The Political Landscape:

If John McCain becomes president next year, he’ll have a solid fan base among Costa Mesa’s movers and shakers.

That was the conclusion Friday at the South Coast Metro Alliance’s luncheon at the Westin South Coast Plaza, where public affairs consultant Paul Freeman conducted a mock presidential primary. Freeman, a former Laguna Beach mayor, circulated Republican, Democratic and general election ballots among more than 100 attendees — and when officials tallied the results, McCain had wiped out his Republican challengers and beaten Democrat Hillary Clinton by three votes.

The members of the South Coast Metro Alliance — a group of political and business leaders from Costa Mesa and south Santa Ana — elected Barack Obama on the Democratic ticket, although on the general ballot, with only one vote permitted, Clinton led all Democrats in votes. Among those voting were Costa Mesa City Council members and officials from South Coast Plaza, the SoBeCa District and several upscale hotels.

Freeman said he also expected McCain and Clinton to score their parties’ nominations, although he added that Obama could squeak out a tight victory. He declined, though, to make a prediction until weeks before the election.

ROHRABACHER BLASTS BUSH

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher lashed out at President Bush this week, alleging his “wrong-headedness” on immigration issues was a factor in the apparent slaying of a Border Patrol agent Saturday morning.

A Hummer allegedly transporting drugs into the U.S. veered off-road when its driver realized he was being trailed by Border Patrol agents, according to news reports.

Agent Luis Aguilar laid road-spikes to intercept the vehicle when it seemed to veer in an attempt to intentionally hit and kill the six-year veteran, according to Rohrabacher.

Rohrabacher ripped Bush in the past over the prosecutions of Ignacio Ramos and José Compeán — two border patrol agents convicted of shooting an unarmed drug dealer in 2005. He linked the death of Aguilar to a culture of fear that followed the conviction of Ramos and Compeán, saying Border Patrol agents are afraid to use their weapons, whereas criminals crossing the border have become emboldened.

“There is a deteriorating situation in Mexico and along our border, and the death of Agent Aguilar underscores the chaos that’s emerging there,” Rohrabacher said. “This is far from an isolated instance.”