representatives
from California
and a vocal advocate of pro-life
and social conservative causes.
A boisterous former actor and television talk show host, Dornan had a flair for the dramatic that drew him supporters and detractors well beyond his congressional districts. Though never a major power in Washington, he became one of the most well-known members of the House of Representatives and has been described as "one of the leading firebrands among American politicians".
) until 1953. At age 19, Dornan volunteered to join the United States Air Force
. During his time in the USAF, he survived two emergency parachute
ejections and two "dead stick" forced landings
(including one of an F-100
). Dornan also served as a photographer during the Vietnam War
and flew relief flights into Biafra
. He was an active duty serviceman in USAF until 1958, reaching the rank of Captain. He then served in the Air Force Reserve until 1975.
Dornan was also involved in entertainment. He starred in the movie The Starfighters
(playing an Air Force pilot whose father is a U.S. congressman), which was featured on Mystery Science Theater 3000
. He acted in television series, including a frequent role as Captain Fowler on Twelve O'Clock High
and smaller roles on Bewitched
and I Dream of Jeannie
. Dornan was also an Emmy-award winning television talk show host on Tempo and The Robert K. Dornan Show broadcast from Los Angeles
from 1967 to 1973.
Dornan moved into politics in 1973 as national spokesman for the Citizens for Decency Through Law advocacy group. He made an unsuccessful run for mayor of Los Angeles
the same year. In 1976, Dornan was elected to the House of Representatives, representing the 27th Congressional District in western Los Angeles County. He was re-elected twice. He was such an unswerving advocate for the development of the B-1 bomber, that he was soon nicknamed "B-1 Bob."
After the 1980 census, California's congressional map was redrawn. Dornan's district, previously a Republican-leaning swing district, was made significantly more Democratic. Believing he had no chance of winning this new district, he opted to run for the United States Senate
in 1982. He finished fourth in the Republican primary behind San Diego mayor and future Governor Pete Wilson
, who won in November.
Dornan moved to Garden Grove
, in the more Republican Orange County
. In 1984, he was elected to Congress from the 38th District in central Orange County, defeating 10-year Democratic incumbent Jerry M. Patterson
by a 53% to 45% margin amid Ronald Reagan
's massive landslide that year. In 1986, he won a tough race against Democratic state Assemblyman Richard Robinson, winning by a 55% to 43% margin. He was re-elected four more times and served on the Intelligence Committee. His district was renumbered as the 46th District after the 1990 Census.
Dornan made headlines in March 1985 for a confrontation with Representative Thomas Downey
(D-NY
) on the House floor. Downey asked Dornan about comments he had made calling Downey "a draft-dodging wimp". According to Downey, Dornan, grabbing him by collar and tie, said, "It's good you're being protected by the sergeant-at-arms. If I saw you outside, it would be a different story" and threatened him "with some form of bodily harm." Dornan claimed he was merely straightening Downey's tie and refused to apologize for the incident or the derogatory comment. A Dornan aide said, "It will be a cold day in hell before he gets an apology from Bob Dornan."
Dornan was staunchly conservative. However, he held some positions that some might call liberal, including sponsoring animal protection acts, earning recognition by PETA
.
In 1995, he received a minor reprimand from the House for stating in a floor speech that President Bill Clinton
had "given aid and comfort to the enemy" during the Vietnam War. In 1996, Dornan ran for President of the United States
, using his campaign primarily as a vehicle to continue to criticize Clinton. In a GOP debate in Iowa on January 13, Dornan called Clinton a "criminal" and a "pathological liar." When asked why voters should choose Dornan over his Republican rivals to challenge Clinton in the general election, he argued that he had more children and grandchildren than the others, with only Richard Lugar coming anywhere near him on that score.
In 1997, Dornan sought and received information concerning reports that Israel
had purportedly received from former military men who had emigrated from the Soviet Union
, concerning an alleged successful water landing of the KAL 007 airliner, shot down by the Soviet Union in 1983. These included what Dornan termed "credible reports" of the supposed survival of Congressman Larry McDonald
of Georgia, who had been a passenger on KAL 007, and Dornan featured this on his radio program.
