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Tag Archives: Cecilia Iglesias

Who is Santa Ana’s most powerful politician?

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, 2014 Elections, Angelica Amezcua, Cecilia Iglesias, Claudia Alvarez, David Benavides, Elections, Eric Alderete, Estela Amezcua, Janet Nguyen, John Palacio, Jose Solorio, Loretta Sanchez, Lou Correa, Mark McLoughlin, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Politics, Rob Richardson, Robert Hammond, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, Vince Sarmiento Leave a comment

Public OpinionPoll Results

Who is Santa Ana’s most powerful politician?  U.S. Rep. Loretta Sanchez certainly made her case this year by helping to elect Anaheim Council Candidate Jordan Brandman and Assembly Candidate Sharon Quirk-Silva.  But Assemblyman Jose Solorio also was a key factor in the successful re-election of Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido and the victory of Assembly Candidate Tom Daly.

But what about Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez?  Has there ever been a more powerful termed out local politician?  She beat out two candidates who were incumbents, for the Rancho Santiago Community College District’s Board of Trustees.  And she helped elect unknown and unfunded Santa Ana Council Candidate Angelica Amezcua, in Ward 3, while giving Santa Ana Councilman Vince Sarmiento a scare in Ward 1 with Amezcua’s sister, Estela. Continue reading→

Blame John Lewis for the Democrats picking up an Assembly supermajority

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Anaheim, Cecilia Iglesias, Fullerton, Jose Moreno, Miguel Pulido, Orange County, Politics, Republican Party, Rob Richardson, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Tom Daly, Transportation 13 Comments

Former State Senator John Lewis has such a hold on the Republican Party of Orange County that he was able to force the withdrawal of Robert Hammond, their candidate for the 69th Assembly District, so as to pave the way for his Democratic pal Tom Daly. And Lewis also ran the failed campaign of Chris Norby, for the 65th Assembly District. With the loss of Norby’s seat, and the 69th, the California Republican Party ceded a supermajority in the State Assembly to the California Democratic Party.

But Lewis is not the only one to blame. OC GOP Chairman Scott Baugh (a political consultant) and OC Supervisor Janet Nguyen were personally involved in pulling Hammond out of the race for the 69th. And neither of them helped Jose “Joe” Moreno, the Anaheim Republican who, at the last minute, filed for the 69th rather than concede the victory to Daly. Moreno was however undone by allegations that he violated an obscure Federal law – the Hatch Act. Moreno, an employee of the O.C. Health Agency, was accused of this by labor, even though he is a longtime union member. Continue reading→

Can two Latinas in Santa Ana save the OC GOP from itself?

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Brett Franklin, Cecilia Iglesias, Charles Hart, Democratic Party, Latino Leaders, Latinos, Lupe Moreno, Myriam Tinajero, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana 11 Comments

Now OC GOP Chairman Scott Baugh is singing a different tune – in the wake of the overwhelming defeat of the Republican Presidential nominee, Mitt Romney, by President Barack Obama. I saw Baugh on Rick Reiff’s post-election TV show and he admitted that the GOP better figure out immigration. That is the message that both Iglesias and Onofre are now espousing as well.

Iglesias was victorious in her campaign for the SAUSD School Board. In fact she defeated two Democrats – Valerie Amezcua and Myriam Tinajero, who were supported by liberal SAUSD Trustee John Palacio and by the unions. Continue reading→

Palacio to blame for Amezcua’s loss in the SAUSD School Board race

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Cecilia Aguinaga, Cecilia Iglesias, David Benavides, Education, Estela Amezcua, John Palacio, Myriam Tinajero, Politics, Republican Party, Rob Richardson, Roman Reyna, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Term Limits, Vince Sarmiento 15 Comments

Valerie Amezcua

Regardless of whether or not you are a supporter of Valerie Amezcua, the daughter of failed Santa Ana mayoral candidate Alfredo Amezcua, you have to feel bad for her.  She almost won a seat on the SAUSD School Board four years ago, barely losing to Roman Reyna, who vacated that seat this year and is now moving on to Ward 5 on the Santa Ana City Council.

Two years ago Amezcua had a chance to run again, and to build on her success in the 2008 election.  But SAUSD Trustee John Palacio, who now considers himself to be a political consultant, got in the way.  He prevented her from running out of fear that she might beat him.  There were only two seats up in 2010, Palacio’s and that of his fellow incumbent, Audrey Noji.  Palacio ended up keeping everyone out of that race, except for me.  I was sickened to see that no Latinos were challenging Noji so I ran and lost by only 1,400 votes, with no campaign budget.  Palacio ended up endorsing Noji. Continue reading→

Santa Ana Election results – Pulido far ahead and Amezcua winning in Ward 3!

