As the stumbling “Santa Ana Spring” movement continues to unimpress, it is becoming obvious that David Benavides, the bogus revolution’s candidate for Mayor of Santa Ana, is going to lose on Nov. 6.  He is barely campaigning.  He is using recycled signs and he has yet to send out any campaign mailers.  His campaign appears to be centered on Facebook ads and ubiquitous blog comments by his number one supporter, Art Lomeli, a resident of Orange Park Acres.

Benavides, and his number one Council ally, Michele Martinez, were born here.  Benavides hails from East Los Angeles, according to his bio.  Martinez was raised here in Santa Ana, but apparently wasn’t born here as that information is absent from her own bio.  But she most certainly was born somewhere in the U.S.

By contrast several of the current Council Members are Mexican immigrants – chief among them Mayor Miguel Pulido and Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez.  This is one of the reasons they have so much support in Santa Ana – a city dominated by Mexican immigrants and their families.  Many of these immigrants have, like Pulido and Alvarez, become citizens but they continue to value their culture and heritage.

Pulido and Alvarez speak excellent Spanish to this day.  Benavides and Martinez, on the other hand, speak Pocho Spanish.

What about the other Council Members?  Vince Sarmiento was born in Bolivia.  His family came to Santa Ana in 1965, according to his bio.  Why did they leave Bolivia?  Well, the CIA was very active in Bolivia circa 1965, according to online reports, due to a leftist insurgency. Ironically Sarmiento is now part of Benavides’ leftist insurgency.

Leftist?  You bet.  Benavides, Sarmiento and the rest of their “Team” have all endorsed every single tax increase on the November ballot.  Hang on to your wallets if these guys take over our City Council.  You can bet that it won’t be long before they try to pass a citywide tax increase to pay for a new police contract, since the cop union endorsed Benavides.  Payback will be a b*itch, but we the taxpayers will be paying the bill.

Sarmiento put up Benavides as a mayoral candidate this year knowing he would lose – with the thought that Benavides would be his trial balloon and that he would hopefully weaken Pulido so that Sarmiento can run for Mayor in 2014.  That is not going to happen, instead Benavides is going to lose badly and his entire cartel is going to be tarred in the process.

As for the other Council Members and Council Candidates in the Benavides cabal, Sal Tinajero was born and raised in Santa Ana, according to his bio.  And Council Candidate Eric Alderete was born in East Los Angeles, like Benavides.  Council Candidate Roman Reyna lists Santa Ana as his hometown, on his Facebook page.  I have not heard Alderete speak Spanish but I would imagine that Reyna, like Benavides and Martinez, is fluent in Pocho Spanish.

Alderete seems a bad fit for this motley crew.  He is polished while Benavides, Reyna and Martinez are very rough around the edges.  In fact we caught Reyna wearing what appears to be a clip on tie on his sole campaign mailer.

So how did Alderete end up on Team Benavides?  Simple.  He was blackmailed by Benavides’ political consultant, John Palacio, an SAUSD Trustee, since 1998, who now fashions himself to be a political guru.

John Palacio

Palacio threatened to run for Ward 3 unless the City Council majority got behind Benavides for Mayor – and Valerie Amezcua for the SAUSD School Board.  Alderete should have called his bluff, but he wimped out.  A deal was cut and just like that the Council majority was stuck in a leaky boat with Palacio and the Amezcuas.  What a revolting development!

Are Benavides, Reyna and Amezcua the best that Santa Ana has to offer?  Really?  An unsuccessful realtor, a guy who has setup volleyball games throughout his adult life, and a probation officer whose father works to free the criminals she works with, as a defense lawyer?  No thanks!  We can do better.

Valerie Amezcua

We must reject the East Los Angeles style politics of Team Benavides. We have an opportunity to choose a different path on Nov. 6.  I urge you to vote for Mayor Pulido, and for Karina Onofre – in Ward 5.  And vote for anyone for the SAUSD School Board but please don’t vote for Amezcua.

Do you really want to see our city go in the direction of Vernon, Bell, Compton and Cudahay?  Really?  If yes then by all means vote for Team Benavides.  You’ll get the local government you deserve.