For his final successful run for Congress, Dornan had signs posted at polling places that warned voters in Spanish
that they should be prepared to prove their citizenship in order to vote, suggesting that immigration officials would be present. The success of this action was believed to have kept enough Latino voters away from the polls to eke out a final victory for Dornan against Mike Farber in an election that featured allegations of domestic violence by Dornan. A long court battle deemed these signs illegal and inappropriate, and he was not able to post them again at the next election, which he then lost to Loretta Sanchez
.
During his political career, Dornan became known for his colorful, controversial, or offensive statements. Among his remarks:
In 1994, a 120-page book of quotations of Dornan was compiled by Nathan Callahan and William Payton and published as Shut Up, Fag! The quotation that gives the book the title was actually shouted by Dornan's wife, Sallie, at an AIDS
activist during an Orange County town forum. Dornan claimed the book was backed by director Oliver Stone
, whom Dornan labeled "a Bolshevik
enemy".
Dornan's comments and behavior have led his political opponents to question his mental health
. Mike Kaspar of the Orange County Democratic Party said "The primary issue is Bob Dornan, himself. I think his character and his own sanity
are an issue here." At a White House Correspondents Dinner, Al Franken
(who is actually a friend of Dornan) joked "having Al D'Amato
leading an ethics investigation is like getting Bob Dornan to head up a mental health task force." Michael Moore
devoted an entire chapter of his book Downsize This!
to his efforts to get Dornan involuntarily committed for psychiatric examination.
, a Latina and former Republican who had switched parties and run as a Democrat. Dornan lost by 979 votes.
Following the narrow defeat, Dornan alleged that Sanchez's winning margin was provided by illegal voting from non-U.S. citizens. A thirteen-month House of Representatives investigation ensued, during which Sanchez was seated provisionally, pending the inquiry. A task force found 748 votes that had been cast illegally—624 from non-citizens in addition to 124 that had already been thrown out by California officials. This was not enough to overturn Sanchez' margin of victory and she was allowed to keep her seat. However, in consultation with the INS
, the House committee identified as many as 4,700 questionable registration affidavits. The probe was dropped before these affidavits could be investigated.
In 2004, Dornan challenged Congressman Dana Rohrabacher
, a fellow Republican, in the primary. Dornan charged Rohrabacher with being soft on terrorism and being too close to Islamic extremists. However, he lost by an 84% to 16% margin. Dornan remained in his Virginia
home, appearing at conservative functions and conservative talk radio shows.
During the summer of 2005, Dornan briefly expressed interest in the 48th Congressional District seat that became vacant when Christopher Cox resigned to become Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. He was interested in running as the nominee of the American Independent Party
, but was rebuffed by party leaders in Orange County.
In December 2005, Dornan substituted for radio talk show host Michael Savage
, criticizing George W. Bush
for not moving for a formal Declaration of War
after 9/11. He did so again on 12 April 2006.
Dornan currently works with the American Life League
, his primary mission as a member of the American Life League team will be refocusing attention on the Right to Life Act, a proposal that establishes the personhood of each human being as beginning at fertilization.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and a vocal advocate of pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
and social conservative causes.
A boisterous former actor and television talk show host, Dornan had a flair for the dramatic that drew him supporters and detractors well beyond his congressional districts. Though never a major power in Washington, he became one of the most well-known members of the House of Representatives and has been described as "one of the leading firebrands among American politicians".
Biography
Dornan attended Loyola University of Los Angeles (later renamed Loyola Marymount UniversityLoyola Marymount University
Loyola Marymount University is a comprehensive co-educational private Roman Catholic university in the Jesuit and Marymount traditions located in Los Angeles, California, United States...
) until 1953. At age 19, Dornan volunteered to join the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
. During his time in the USAF, he survived two emergency parachute
Parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
ejections and two "dead stick" forced landings
Deadstick landing
A deadstick landing, also called a dead-stick landing is a type of forced landing when an aircraft loses all of its propulsive power and is forced to land. The term is often misunderstood, as the flight controls in the majority of aircraft are either fully or partially functional, even with no...
