The latest poll circulating the Coachella Valley and Sacramento has Gary Jeandron with a six-point lead over Democratic foe Manuel Perez in the 80th Assembly election.

The poll was completed Sept. 29-30 by Chariot Research, a San Francisco-based research and communications consultant.

Plenty of polls are going around though, most never make it to the media or voters. The last one we got our hands on was a Perez-funded poll completed days after the June primary, showing the Democrat with an 11-point lead in the closely followed race.

Jeandron, a Republican, touted the independent poll in a letter to supporters last week saying, “Our message is clearly resonating with voters.”

“The momentum is definitely on our side, but we must continue to work hard all the way to the finish line,” the former Palm Springs police chief wrote to supporters.

Perez spokesman Josh Pulliam questioned the poll's reliability, as there's no public access to the questions that were asked.

“It's a push poll,” he said. “You can get a push poll to show that ice cream should be illegal or something ludicrous. That's the same likelihood of getting Jeandron to win.”

Notably MIA

Tuesday's candidate forum at Rancho Mirage Public Library was attended by every local candidate running for state or federal office — except Rep. Mary Bono Mack.

Instead, the Palm Springs Republican was attending a presidential debate-watching party at the Republican Victory '08 headquarters in Temecula.

“The congresswoman saw this as a very good opportunity to meet with the constituents over there, find out what their concerns are and get some one-on-one time with them,” said Bono Mack's campaign manager, Jon-Marc Blalock.

For a couple of weeks, her Democratic challenger, former Assemblywoman Julie Bornstein of Palm Desert, has hammered on Bono Mack for not debating, noting that Bono Mack hasn't debated an opponent since 2002.

Bono Mack's campaign has said they'd make a decision on whether to debate “when it is appropriate,” adding that Bornstein's interest in one was to “help draw a crowd” for her “hapless campaign.”

But Tuesday's Rancho Mirage forum was not a debate. It was candidates talking to constituents in the audience. The only time candidates could respond to each other was at the end, for 90 seconds.

Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce spokesman Darren Zetena, an organizer of Tuesday's forum, said contact with campaigns — including Bono Mack's — about the event started in June, and multiple calls were made since.

“In these tough economic times, with our country falling apart, this was an opportunity for candidates, including incumbents, to talk to their constituents and say, ‘This is what I think, this is what I've done, this is what I'm going to do,'” Zetena said.

Bornstein, who attended Tuesday's forum, pounced.

“One thing I have learned in government and the private sector is that you have to be in the room to make a difference. I am here. Rep. (Bono) Mack, where are you?”

Said Blalock: “Mary continues to meet with constituents all over the district. We're campaigning very hard, and the congresswoman is working very hard. She is not taking anything for granted. She knows times are hard.”

Ford joins Team Bono Mack

Speaking of Bono Mack, the Palm Springs Republican last week announced that former first lady Betty Ford will be her campaign's honorary chairwoman.

Bono Mack named the following regional co-chairs: Former Palm Springs Mayor Frank Bogert, Moreno Valley Mayor Bill Batey and Hemet Councilwoman Lori Van Arsdale.

They'll work with Sen. Jim Battin, who is serving as the campaign chairman.

Battin had previously told The Desert Sun he was going to be the honorary chairman — a title formerly held by the late President Ford — but evidently has been been bumped up to a more active role in the campaign.

Annenberg connection gets attention

Leonore Annenberg, widow of the late publishing mogul and Ambassador Walter H. Annenberg, got the national media's attention this week.

The Rancho Mirage philanthropist earlier this year endorsed Republican Sen. John McCain for president.

And that endorsement was talked about in news reports all week when reporters probed into the connection between Democratic Sen. Barack Obama and and Vietnam War-era radical Bill Ayers.

Turns out that the educational foundation that brought the duo together was the Annenberg Foundation-funded Annenberg Challenge.

Judging by the ads that have already been launched, you can expect this to be a topic of conversation until Election Day.

Make your voice heard

Riverside County's ever-popular ROVER van starts its Coachella Valley rounds this week.

The Registration, Outreach, Voting, Education and Resources van will be at the Stater Bros. shopping center at Varner Road and Washington Street near Sun City Palm Desert from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday.

