Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Santa Ana's top news & views blog

Tag Archives: Democratic Party

The race for the 34th State Senate District is already heating up

Posted on by Posted in Anaheim, Democratic Party, Janet Nguyen, Jose Solorio, Long Pham, Lou Correa, Politics, Republican Party, Santa Ana, Vietnamese 2 Comments

Jose Solorio and Jerry Brown

From the OC Politics Blog

Lou Correa has had a great run in the 34th State Senate District but he is terming out in 2014 and already both Democratic and Republican candidates are lining up for a shot at his seat.

The leading Republican candidate for the 34th is O.C. Supervisor Janet Nguyen.  She has not distinguished herself in any way but the DPOC gave her a free pass last year and so she is loaded – her fundraising advantage will make it hard for any other Republicans to challenge her in the Open Primary. Continue reading→

Santa Ana Political Chismes: the return of Thomas Gordon?

Posted on by Posted in 2014 Elections, Alcohol, Cecilia Aguinaga, David Benavides, Democratic Party, Elections, Frank Barbaro, Julio Perez, Labor, Latinos, Michele Martinez, Miguel Pulido, Paul Walters, Politics, Public Safety, Sal Tinajero, Santa Ana 14 Comments

Thomas Gordon at the City Council meeting 2

The Return of Thomas Gordon?

Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Sal Tinajero thought he was being rather clever when he moved community activist Thomas Gordon out of his ward, when the City Council changed the Council ward map before the general election in November.  But now I am hearing that Gordon has moved back into Ward 6 – and he will be ready to take on Tinajero in 2014.

Gordon tried to run against Tinajero in 2010, when a Vietnamese American and a Latina also filed to run against Tinajero.  There was evidence that appeared to indicate that Gordon was involved in their campaigns, which made sense as this would have been the ultimate vote split.  But the Santa Ana City Clerk tossed out Gordon’s signatures, including his own, and he waited too long to turn in his signatures, so there wasn’t time to get more. Continue reading→

The DPOC should choose Jeff Le Tourneau to be their next party chairman

Posted on by Posted in Democratic Party, Elections, Frank Barbaro, Jeff LeTourneau, Orange, Orange County, Santa Ana 1 Comment
Jeff LeTourneau and Speaker John Perez

Assembly Speaker John Perez and Jeff LeTourneau

The race to see who will replace Frank Barbaro as the new Chair of the Democratic Party of Orange County (DPOC) is down to two candidates – longtime activist Jeff LeTourneau and paid consultant Henry Vandermeir.

The DPOC is at a crossroads – Orange County is less red than ever. The Democrats picked up another legislative seat this November when Sharon Quirk-Silva won in the 65th Assembly District, with capable help from Vandermeir’s wife Lois, who is also a paid consultant.

There is nothing wrong with being a paid political consultant. I do some of that work too. But should paid consultants be heading up political party organizations? I don’t think so. 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→

How Latino candidates fared in the O.C. Nov. 6 general election

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Anaheim, Angelica Amezcua, Cecilia Iglesias, Claudia Alvarez, Democratic Party, Elections, Jose Hernandez, Jose Moreno, Jose Solorio, Latinos, Loretta Sanchez, Miguel Pulido, Nelida Mendoza-Yanez, Orange County, Politics, Republican Party, Roman Reyna, Santa Ana, Steve Chavez Lodge, Tom Daly 6 Comments

Two winners – U.S. Rep. Loretta Sanchez and Pres. Barack Obama

Fullerton residents are in shock today as they deal with the fact that Assemblyman Chris Norby now needs a job, having lost to Fullerton Mayor Sharon Quirk-Silva. She ran an aggressive campaign and made heavy use of social media. Norby, on the other hand, seemed to be trying to coast to victory.

While Quirk-Silva’s victory is a great one for Orange County’s Latino voters, I am saddened to see that the 69th Assembly District is now represented by Tom Daly. There is no way he will win re-election in two years, but for now we are stuck with him.

Here is a rundown of how the County’s other Latino candidates fared in the Nov. 6 general election: 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→

Mark McLoughlin tries to fool the Republican voters in the RSCCD’s Area 5

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Claudia Alvarez, Dave Chapel, Democratic Party, Education, Elections, Politics, Santa Ana 6 Comments

Nice try, but no cigar.  Mark McLoughlin, a candidate for Area 5 on the Rancho Santiago Community College District’s Board of Education, sent out a mailer today implying that he is a Republican.  But he is not.  He is, like the other two candidates for Area 5, a Democrat.

McLoughlin also has never met a tax increase he didn’t like.  He has supported every single bond measure in our area in the past ten years.  And he currently supports yet another one, Measure Q.  He also supports Prop. 30, another tax increase. 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→

DPOC’s fallen star, Nadia Lockyer, caught with meth

Posted on by Posted in Crime, Democratic Party, Drugs, Nadia Lockyer 12 Comments

Former Democratic Party rising star Nadia Lockyer, who won a seat years ago on the SAUSD School Board as “Nadia Maria Davis,” was arrested last week in Orange County after someone tipped off the police.