(including one of an F-100
F-100 Super Sabre
The North American F-100 Super Sabre was a supersonic jet fighter aircraft that served with the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1971 and with the Air National Guard until 1979. The first of the Century Series collection of USAF jet fighters, it was the first USAF fighter capable of...
). Dornan also served as a photographer during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
and flew relief flights into Biafra
Biafra
Biafra, officially the Republic of Biafra, was a secessionist state in south-eastern Nigeria that existed from 30 May 1967 to 15 January 1970, taking its name from the Bight of Biafra . The inhabitants were mostly the Igbo people who led the secession due to economic, ethnic, cultural and religious...
. He was an active duty serviceman in USAF until 1958, reaching the rank of Captain. He then served in the Air Force Reserve until 1975.
Dornan was also involved in entertainment. He starred in the movie The Starfighters
The Starfighters
The Starfighters is an American film released in 1964. It was written and directed by Will Zens and stars future U.S. Congressman Bob Dornan. It is the subject of episode #612 of Comedy Central's Mystery Science Theater 3000. Public votes on the Internet Movie Database consistently place it amongst...
(playing an Air Force pilot whose father is a U.S. congressman), which was featured on Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000 is an American cult television comedy series created by Joel Hodgson and produced by Best Brains, Inc., that ran from 1988 to 1999....
. He acted in television series, including a frequent role as Captain Fowler on Twelve O'Clock High
Twelve O'Clock High (TV series)
Twelve O'Clock High or 12 O'Clock High is an American drama series set in World War II. This TV series originally broadcasted on ABC-TV for two-and-one-half TV seasons from September 18, 1964, through January 13, 1967; was based on the motion picture Twelve O'Clock High...
and smaller roles on Bewitched
Bewitched
Bewitched is an American situation comedy originally broadcast for eight seasons on ABC from 1964 to 1972, starring Elizabeth Montgomery, Dick York and Dick Sargent , Agnes Moorehead, and David White. The show is about a witch who marries a mortal and tries to lead the life of a typical suburban...
and I Dream of Jeannie
I Dream of Jeannie
I Dream of Jeannie is a 1960s American sitcom with a fantasy premise. The show starred Barbara Eden as a 2,000-year-old genie, and Larry Hagman as an astronaut who becomes her master, with whom she falls in love and eventually marries...
. Dornan was also an Emmy-award winning television talk show host on Tempo and The Robert K. Dornan Show broadcast from Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
from 1967 to 1973.
Politics
Mayor of Los Angeles, California
The mayor of Los Angeles is the chief executive officer of the city. He is elected for a four-year term and limited to serving no more than two terms. Under the California Constitution, all judicial, school, county, and city offices, including those of chartered cities, are nonpartisan...
the same year. In 1976, Dornan was elected to the House of Representatives, representing the 27th Congressional District in western Los Angeles County. He was re-elected twice. He was such an unswerving advocate for the development of the B-1 bomber, that he was soon nicknamed "B-1 Bob."
After the 1980 census, California's congressional map was redrawn. Dornan's district, previously a Republican-leaning swing district, was made significantly more Democratic. Believing he had no chance of winning this new district, he opted to run for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 1982. He finished fourth in the Republican primary behind San Diego mayor and future Governor Pete Wilson
Pete Wilson
Peter Barton "Pete" Wilson is an American politician from California. Wilson, a Republican, served as the 36th Governor of California , the culmination of more than three decades in the public arena that included eight years as a United States Senator , eleven years as Mayor of San Diego and...
, who won in November.
Dornan moved to Garden Grove
Garden Grove, California
Garden Grove is a city located in northern Orange County, California. The population was 170,883 at the 2010 census. State Route 22, also known as the Garden Grove Freeway, passes through the city running east-west. The city is known outside the Southern California area for being the home of Robert H...
