Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Category Archives: Politics

The O.C. Business Council endorses Eric Alderete for Santa Ana’s Ward 3

Posted on by Posted in Business, Democratic Party, Elections, Eric Alderete, Politics, Santa Ana 6 Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 26, 2012

CONTACT: Carlos Valenzuela, PHONE: (858) 220-2090, EMAIL: 714valenzuela@gmail.com

The Leading Orange County Business Organization, OCBC, Endorses Eric M. Alderete for Santa Ana City Council – Ward 3

Santa Ana, California – Eric M. Alderete’s campaign for Santa Ana City Council (Ward 3) received a vote of confidence from the business community. Alderete announced today that the Orange County Business Council (OCBC) endorsed his candidacy for Ward 3. The OCBC joins other recent endorsements by the Santa Ana Police Officers Association and Orange County Coalition of Police and Sheriffs. Continue reading→

RSCCD Area 3 candidate Tony Tapia to host a fundraiser on 9/27

Posted on by Posted in 2014 Elections, Education, Entertainment, Nelida Mendoza-Yanez, Politics, Santa Ana, Thomas Gordon, Tony Tapia 1 Comment

Tony Tapia and State Senator Lou Correa

Tony Tapia, a candidate for the Rancho Santiago Community College District Board of Education, is hosting a fundraiser for his campaign on Thursday, September 27, 2012, from 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM, at his residence located at: 1523 West 6th Street, in Santa Ana.   You may RSVP on Facebook here.  For more information, please call: Gennaro Tapia (714) 867-4384 or email him at info@TapiaRSCCD.com.

For the first time ever, the RSCCD elections are going to be Area Specific.  Tapia is running in Area 3, against OC GOP Central Committee Member Thomas Gordon – a lifelong Republican; and Nelida Yanez, who lost badly to David Benavides when she challenged him for the Santa Ana City Council in 2006, according to Smart Voter.  Benavides beat her by a two to one margin. Continue reading→

SAUSD School Board candidate Valerie Amezcua to host a fundraiser on 9/27

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Alfredo Amezcua, Education, Entertainment, Politics, Santa Ana, Valerie Amezcua Leave a comment

SAUSD School Board candidate Valerie Amezcua is hosting a fundraiser on Thursday, September 27th, at the home of the Cazales Family, located at 1030 West Moore Avenue, in Santa Ana, from 6:00 – 8:00PM.

Parents are Free.  Suggested Ticket Prices for everyone else are: $25 Per Person; $75 Amiga/Amigo Sponsorship; $150 Comadre/Compadre Sponsorship; $250 Madrina/Padrino Sponsorship. Continue reading→

Solorio to host a campaign fundraiser and birthday party on 9/27

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Democratic Party, Education, Elections, Entertainment, Jose Solorio, Politics, Santa Ana 1 Comment

Assemblyman Jose Solorio is hosting a cocktail reception to kick-off his campaign for the Rancho Santiago College District’s Board of Education, and to celebrate his 42nd birthday, on Thursday, September 27, 2012, from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, at Original Mike’s, located at 100 South Main Street, in Downtown Santa Ana.

I don’t personally understand the need for a fundraiser, as Solorio is running unchallenged, but perhaps he is intending to use the money to help other candidates? In either case, Happy Birthday Jose! Continue reading→

Mayor Miguel Pulido announces key endorsements for his re-election campaign

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Claudia Alvarez, Democratic Party, Elections, Frank Barbaro, Jose Hernandez, Jose Solorio, Labor, Miguel Pulido, Orange County, Politics 10 Comments

For Immediate Release: September 20, 2012
Contact: Lynn Norris, (714) 921-1181

Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido Announces Key Endorsements for his Re-Election Campaign

Mayor’s High Name Recognition, Plus Accomplishments & Key Endorsements will Lead Him to Victory

Santa Ana – Today Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido announced major endorsements in support of his re-election campaign this November. His new list of endorsements now includes: Continue reading→

The O.C. Lincoln Club rejects most of the Santa Ana Republican candidates

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Cecilia Iglesias, Charles Hart, Elections, George Collins, Karina Onofre, Lupe Moreno, Orange County, Politics, Republican Party, Santa Ana 3 Comments

The Orange County Lincoln Club PAC has endorsed Tea Party Republican Charles Hart for the Santa Ana City Council, even though he is a government worker, but ignored small businessman George Collins, the OC GOP-endorsed candidate for Santa Ana Mayor, and Lupe Moreno, the Minuteman who is also running for Santa Ana Mayor. 

They also inexplicably blew off newly minted Republican Karina Onofre, who is running for Ward 5 against the DPOC-endorsed Roman Reyna, but they did endorse Cecilia Iglesias for the SAUSD School Board.  Continue reading→

Orange Park Acre Republicans to host an Amezcua fundraiser on 9/22

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Alfredo Amezcua, Education, Elections, Entertainment, Orange, Politics, Republican Party, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Valerie Amezcua 10 Comments

Republican home where Valerie Amezcua’s fundraiser will be held, in Orange Park Acres

Failed Santa Ana mayoral candidate Al Amezcua’s daughter, Valerie Amezcua, a Democratic Party candidate for the SAUSD School Board, is finally going to have a fundraiser, at the home of Republicans Dr. Arturo & Raquel Lomeli on  Saturday, September 22, 2012, at 20208 E. Rogers Drive, in Orange Park Acres, from 4:00 – 6:00 pm.

Valerie ran previously for the SAUSD School Board in 2006, and lost to Roman Reyna, who she is now supporting for the Santa Ana City Council.