Art Pedroza Editor
Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.
Art Pedroza

Our Editor, Art Pedroza, worked at the O.C. Register and the OC Weekly and studied journalism at CSUF and UCI. He has lived in Santa Ana for over 30 years and has served on several city and county commissions. When he is not writing or editing Pedroza specializes in risk control and occupational safety. He also teaches part time at Cerritos College and CSUF. Pedroza has an MBA from Keller University.

View Comments

  • Art,
    If Benavides was a kid in school and the campaign was his final report, he would get an F-.

    Yesterday his FIRST piece of mail hit a few mail boxes but not mine. (4 voters in our household who have voted every election for the last 8 elections)

    I have never seen such a half-hearted Mayoral effort in my entire life. George Collins is at least campaigning and I predict Collins will finish second behind Pulido.

    I understand Benavides has personal problems and all but why the heck would he run for Mayor knowing what was going on in his life? Why didn't Tinajero man up and take him on? These are all questions that must be answered when all is said and done.

    Also, going forward...Let's count how many times Sarmiento uses the "attorney–client privilege" excuse to not disclose information now that he so bravely voted for PARTS of the SACRED items. I predict he will hide behind it time and time again. You gotta love Lawyers!

  • Big Bambu,

    The question was leadership. The voters of Santa Ana elected Benavides to a leadership position on the council..............so he is a leader.

    You want voting history on issues. Research the council minutes to see the voting blocks.

    You want campaign vision objectives ........contact the Benavides campaign office or better call Benavides. Don't be lazy and negative.

        • That is a lie. Pulido has always had opponents. But Benavides didn't have one two years ago so no, he was not chosen for leadership. The voters had no choice. Rest assured that he will be opposed in two years.

          • Besides Martinez and Amezcua who else? You have said that these two were never real challengers. You think different now?

          • So Stanley Fiala and Thomas Gordon were challengers that required Pulido to campaign.........no ,that did not happen. Same as having no challengers. So......what is your point again?

          • Those guys did a heck of a lot better when they ran than you did when you ran for the Rancho Board.

            And I don't expect Benavides to do much better this time.

          • Yeah I did as well as you when you ran for SAUSD board and Council. We should stay away from these endeavors and allow better candidates , like Benavides, do the job hah?

          • I only lost by 1,400 votes when I last ran for the school board. Almost beat your friend Palacio. With no budget.

          • I remember I believe I supported your campaign as you supported mine. I did not run a campaign nor had a budget. Was basically a run to show Hispanics could get votes in the Orange Park Acres, Anaheim hills area without running a campaign. I was busy then as Michele Martinez's for Mayor campaign manager .

  • Hey Lomeli,

    Didn't you get the memo?

    David has asked his supporters to stand down in front of next weeks revealations.

    I actually, think that David is feeling some remorse. Perhaps thats a good thing for Santa Ana voters.

    But, If you did not get the EMAIL asking supporters to "ignore" these charges, with no denial, you have to wonder how tight you are with the self described "STUD".

  • F.Y.I. Alicia does not live in "Fullerton"

    Carpetbagger once claimed to live in "West Floral Park"

    Most importantly, Joe Hill was probably named after the famed depression era Socialist Activist, American Hero, Joe Hill who was a member of the IWW. Participated in the San Pedro Dock Worker's Strike, Was most likely framed in a murder scenario and had a funeral with 30,000 attendees. Pete Seger and Joan Baez have songs written about him, and the Orange County master "Social Realist" painter, favorite Chicano son Emigdio Vasquez has paintings that he did of him. Can't wait to show some of those paintings again in the Artists Village. In the mean time, let us leave you with this...

    • Matt,

      I do live in WFP. For too long now. I want to move to Ventura once the last kid is gone for good.

      You could be right about Joe Hill, but thats giving those two vain idiots too much credit. I believe it to be Steven King's son who is a comic book author and horror film affeciando.

      I doubt either Dan or Chris has the intlectual capacity to understand or appreciate the Joe hill you mention. In fact, I bet Dan's first thought was when he read that was: "Is that the guy who sang Night Moves"?

      But, I digress.

      Has Art Lomeli evenbothered asking David benavide's if he cheated???

      What does that tell you?

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