, in the more Republican Orange County
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
. In 1984, he was elected to Congress from the 38th District in central Orange County, defeating 10-year Democratic incumbent Jerry M. Patterson
Jerry M. Patterson
Jerry Mumford Patterson is a California lawyer in California and the District of Columbia, educator and politician, who was a United States Representative from California....
by a 53% to 45% margin amid Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
's massive landslide that year. In 1986, he won a tough race against Democratic state Assemblyman Richard Robinson, winning by a 55% to 43% margin. He was re-elected four more times and served on the Intelligence Committee. His district was renumbered as the 46th District after the 1990 Census.
Dornan made headlines in March 1985 for a confrontation with Representative Thomas Downey
Thomas Joseph Downey
Thomas Joseph Downey was a U.S. Representative from New York.Downey graduated from West Islip High School, West Islip, New York, 1966, and went on to earn a B.S. from Cornell University, 1970. He attended St. John's University Law School, Brooklyn, N.Y. from 1972 to 1974, and earned a J.D. from...
(D-NY
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
) on the House floor. Downey asked Dornan about comments he had made calling Downey "a draft-dodging wimp". According to Downey, Dornan, grabbing him by collar and tie, said, "It's good you're being protected by the sergeant-at-arms. If I saw you outside, it would be a different story" and threatened him "with some form of bodily harm." Dornan claimed he was merely straightening Downey's tie and refused to apologize for the incident or the derogatory comment. A Dornan aide said, "It will be a cold day in hell before he gets an apology from Bob Dornan."
Dornan was staunchly conservative. However, he held some positions that some might call liberal, including sponsoring animal protection acts, earning recognition by PETA
Peta
Peta can refer to:* peta-, an SI prefix denoting a factor of 1015* Peta, Greece, a town in Greece* Peta, the Pāli word for a Preta, or hungry ghost in Buddhism* Peta Wilson, an Australian actress and model* Peta Todd, English glamour model...
.
In 1995, he received a minor reprimand from the House for stating in a floor speech that President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
had "given aid and comfort to the enemy" during the Vietnam War. In 1996, Dornan ran for President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
, using his campaign primarily as a vehicle to continue to criticize Clinton. In a GOP debate in Iowa on January 13, Dornan called Clinton a "criminal" and a "pathological liar." When asked why voters should choose Dornan over his Republican rivals to challenge Clinton in the general election, he argued that he had more children and grandchildren than the others, with only Richard Lugar coming anywhere near him on that score.
In 1997, Dornan sought and received information concerning reports that Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
had purportedly received from former military men who had emigrated from the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, concerning an alleged successful water landing of the KAL 007 airliner, shot down by the Soviet Union in 1983. These included what Dornan termed "credible reports" of the supposed survival of Congressman Larry McDonald
Larry McDonald
Lawrence Patton McDonald, M.D. was an American politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing the seventh congressional district of Georgia as a Democrat...
of Georgia, who had been a passenger on KAL 007, and Dornan featured this on his radio program.
For his final successful run for Congress, Dornan had signs posted at polling places that warned voters in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
that they should be prepared to prove their citizenship in order to vote, suggesting that immigration officials would be present. The success of this action was believed to have kept enough Latino voters away from the polls to eke out a final victory for Dornan against Mike Farber in an election that featured allegations of domestic violence by Dornan. A long court battle deemed these signs illegal and inappropriate, and he was not able to post them again at the next election, which he then lost to Loretta Sanchez
Loretta Sanchez
Loretta Sanchez is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 46th, serving since 2003. She is a member of the Democratic Party, and a member of the Blue Dog Coalition. The district lies in central Orange County....
.
Controversial statements
- During a House debate in 1994, Dornan outedOutingOuting is the act of disclosing a gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender person's true sexual orientation or gender identity without that person's consent. Outing gives rise to issues of privacy, choice, hypocrisy, and harm in addition to sparking debate on what constitutes common good in efforts...
fellow Republican representative Steve GundersonSteve GundersonSteven Craig "Steve" Gunderson is the President and CEO of the Council on Foundations and a former Republican congressman from Wisconsin.-Early years:Gunderson grew up near Whitehall, Wisconsin...