The event will be catered by Casa 7 Mares.  Just to be safe, I looked up their record of health violations on the website of the Orange County Health Agency: Continue reading→

Benavides finally holding a fundraiser for his mayoral campaign

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, David Benavides, Elections, Entertainment, Michele Martinez, Politics, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 12 Comments

Santa Ana Council Member David Benavides is finally holding a fundraiser for his fading Mayoral campaign, on Thursday, September 20, 2012, from 5:30pm – 7:30pm, at Chapter One Restaurant, located at 227 N. Broadway, in Downtown Santa Ana.

The event’s host committee includes Council Members Sal Tinajero, Michele Martinez and Vince Sarmiento.  No other politicians or community leaders were referenced on the email blast sent out by the Benavides campaign. Continue reading→

Politicians, ninjas and a bear show up at the 2012 Fiestas Patrias parade

Posted on by Posted in Arts and Culture, Charles Hart, Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, David Benavides, Eric Alderete, Jose Solorio, Karina Onofre, Latinos, Loretta Sanchez, Lou Correa, mexico, Miguel Pulido, Patriotism, Politics, Republican Party, Rob Richardson, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 9 Comments

The Santa Ana 2012 Fiestas Patrias parade ran for about an hour and a half today, starting at 4 pm.  I got there a few minutes late and missed Mayor Miguel Pulido, who was apparently riding in a Wells Fargo stagecoach, but I caught everyone else.

Above you wil find a slideshow of the politicians and the floats, and everything else.  The parade featured men on horseback, someone in a bear costume, native dancers, and even a couple of ninjas. 

Here are some of the high, or low lights to look for: Continue reading→

Sarmiento and Benavides squirm as Pulido shines at a memorable El Grito

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Claudia Alvarez, David Benavides, Elections, Latinos, mexico, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, music, Politics, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 28 Comments

Until last night I had never attended the “El Grito” event at Santa Ana’s annual Fiestas Patrias.  Who knew I was missing out on an unbelievable spectacle?

Thousands of Mexican Americans filled Santa Ana’s Fourth Street, facing a huge stage at the end of the street, near the Northgate Market.  A moderator introduced our city’s leaders at 8 pm, as Mayor Miguel Pulido and his family took the stage, along with Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez and traitorous Council Members Vince Sarmiento and David Benavides.  The latter is running against Pulido in November and Sarmiento is supporting him. Continue reading→

Sarmiento appears to regret backing Benavides, as he runs for re-election

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, David Benavides, Democratic Party, Elections, Estela Amezcua, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 8 Comments

I am hearing that Santa Ana Council Member Vince Sarmiento appears to be having buyer’s regret when it comes to upstart Santa Ana mayoral candidate David Benavides.  Apparently Sarmiento has told others that while he has endorsed Benavides he is not actively campaigning for him.  But the damage is done – endorsing the clueless, bumbling Benavides is simply inexcusable.

Sarmiento is running for re-election this year, in Santa Ana’s Ward 1, against Estela Amezcua, a Santa Ana educator.  She is not related to Al Amezcua, the failed Santa Ana mayoral candidat who, like Sarmiento, is also backing Benavides. Continue reading→

Santa Ana City Council candidate Brett Franklin polling ahead in Ward 3

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Brett Franklin, Carlos Bustamante, Charles Hart, Elections, Eric Alderete, Politics, Republican Party, Santa Ana 1 Comment

The inside baseball set has assumed that Santa Ana Planning Commissioner Eric Alderete is going to win in Ward 3, in November’s election.  However an unpublished poll shows former Santa Ana City Councilman Brett Franklin in the lead.  How could this be?

Well, consider that there is no incumbent, as the current Council Member, the disgraced Carlos Bustamante, is not running for re-election.  Franklin was the previous Council Member and as such he is the defacto incumbent.  He has name I.D. and Alderete is seriously lacking in that area.  And Franklin was born and raised here in Santa Ana, while Alderete was born and raised in East Los Angles, and he has been living here perhaps six years at most. Continue reading→

Mayor Pulido made them do it!

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, David Benavides, Elections, Miguel Angel Briseno, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Santa Ana 16 Comments

One of the first things that Santa Ana mayoral candidate David Benavides said at this week’s candidate forum was “I have a question for you.  Are you okay with the status quo?,” according to the O.C. Register.

That is laughable!  Benavides was groomed for office by the man he is now trying to take down, Mayor Miguel Pulido.  And he has spent the last six years voting lockstep with him on just about everything.

Consider what Benavides did the last time term limits came up.  We didn’t get mayoral term limits in that instance, instead we got Measure D – which extended the Council terms by four more years!  It was a complete bait and switch.

Now have a look at this Benavides quote, from the same debate: Continue reading→

Council Member Sarmiento endorsed by the Democratic Party of Orange County

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Democratic Party, Elections, Politics, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento 6 Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 13, 2012

CONTACT: Karia Salazar, PHONE: (714) 623-7185, EMAIL: salazar_karia@yahoo.com

The Democratic Party of Orange County Endorses Councilman Vincent Sarmiento to Represent Santa Ana City Council – Ward 1

Santa Ana, California – Vincent Sarmiento has received the endorsement from the Democratic Party of Orange County for Santa Ana City Council’s Ward -1 seat. Continue reading→

Pump up the vote and Zumba too at the Delhi Center on 9/25

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Charities, Elections, Entertainment, Health and Medical, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana’s Delhi Center is set to “Pump Up the Vote,” on Tuesday, September 25, 2012, at 10:00 am.  They will have free breakfast, lunch and dinner between 10 am and 7 pm coupled with their Zumbathon — free Zumba lessons all day!

Register to vote, volunteer to register others to vote and learn how to get the word out about registration –a key element to empowering our communities! Continue reading→