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Alfredo Amezcua, Bond Measures, Brett Franklin, Cecilia Iglesias, Charles Hart, Civic Affairs, Claudia Alvarez, Dave Chapel, David Benavides, Democratic Party, Elections, Eric Alderete, Estela Amezcua, George Collins, Jose Hernandez, Mark McLoughlin, Measure GG, Miguel Pulido, Myriam Tinajero, Nelida Mendoza-Yanez, Politics, Rob Richardson, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Shane Barrows, Shane Ramon Barrows, Steve Rocco, Thomas Gordon, Tony Tapia, Vince Sarmiento 1 Comment

Two winners – Mayor Miguel Pulido and President Barack Obama

As expected, Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido is winning handily tonight.  The O.C. Voter Registrar has posted the early returns, which are absentee ballots. Here are some of the evening’s highlights:

  • Mayor Miguel Pulido has a whopping 7,454 votes – David Benavides only has 3,676 votes.  George Collins is nipping at Benavides’ heels with 2,523 votes
  • In a shocker, the unknown schoolteacher Angelica Amezcua is leading in Ward 3, with 6,637 votes, while Santa Ana Planning Commissioner Eric Alderete has 5,097 votes and former Council Member Brett Franklin has 4,172 votes.  It is early yet but if this trend continues then Franklin has a good shot as the Latino vote in Ward 3 is clearly split.  There are however three candidates splitting up the white vote – Charles Hart, Shane Barrows and Steve Rocco. Continue reading→

Who will win in Santa Ana’s elections on Tuesday?

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Bond Measures, Brett Franklin, Cecilia Iglesias, Civic Affairs, David Benavides, Elections, Eric Alderete, Estela Amezcua, Jerry Hayden, Jose Solorio, Karina Onofre, Loretta Sanchez, Mark McLoughlin, Measure GG, Miguel Pulido, Myriam Tinajero, Nelida Mendoza-Yanez, Orange County, Politics, Rob Richardson, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Tony Tapia, Travis Allen, Troy Edgar, Valerie Amezcua, Vince Sarmiento 2 Comments

Santa Ana Mayoral challenger David Benavides wasn’t on the ballot two years ago, as he had no opponent for his City Council seat.  The last time he appeared on the ballot was six years ago, back when he still mentioned his wife and family on his fliers and websites.

So it was a daunting task for Benavides to ramp up his name I.D. this year in a few short weeks, having announced his mayoral campaign rather late in the game.

As such I think he is going to be toast on Tuesday, Nov. 6. But what about the other races? Who will win?  Comment here with your picks, including estimated vote percentages and whoever gets the closest will win a free banner ad on our blog for one month, for the business or non-profit of their choice.

Here are my predictions: Continue reading→

SAUSD School Board candidate Ceci Iglesias addresses the Dream Act

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Cecilia Iglesias, Dream Act, Education, immigration, Latinos, Santa Ana 8 Comments

I asked SAUSD School Board candidate Cecilia Iglesias to clarify her position on the Dream Act.  You may recall that her fellow Republicans, Robert Hammond and Charles Hart, brow beat her at a meeting of the OC GOP Endorsement Committee into disavowing the Dream Act.

But now Iglesias says she is not against it at all although she does not refer to the Dream Act by name in her statement.  Here then is her statement clarifying her position on the Dream Act: Continue reading→

Tinajero versus Amezcua?

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Alfredo Amezcua, Cecilia Iglesias, Democratic Party, Education, Elections, John Palacio, Jose Hernandez, Myriam Tinajero, Politics, Republican Party, Rob Richardson, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana 15 Comments

Myriam Tinajero

Ballots are arriving now in the mail for this November’s General Election.  Here in Santa Ana we are voting for three Trustees on the Santa Ana Unified School District’s Board of Education.

Incumbents Rob Richardson and Jose A. Hernandez are running for re-election – and SAUSD incumbents never lose.  They have both been endorsed by the Santa Ana Educators Association.  There is one open SAUSD seat as Trustee Roman Reyna is leaving the School Board after only one term, to run for the Santa Ana City Council, in Ward 5.

There are several challengers running for the Reyna seat on the SAUSD School Board.  The top candidates include Myriam Tinajero, who is the sister of former SAUSD Trustee and current Santa Ana Council Member Sal Tinajero; Orange County Probation Officer Valerie Amezcua, who lost four years ago to Reyna; and former Congressional candidate Cecilia Iglesias, who recently became a registered Republican and subsequently disavowed the Dream Act. 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→

The Republicans who are trying to take back Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Alfredo Amezcua, Brett Franklin, Carlos Bustamante, Cecilia Iglesias, Claudia Alvarez, David Benavides, Democratic Party, Elections, George Collins, Janet Nguyen, Jerry Hayden, Karina Onofre, Loretta Sanchez, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Nelida Mendoza-Yanez, Politics, Republican Party, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Thomas Gordon, Tom Daly, Tony Tapia, Valerie Amezcua Leave a comment

Robert Hammond, promoting the GOP

Orange County’s Democrats are generally clueless, but this past June they were particularly out of sorts.  They inexplicably gave Orange County Supervisor Janet Nguyen a free pass, allowing her to focus on electing her fellow Republican, and gay-basher, Robert Hammond as he won a seat on the O.C. Department of Education’s Board of Trustees.

