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Garden Grove Councilwoman Nguyen announces her campaign for OC Supervisor

Posted on by Posted in 2022 Elections, Elections, Garden Grove, Kim Nguyen, Politics, Santa Ana Leave a comment

Garden Grove, CA — Garden Grove Councilwoman Kim Bernice Nguyen today announced her candidacy for the Orange County Board of Supervisors, District 2, as well as a strong and diverse list of endorsements from across Orange County.

At a time when voters are frustrated with the County’s handling of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Councilwoman Nguyen brings a much needed public health background, having formerly worked for CalOptima and now as a Senior Health Care Analyst for a large health plan.

“We need a bold voice at the County that understands the issues of working families,” Nguyen said in a statement. “I know the struggle of working multiple jobs to make ends meet while attending school and the frustrations of high rent and skyrocketing housing costs. As a lifelong resident of District 2, I’ve watched as the County failed to address our housing crisis, leaving many, especially in my generation, priced out of a home. At the same time, the County has turned a blind eye to our homelessness crisis, creating a public health and safety emergency. I’ve never shied from a fight and will work toward solutions to our toughest problems, it’s what I’ve done as a Councilwoman, it’s what I do everyday as a health care analyst, and it’s what I will continue to do as your Supervisor.”

Re-elected in 2020 with over 70% of the vote, Kim Nguyen is a first-generation Vietnamese and Mexican-American Councilmember in Garden Grove and was the first Latina and youngest person ever elected to the city in 2016. She has already secured endorsements from a diverse coalition of elected officials throughout Orange County. Endorsements from representatives within the Supervisorial District include: Garden Grove Councilmember John R. O’Neill, Garden Grove Councilmember Diedre Thu Ha Nguyen, Santa Ana Councilmember Thai Viet Phan Santa Councilmember David Penaloza, Tustin Councilwoman Letitia Clark, Santa Ana Unified School Board Member Valerie Amezcua, and Orange Unified School Board Members Ana Page and Kris Erickson, among others.

A lifelong resident of District 2, Councilwoman Nguyen attended Clinton-Mendenhall Elementary, Doig Intermediate, and Santiago High School. She graduated from the University of California Santa Cruz with a degree in politics and a minor in legal studies. She is the first in her family to graduate high school and receive a college degree.

The 2nd Supervisorial District includes the cities of Santa Ana, portions of Anaheim, Garden Grove, Orange and Tustin. Voters 18-35 comprise the largest age bloc, with over 41% of the district’s registered voters. Democrats outnumber Republicans by nearly 20 points — making it one of the most competitive local races in California.

Endorsements

  • Tiffany Ackley, Aliso Viejo City Councilmember
  • Richard Hurt, Aliso Viejo City Councilmember
  • Andrea Marr, Costa Mesa City Councilmember
  • Arlis Reynolds, Costa Mesa City Councilmember
  • Glenn Grandis, Fountain Valley City Councilmember
  • John O’Neill, Garden Grove City Councilmember
  • Diedre Thu-Ha Nguyen, Garden Grove City Councilmember
  • Dan Kalmick, Huntington Beach City Councilmember
  • Kim Carr, Huntington Beach City Councilmember
  • Rhonda Bolton, Huntington Beach City Councilmember
  • Farrah Khan, Irvine Mayor
  • Tammy Kim, Irvine City Councilmember
  • Ana Page, Orange Unified School Board Trustee
  • Kris Erickson, Orange Unified School Board Trustee
  • David Penaloza, Santa Ana City Councilmember
  • Thai Viet Phan, Santa Ana City Councilmember
  • Valerie Amezcua, Santa Ana Unified School Board Trustee
  • Letitia Clark, Tustin Mayor

(Alphabetical order by jurisdiction, titles for identification purposes only)

Will you vote for Miguel Pulido for the O.C. Board of Supervisors?

Posted on by Posted in 2020 Elections, Andrew Do, Elections, Kim Nguyen, Miguel Pulido, Orange County, Politics, Santa Ana, Sergio Contreras, Steve Rocco Leave a comment

Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido first won a seat on the Santa Ana City Council way back in 1986. He has been Mayor now for 13 two-year terms, since 1994. Now he has filed to run for the Orange County Board of Supervisors, in the First District. 

Will you vote for Pulido and put him in a position to influence not only what happens in our city but also at the County of Orange?

Pulido won’t have a cake walk in this race. He will have to beat the incumbent, Supervisor Andrew Do, a former Garden Grove City Councilman who has also worked for the O.C. District Attorney’s office.