, accusing him of having a "revolving door on his closetThe ClosetThe Closet may refer to:* The Closet , Chinese film* The Closet , French film* The closet, referring to undisclosed homosexuality- See also :* Closet* Closet * In the closet...
." - In a 1986 U.S. House speech, he called Soviet journalist Vladimir PosnerVladimir PosnerVladimir Vladimirovich Posner , born 1 April 1934, is a Russian journalist best known in the West for appearing on television to represent and explain the views of the Soviet Union during the Cold War...
a "disloyal, betraying little Jew who sits there on television claiming that he is somehow or other a newsman." This was the only statement Dornan apologized for, saying, "That's the only thing in my life I ever lost sleep over". Dornan also said that he intended "to say 'JudasJudas IscariotJudas Iscariot was, according to the New Testament, one of the twelve disciples of Jesus. He is best known for his betrayal of Jesus to the hands of the chief priests for 30 pieces of silver.-Etymology:...
,' not 'Jew,'" as a rebuttal to Posner's insistence that the Soviet UnionSoviet UnionThe Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
was free of anti-SemitismAnti-SemitismAntisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
. - "Every lesbianLesbianLesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
spear chucker in this country is hoping I get defeated." — to a Los AngelesLos ÁngelesLos Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
television reporter in 1992 regarding a female challenger in the primary election. - On a January 28, 1994 appearance on Politically IncorrectPolitically IncorrectPolitically Incorrect is a late-night, half-hour political talk show hosted by Bill Maher that ran from 1993 to 2002. It premiered on Comedy Central from 1993 to 1997, and later on ABC in 1997, which cancelled it in 2002....
, Dornan declared it was "The Year of the Penis" due to recent events in the news. This was a joke in regard to the 1992 media and political reference as that election being referred to as "The Year of the Woman", when 4 women won election to the United States Senate. In relation to this comment by Dornan, Representative Barney FrankBarney FrankBarney Frank is the U.S. Representative for . A member of the Democratic Party, he is the former chairman of the House Financial Services Committee and is considered the most prominent gay politician in the United States.Born and raised in New Jersey, Frank graduated from Harvard College and...
noted "Bob Dornan isn't even rational on the House floor. You can't expect him to be rational on Politically Incorrect." - "You are a slimy coward. Go register in another party." — to Orange County (CA) Republican Central Committee member William Dougherty after he supported Dornan's opponent in 1996.
In 1994, a 120-page book of quotations of Dornan was compiled by Nathan Callahan and William Payton and published as Shut Up, Fag! The quotation that gives the book the title was actually shouted by Dornan's wife, Sallie, at an AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
activist during an Orange County town forum. Dornan claimed the book was backed by director Oliver Stone
Oliver Stone
William Oliver Stone is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Stone became well known in the late 1980s and the early 1990s for directing a series of films about the Vietnam War, for which he had previously participated as an infantry soldier. His work frequently focuses on...
, whom Dornan labeled "a Bolshevik
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
enemy".
Dornan's comments and behavior have led his political opponents to question his mental health
Mental health
Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology or holism mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and procure a balance between life activities and...
. Mike Kaspar of the Orange County Democratic Party said "The primary issue is Bob Dornan, himself. I think his character and his own sanity
Sanity
Sanity refers to the soundness, rationality and healthiness of the human mind, as opposed to insanity. A person is sane if they are rational...
are an issue here." At a White House Correspondents Dinner, Al Franken
Al Franken
Alan Stuart "Al" Franken is the junior United States Senator from Minnesota. He is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, which affiliates with the national Democratic Party....
(who is actually a friend of Dornan) joked "having Al D'Amato
Al D'Amato
Alfonse Marcello "Al" D'Amato is an American lawyer and former New York politician. A Republican, he served as United States Senator from New York from 1981 to 1999.-Early life and family:...
leading an ethics investigation is like getting Bob Dornan to head up a mental health task force." Michael Moore
Michael Moore
Michael Francis Moore is an American filmmaker, author, social critic and activist. He is the director and producer of Fahrenheit 9/11, which is the highest-grossing documentary of all time. His films Bowling for Columbine and Sicko also place in the top ten highest-grossing documentaries...
devoted an entire chapter of his book Downsize This!