And the Democrats managed to fumble away Orange County’s most Latino seat, allowing it to go to Orange County Clerk-Recorder Tom Daly, who has since been charged with sexual harassment in the workplace.  If they had gotten behind Santa Ana Council Member Michele Martinez she might have prevailed in June.  Instead organized labor put up their guy, Julio Perez, splitting the Latino vote and allowing Daly to prevail. Continue reading→

BBQ fundraiser for SAUSD Trustee candidate Cecilia Iglesias this Sunday

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Cecilia Iglesias, Education, Entertainment, Republican Party, Robert Hammond, Santa Ana, SAUSD Leave a comment

Cecilia “Ceci” Iglesias, a Republican candidate for the Santa Ana Unified School District’s Board of Education, is having a BBQ fundraiser this Sunday, Sep. 9, from 4:00pm until 6:00pm, at 2721 N Larchmont Ave, Santa Ana, at the home of Dawn and OC Board of Education Trustee Robert Hammond.

The BBQ will include: Continue reading→

SAUSD Trustee candidate Iglesias endorsed by the OC GOP

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Cecilia Iglesias, Charles Hart, Education, Orange County, Republican Party, Robert Hammond, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Thomas Gordon 8 Comments

I am not sure why exactly SAUSD Trustee candidate Cecilia Iglesias returned to the Republican Party, but she did and tonight she was rewarded by the OC GOP Endorsement Committee with an endorsement.  The value of that endorsement aside, what she had to go through to get that endorsement is worth reviewing.

Here is a blow-by-blow account courtesy of the OC Political Blog: Continue reading→

Pedroza withdraws from the SAUSD School Board race

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Art Pedroza, Cecilia Iglesias, Education, Jose Hernandez, Myriam Tinajero, Politics, Rob Richardson, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Valerie Amezcua 1 Comment

I have no other view than to promote the public good. – George Washington.

There is a time for everything and it struck me today that the time for me to run again for the SAUSD School Board is not this November.  Now that was not a decision I came to rashly, but one that I arrived at after much thought.

We need change at the SAUSD School Board, now more than ever.  There is only one open seat – and two incumbents are up for reelection.  Right now we have several decent challengers, including: Probation Officer Valerie Amezcua, Social Worker Myriam Tinajero, Parent and Businesswoman Ceci Iglesias.  If one or more of them are to win, and possibly take out incumbents Rob Richardson and/or Jose A. Hernandez, then I must exit this race – or risk splitting the Latino vote further, which would only benefit Richardson, who, in my opinion, really needs to go. Continue reading→

UPDATE: Aguinaga won’t be running for the SAUSD School Board after all

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Cecilia Aguinaga, Cecilia Iglesias, Education, Politics, Santa Ana, SAUSD, Women 11 Comments

UPDATE: Cecilia Aguinaga will not be running for the SAUSD School Board after all this year.  She was considering it but family committments are taking precedence this time around and she is concerned that too many candidates are running.  I ran into her tonight at the fundraiser for Santa Ana City Council candidate Eric Alderete.  Aguinaga received a nice ovation when Council Member Sal Tinajero introduced her to the audience.  If she runs in 2014 she will surely be a top candidate for the SAUSD School Board.

My two favorite Cecilias have pulled papers to run for the SAUSD School Board.  Cecilia Aguinaga and Cecilia Iglesias are both political veterans and more importantly they are moms – and our School Board definitely needs more moms!

Aguinaga almost won back in 2006, losing to Audrey Noji by less than a thousand votes according to Smart Voter.  She ran again in 2008 and was just barely edged by Valerie Amezcua, by 2.5% of the vote, according to Smart Voter.  This time I think she can pull it off. Continue reading→

KOCE shut out Ceci Iglesias, but she will be on Radio Orange Juice tonight!

Posted on by Posted in 2010 Elections, Cecilia Iglesias, Elections, Loretta Sanchez, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Independent Congressional Candidate Cecilia Iglesias might be the difference-maker in this year’s contest for the 47th Congressional District, but KOCE shut her out of tonight’s televised debate between the incumbent, Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, and the Republican challenger, Van Tran.  So we are leading off our show tonight with Ms. Iglesias in studio, on the latest edition of Radio Orange Juice.

We will follow up that interview with Anaheim Councilwoman Lucille Kring, who is running hard against the incumbent in the 34th State Senate District, Lou Correa.  We are also working on getting Correa himself on the show!

Also on the agenda for tonight’s show – Anaheim City Council candidate Thomas “Hoagy” Holguin.

We also invited Santa Ana Mayoral candidate Al Amezcua to come on the show, but he didn’t have the guts to do so.  Too bad!  I really wanted to ask him about his apparent endorsement by Usual Suspect Tim Rush.

If you are running for office and want to be on our second hour, at 8 pm, text me at (714) 606-7622.  Or email me at artpedroza@gmail.com.

CLICK ON THE RADIO below at 7 every Wednesday night to hear us!

Call-in number 877-805-4208

With me tonight will be my co-host Sean Mill, and a special guest host, Francisco Barragan, plus the editor of the Orange Juice blog, the inimitable Vern Nelson!

Don’t miss out on this exclusive Radio Orange Juice experience…

Radio Orange Juice comes to you courtesy of our friends at Santa Ana’s Beat Lounge Entertainment and Beat Lounge Gospel.