Sergo Contreras

And Pulido is not the only challenger in this race. Three others have pulled papers, including :

I don’t see Contreras having much of a chance. He and Nguyen are both Democrats but Westminster doesn’t have nearly the influence that Garden Grove does. Nguyen is also dating Santa Ana City Councilman David Penaloza. He will surely work hard to help her to garner votes in Santa Ana.

Rocco never spends any money on his campaigns. But he is the only non minority candidate in the race and he always gets a chunk of votes for that reason.

There were rumors for a while that former State Senator Janice Nguyen would file against Do but I suspect she will resort to working behind the scenes, most likely to help either Pulido or Nguyen. Her aim is just to make sure Do loses.

Pulido has many detractors but he enjoys the highest name I.D. in this race. He does not have much of a grassroots following. You won’t likely see volunteers walking precincts for him. But he does raise money easily and most likely he will resort to using direct mail to try to win the March Primary election.

Pulido’s major claim to fame is redeveloping the city and fostering the Artists Village in DTSA. He may have overplayed his hand with the Streetcar that is being built now and will ultimately connect DTSA to Downtown Garden Grove. The project is very unpopular and expensive and many doubt it will ever be worth the trouble.

While Pulido is a lifelong Democrat I suspect he will not get the support of his own party. Most likely the liberals who now control the DPOC will back Nguyen (pictured above).

Nguyen is far too liberal to win this seat. But unless Pulido can deal with her the road to victory will be a tough one for him. The good news for Pulido is that Nguyen most likely won’t be able to raise the money that Pulido can raise. The bad news though is that County races are subject to major constraints when it comes to fundraising. Pulido however always gets elected with help from PACs – and they are not subject to the same fundraising limits that will handcuff the actual Supervisorial candidates.

Liberal women uniting behind Kim Nguyen for Supervisor

Posted on by Posted in 2020 Elections, Elections, Garden Grove, Kim Nguyen, Orange County, Politics, Women 3 Comments

Garden Grove, CA – In less than a week after her announcement for Orange County Board of Supervisors, District 1, Garden Grove Councilwoman Kim Nguyen has secured the endorsements from four prominent local councilwomen; Councilwoman Tiffany Ackley from Aliso Viejo, Councilwoman Andrea Marr from Costa Mesa, Councilwoman Farrah Khan from Irvine and Councilwoman Leticia Clarke from Tustin.

In announcing their endorsements, the councilwomen stated:

  • Councilwoman Tiffany Ackley – “I am proud to endorse Councilwoman Kim Nguyen for the Board of Supervisors. Councilwoman Nguyen has been an effective leader for Garden Grove. Combined with her background as a Health Policy Specialist, she will be a powerful force on the Orange County Board of Supervisors. We need her voice and expertise on the Board to build in Orange County that works for people of all backgrounds.”
  • Councilwoman Andrea Marr – “Kim Nguyen is an inspiring leader who will tackle the County’s most difficult challenges head-on, with the same courage and dedication she has shown in her years on City Council. We need a representative at the Board of Supervisors who will truly listen to every single voice in the community and act on behalf of the entire district; there is no one better suited for that role than Kim.”
  • Councilwoman Farrah Khan – “I’m proud to support Kim Nguyen for Supervisor, Dist 1. Kim has proven her ability to lead by example. She is the right candidate for this district and this seat. We need new voices in government to lead us out of our homeless crisis, secure benefits to those in need through CalOptima, and ensure all our county workers have a champion working for them. I hope you will join me in supporting Kim.”
  • Councilwoman Letitia Clark – “Kim has a proven track record of fighting for her community and advocating for those with the greatest needs. We need more women of color like Kim in regional leadership roles.”

Councilwoman Nguyen had this to say about her most recent endorsement:

“As a woman of color in politics, it is often hard to find your voice and ensure that good policy gets passed, but these women have broken through that glass ceiling time and time again. I am proud to kick off my campaign for Supervisor with their support and endorsement.”

As the daughter of a Mexican immigrant and Vietnamese refugee, Kim knows the value of hard work, dedication, and sacrifice. Her humble beginnings as a first-generation American shaped her advocacy and drive to create a more inclusive community. She was the first in her family to graduate high school and obtain a college degree. She has continued to break barriers and open doors for others to follow. In 2016, she became the first Latina and youngest person to ever be elected to the Garden Grove City Council. During her time on the City Council, she has been a leader in creating economic opportunities for low-income communities, increasing funding for infrastructure repairs thought the City, and has worked tirelessly to protect immigrant communities.