Downsize This!
Downsize This! Random Threats from an Unarmed American is a book by American author and producer Michael Moore.The book is a look at the state of business and industry in the United States and the power they hold over the U.S. government...
to his efforts to get Dornan involuntarily committed for psychiatric examination.
Defeat
Dornan's district had always been considered the only Orange County district where a Democrat had a realistic chance of winning. However, it became even more Democratic after the 1990 Census, when it absorbed a considerably larger number of Latino voters than he had previously represented. After failing to win the GOP presidential nomination in 1996, Dornan ran for reelection to the House against Loretta SanchezLoretta Sanchez
Loretta Sanchez is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 46th, serving since 2003. She is a member of the Democratic Party, and a member of the Blue Dog Coalition. The district lies in central Orange County....
, a Latina and former Republican who had switched parties and run as a Democrat. Dornan lost by 979 votes.
Following the narrow defeat, Dornan alleged that Sanchez's winning margin was provided by illegal voting from non-U.S. citizens. A thirteen-month House of Representatives investigation ensued, during which Sanchez was seated provisionally, pending the inquiry. A task force found 748 votes that had been cast illegally—624 from non-citizens in addition to 124 that had already been thrown out by California officials. This was not enough to overturn Sanchez' margin of victory and she was allowed to keep her seat. However, in consultation with the INS
Immigration and Naturalization Service
The United States Immigration and Naturalization Service , now referred to as Legacy INS, ceased to exist under that name on March 1, 2003, when most of its functions were transferred from the Department of Justice to three new components within the newly created Department of Homeland Security, as...
, the House committee identified as many as 4,700 questionable registration affidavits. The probe was dropped before these affidavits could be investigated.
Attempt to revive political career
Dornan sought a rematch against Sanchez in 1998, but was badly defeated.In 2004, Dornan challenged Congressman Dana Rohrabacher
Dana Rohrabacher
Dana Tyron Rohrabacher is the U.S. Representative for , and previously the 45th and 42nd, serving since 1989. He is a member of the Republican Party...
, a fellow Republican, in the primary. Dornan charged Rohrabacher with being soft on terrorism and being too close to Islamic extremists. However, he lost by an 84% to 16% margin. Dornan remained in his Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
home, appearing at conservative functions and conservative talk radio shows.
During the summer of 2005, Dornan briefly expressed interest in the 48th Congressional District seat that became vacant when Christopher Cox resigned to become Chairman of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. He was interested in running as the nominee of the American Independent Party
American Independent Party
The American Independent Party is a right-wing political party of the United States that was established in 1967 by Bill and Eileen Shearer. In 1968, the American Independent Party nominated George C. Wallace as its presidential candidate and retired Air Force General Curtis E. LeMay as the vice...
, but was rebuffed by party leaders in Orange County.
In December 2005, Dornan substituted for radio talk show host Michael Savage
Michael Savage (commentator)
Michael Savage is a conservative American radio host, author, and political commentator. He is the host of The Savage Nation, a nationally syndicated talk show that airs throughout the United States on Talk Radio Network...
, criticizing George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
for not moving for a formal Declaration of War
Declaration of war
A declaration of war is a formal act by which one nation goes to war against another. The declaration is a performative speech act by an authorized party of a national government in order to create a state of war between two or more states.The legality of who is competent to declare war varies...
after 9/11. He did so again on 12 April 2006.
Dornan currently works with the American Life League
American Life League
The American Life League is one of the largest pro-life organizations in the United States. The organization opposes abortion under any circumstance, contraception, embryonic stem cell research, and euthanasia...
, his primary mission as a member of the American Life League team will be refocusing attention on the Right to Life Act, a proposal that establishes the personhood of each human being as beginning at fertilization.
External links
- Official website (last updated February 2004) Retrieved on 2009-03-08
- Bob Dornan at IMDb