Can you spot all the Usual Suspect Mayoral candidates in this photo?
Santa Ana Mayoral candidate George Collins gloated on Facebook today because his name is going to appear first on the ballot, as per the California Secretary of State’s random drawing, which determined the order of the candidates on the November ballot. But does Collins have a chance to beat the incumbent, Mayor Miguel Pulido?
The fact is, there are too many candidates running against Pulido, ant to make matters worse for Collins, he is fighting over the same voters with two other challengers – Minuteman Lupe Moreno and Santa Ana Council Member David Benavides. All three of them are hoping to get the Usual Suspect vote, but there really aren’t enough of those votes left in town to matter, even if one of the candidates were able to garner all of their votes.
Now perhaps Collins is hoping to get votes by virtue of being the only Anglo on the ballot. That might hold true were it not for the fact that Moreno hates her own people and is not afraid to share those beliefs with the voters. And Benavides is the Usual Suspects’ best friend – he appoints them to City Commissions and he even gave an award to Moreno a couple years ago. That award backfired.
To recap, Moreno, at the time, was running the Santa Ana 4th of July event and she imported Minutemen from as far away as Yorba Linda, to man the event. One of these haters called a Santa Ana resident a “Wetback” but the incident blew up and went viral when it was caught on video and exposed online. Despite that mess, Benavides honored Moreno and her cohorts.
Now, inexplicably, Moreno is running against her pal Benavides, and so is Collins. But all three appeal to a limited audience. And two other challengers, retired engineer Roy Alvarado and CSUF Student/Retail store manager Miguel Briseno figure to get a few votes too.
Collins might be in first place on the ballot, but I suspect he will be close to las place when the votes are tallied. This Council will remain all-Latino for awhile yet.
I spot a fake hippie, a couple of tourist, cheeseburger in paradise dorks, an asian guy with dildo club(gay neighborhood Assoc.?) An obese lady who thinks that she is not Mexican and an out-dated Pioneer Woman. Did I miss anyone?
To suggest all of the Mayoral candidates were in that picture might be misleading though. It might be more accurate to show a picture of a the current candidates at the Santora Film Fest.
With so many running, I think this one and ward 3 will be nail biter’s.
The plethora of candidates favors Pulido in the Mayor’s race and Alderete in Ward 3.
This one goes out to Lupe.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8raUHXToIlQ
Hoochie Cooo! Damn, I had no idea those white boys could dance like that.
I heard they went to Century High school too!
The majority council in apposition to Pulido remaining united against Pulido results in Pulido being irrelevant and ineffective as council leader with no power.
Political and financial support for Pulido has been related to Pulido negotiating 4 votes to carry his agenda and so the agenda of his political and financial supporters.
Pulido not having the 4 votes , the basis of his power, will leave him without his traditional polical and financial support as he then does not control the council majority.
The political and financial support then shifts to the new council majority. A majority council poised to take Santa Ana to it’ s potential of being the economic power of the County.
The majority Council’s challenge is to articulate this to the voters so their vote is not wasted by spreading their votes amongst challengers other than Benavidez.
Voters need to support this new leadership ……..in the case of the Mayoral race , the united vote from the diverse communities should be for Benavides. New leadership for economic,educational and cultural development benefits all of the communities of Santa Ana.
Benavides was created by Miguel and has voted lockstep with Jim throughout his career. Pulido will form a new majority with Benavides and Reyna, and probably Sarmiento, after the election.
The only change we can achieve thus year will be to dump Rob Richardson off the SAUSD School Board.
For the sake of argument if Miguel gets Benavidez and Reyna…….is still three against four. Un-unifying would be political suicide for them as they attempted to Snuff Politicly Pulido out by their current actions against him.
Why go to Pulido to give him the majority when they have it independent of Pulido……not logical as you present it. Their best interests would depend on Pulido and his political/financial supporters. They staying united results in joint support of their collective best interests .
The reason for their seperation from Pulido is that they have no voice/ decision making ability with Pulido controlling the majority council. WHY WOULD THEY GOT BACK TO THIS?
If Pulido wins the Mayoral race and the council stays united will result in Miguel staying irrelevant with no power.
Same if anyone else other than Benavidez wins the Mayoral race.
The power in Council is with 4 votes and not with the mayoral office.
Miguel has been in office for this long because he has been able to craft the election of council members to obtain the 4 votes and not because he is mayor. Being mayor has been a consequence of negotiating the 4 votes.
Why go back to him? Because they always do. And they will again.
Look at Benavides’ platform and you will see that it lacks substance and is nothing but empty promises. He lacks vision and is way over his head.
Tinajero was smart to withdraw. This empty revolution will end like all the other ones. Benavides will be finished. He will have no choice but to crawl back to Pulido.
This majority revolt is unprecedented . Individual revolts ended as you describe. This is different. Never been done while Pulido in power.
I respect your opinion . I will leave it there.
And I yours.
Just remember what happened when Amezcua jumped into the fray. Before long he was surrounded by Usual Suspects. That is going ti doom Benavides as well.
Amezcua was an outsider candidate against a Pulido united majority council.
Benavidez is part of the the current council majority against Pulido. Apples and oranges.
Nice talking with you.
Thanks Dr. Lomeli for weighing in on this race. No matter what happens it will be covered well here.
Last time, Collins was also on top of the ballot. Didn’t help him much.
And this time, with him having outed himself on his Facebook page as a birther, he scrapes for the bottom, together with Moreno.
Art Lomeli,
You are nailing it! Thanks for sharing the majority’s opinion which will show when the votes are totaled in November. Benavides for Mayor! We can do this!