Police said they found her in possession of methamphetamines and drug paraphernalia, including a “tubular aluminum foil with burned end,” according to NBC News.

Lockyer had her 9-year-old son, Diego, with her when she was arrested. Continue reading→

Ward 3 Council candidate Alderete to host a fundraiser on 8/29 in Santa Ana

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Democratic Party, Elections, Entertainment, Eric Alderete, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Santa Ana City Council candidate Eric Alderete, who was endorsed yesterday by the Democratic Party of Orange County, is hosting a fundraiser this Wednesday, August 29, from 6 to 8 pm, in Santa Ana, at the Benton House, located at 2311 N. Benton Way. Continue reading→

69th A.D. candidate Tom Daly accused of sexual harassment

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Anaheim, Crime, Democratic Party, Orange County, Tom Daly 9 Comments

On July 10 of this year I posted an article on this blog entitled “Shouldn’t Daly be investigated for Bustamante-like behavior.”  Today it hit the fan for Daly, as “County officials are moving to hire a law firm to check into a host of sexual harassment and corruption allegations against County Clerk-Recorder Tom Daly, who is currently the frontrunner to become Orange County’s next State Assemblyman for the 69th District,” according to the Voice of OC.

The letter alleges that Daly has handed out promotions and engaged in inappropriate behavior with at least four female workers at the Clerk Recorders’ Office, which it refers to as “ Tommy’s Girls or Tommy’s Angels.” Continue reading→

69th A.D. candidate Tom Daly rejected by the CA Labor Federation

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Anaheim, Democratic Party, Jose Moreno, Jose Solorio, Labor, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana, Tom Daly 23 Comments

The hard hats aren’t with Tom Daly now!

The OC and CA Labor Federations held a meeting this week to meet the candidates for office here in Orange County.  As one might expect, Tom Daly, the Democratic nominee for the 69th Assembly District failed to show up but he asked for their endorsement anyway.  It turned out to be an epic fail for Daly.

Daly was completely rejected – and he should be. This two-faced hack says one thing to the Labor Federation then he goes over to the OC Taxpayers Association and says something else altogether. There is evidence, for example, that Daly has supported privatizing government jobs.  Well, the CA Labor Federation figured it out and gave him the boot.  Well, the CA Labor Federation figured it out and gave him the boot. Continue reading→

State Treasurer Bill Lockyer seeks divorce from troubled wife Nadia

Posted on by Posted in Democratic Party, Drugs, Nadia Lockyer, Politics, Santa Ana 3 Comments

State Treasurer Bill Lockyer filed for divorce Friday, months after his wife’s affair with a methamphetamine addict and her own substance abuse problems became public, according to the Sacramento Bee.

At 5:10 p.m. Friday, after the divorce papers were filed, Nadia Lockyer was involved in a car accident near the couple’s home. Hayward Police Sgt. Eric Krimm said she was the sole occupant of the car when it knocked down a light pole before hitting a tree, according to the L.A. Times. Continue reading→

Solorio to run for the Rancho Santiago Community College District’s B.O.E.

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

Assemblyman Jose Solorio chose not to run against Supervisor Janet Nguyen in November, but he announced this afternoon, via email, that he is running for Area One of the Rancho Santiago Community College District’s Board of Education.

Solorio’s wife is a public school teacher, I believe at Santa Ana’s Valley High School.  This would seem to be a good fit for him but it is a part-time job.  He has not yet announced what his other employment plans will be.

One  hangup for Solorio is that he voted in the past year to de-fund the County of Orange to the tune of about fifty million per year.  He was promised by Assembly Speaker John Perez that the State Legislature would find a way to return that money to the County of Orange.  That never happened and the County ended up in a lawsuit with the State of California.  If the State prevails the money will have to come out of the County’s education budget. Continue reading→

69th A.D. candidate Perez totally failed in his hometown of Anaheim

Posted on by Posted in 2012 Elections, Anaheim, Democratic Party, Elections, Jose Moreno, Julio Perez, Michele Martinez, Republican Party, Santa Ana, Tom Daly Leave a comment

Chris Nguyen, over at the Republican OC Political blog, spent a lot of time breaking down the vote in the 69th Assembly District, in the June 5 primary. It turns out that corporate Democrat Tom Daly won in Anaheim and in Santa Ana, which is no surprise as he spent a fortune and his friends in Sacramento and Anaheim spent even more.

Daly also benefited from being the only white candidate in a pool of Latino candidates. But the other story of note is that liberal union hack Julio Perez, who grew up in Anaheim, completely failed in that city. Republican candidate Jose Moreno, who barely ran a campaign, totally whacked Perez in Anaheim. Continue reading→