Next Monday, ROVER will be at the Stater Bros. in Desert Hot Springs from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and at the Indio Community Access Center, 83-233 Indio Blvd., from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.

It's back in the desert on Oct. 23: from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the county administration center in Indio and from 5 to 10 p.m. at Villagefest in downtown Palm Springs.

Early voting also will be held at Westfield Palm Desert starting Saturday.

Cast your ballot from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Saturday or from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday to Oct. 26.

Extra credit

Despite all his work at City Hall, Palm Springs City Manager David Ready amazingly finds time to teach local government and administration at Cal State San Bernardino's Palm Desert campus.

His worlds merged recently when he made his public policy graduate students sit through an entire Palm Springs City Council meeting, so they could observe the public comment process.

The Oct. 1 meeting wound up lasting several hours.

We think those students deserve an A.

The Imperial County Sheriff's Association is backing Jeandron for Assembly.

Bono Mack endorsed incumbent Rob Bernheimer for Indian Wells City Council.

Palm Desert City Council candidate Carole Schaudt is supported by the AFL-CIO.

Desert Hot Springs Mayor Yvonne Parks, Palm Springs Councilman Lee Weigel, Palm Springs Unified board member Don Aikens, and Cathedral City Councilmen Charles England and Chuck Vasquez are backing Richard Clapp for Palm Springs Unified school board.

Desert Sands Unified candidate Sonja Martin will have a meet and greet in Palm Desert at 4:30 p.m. today at Palms Salon, 77564 Country Club Drive, Building B, Suite 380.

The Indio Sunrise Rotary is hosting a candidate forum on Tuesday. The breakfast event starts at 6:45 a.m. at Indian Palms Country Club at Monroe Street and Avenue 48.

Bill Powers, Indian Wells City Council candidate and CEO of Pacific Western Bank, will be honored as the city chamber's Business Person of the Year on Tuesday. The chamber event starts at 5:30 p.m. at Spotlight 29 Casino, 46-200 Harrison St. Information: 346-7095

Perez and Bornstein will be among those attending the Democrats in Trilogy's candidate forum on Tuesday. The forum starts at 6 p.m. at the Desert Vista ballroom, 60-800 Trilogy Parkway in La Quinta. Information: 564-2999

The Indian Wells Chamber of Commerce will host the seven council candidates for a forum on Wednesday. The event starts at 4 p.m. at the Indian Wells Country Club. Information: 346-7095

Local Republicans will watch the presidential debate at their party headquarters on Wednesday. The event starts at 5:30 p.m. at 74-390 Highway 111, Suite A. Information: drew@desertstrategies.com

Candidate Carole Schaudt will have an event for her Palm Desert City Council campaign event on Wednesday. It starts at 5:30 p.m. at PostNet, 74-930 Country Club Drive. Information: 674-9780

The Jeandron camp will have telephone parties at 5 p.m. every Wednesday at Republican offices throughout the valley. Information: 562-2891

The Women's Political Action Network is hosting Coachella Valley's female candidates during a forum Thursday. The event starts at 5:30 p.m. at Palm Desert Public Library, 73-300 Fred Waring Drive. Information: 323-8859

Jeandron will have a fundraiser Friday to support his Assembly campaign. The event starts at 6 p.m. at the Elsner home, 521 W. Via Lola, Palm Springs. Tickets start at $150. Information: (949) 854-3497

Coachella Valley Unified candidate Anastacio De La Cruz, with trustees Ana Rodriguez, Joe Murillo and Maria Rios, will have a meet and greet Friday. The event starts at 6 p.m. at Mexico Tipico Restaurant at Indio Boulevard and Arabia Street in Indio.

Several No on Prop. 8 supporters are attending the Equality California award reception on Saturday. The VIP reception starts at 5:30 p.m. at the Palm Springs Convention Center, 277 N. Avenida Caballeros.

Temple Sinai will have a town hall forum on the election on Sunday, featuring candidates from both parties and the League of Women Voters. The free event starts at 3 p.m. at the Palm Desert temple, 73251 Hovley Lane. Information: 568-9699

Stefanie Frith, Denise Goolsby, Marcel Honore, K Kaufmann, Michelle Mitchell, Keith Matheny and Mariecar Mendoza contributed to this column.