Did anyone see this coming? Somehow Angelica Amezcua, an unknown schoolteacher who did not file a candidate’s statement, did not buy signs or mailers and did not campaign, won in Santa Ana’s Ward 3, over well-funded East L.A. lawyer Eric Alderete, a Santa Ana Planning Commissioner.
How did she do this? Well, for starters, she was the only female candidate and she has a great ballot I.D. People like schoolteachers! And Alderete made a terrible mistake in this race. He got in bed with John Palacio and David Benavides.
Let me explain that. SAUSD Trustee Palacio was threatening to run for Ward 3. Alderete should have told Palacio to go such an egg, but instead he cut a deal with him. Alderete was forced to get behind lame mayoral challenger David Benavides and equally lame SAUSD Candidate Valerie Amezcua, who is no relation to Angelica. In return, Palacio got out of the Ward 3 race.
Imagine if Alderete had instead worked with Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido? Alderete would have won easily. Instead he was dragged down into the mud by Benavides.
Now it looks like an unknown schoolteacher won easily in Ward 3. What an amazing turn of events! I am glad though. Alderete is a nice guy but he supported Benavides and he also endorsed every single tax increase measure on the November ballot.
What this win means is that Team Benavides is waking up this morning in a world of hurt. Mayor Miguel Pulido beat David Benavides in a huge win. While Council Member Vince Sarmiento won in Ward 1, his unknown opponent, got real close, without spending any money. Sarmiento was going to run for Mayor in 2014, but now he has to wonder about that as he is not as popular as he thought he was. The only good news for Benavides is that his pal Roman Reyna won in Ward 5, but it is very obvious that Reyna, Benavides and Michele Martinez are now going to have a seat at the little kids’ table.
Yes, I predict that before long Pulido, Amezcua, Tinajero and Sarmiento will be voting as a new Council majority. The Benavides nightmare is over. The dirty race he ran, complete with attacks by out of town high density apartment developers on Pulido’s kids, is now in the record books as one of the worst campaigns in the history of Santa Ana. And Benavides allies Myriam Tinajero and Valerie Amezcua lost too, over in the SAUSD School Board race. What a night!
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I wonder if Eric wants to sell his bike and trailer. My daughter is running for class president at her high school and might be able to use. I'll give you you $50 for both Eric if you are reading this.
R. U. Serious? It works to have a common name I guess.
Eric ran a great campaign and did everything right, he has nothing to be ashamed of. It is hard to fathom how he lost this race. Thankfully he will still be serving on the Planning Commission with me. He is an asset to our community and I hope he remains active.
We need folks like Eric lead this city.
Consider this: Ward five has councilperson leaving who has a Loyola Law degree, in Claudia. The incoming councilperson had to complete summer school to get his high school diploma!
Welcome to the "Santa Ana Spring".
I didn't vote for the "Queen", but at least he is dedicated to making Santa Ana a safe and good place to live.
We should welcome him and hope he works with the Mayor to get things done in our city.
It's disturbing to read that Roman Reyna won and someone like Eric Aldrrete lost.
People are talking about how such an unknown candidate can beat Aldrete but seriously have you ever heard Roman speak yet people voted for him because they knew him only.
Let wait for candidate winner Amezcua before we toss her out because "she won by her last name"
She won.
Angelica won because she is one of the kindest, most caring individuals you'll ever meet and she wants to help serve her community, not because of any political grandiosity, but because it is part of her moral fiber. Her students (many of whom can now vote) saw it, and so did their parents.
I do not know Eric Alderete, but he seems like a very decent man who ran a solid campaign. I would have voted for him, if I didn't know Angelica.
“Consider this: Ward five has councilperson leaving who has a Loyola Law degree, in Claudia. The incoming councilperson had to complete summer school to get his high school diploma!”
Consider this: Ward three has a councilperson leaving who is a philandering soon to be registered Sex Offender who allegedly had illicit sexual relations with 19 women at his place of employment, in Carlos. The incoming councilperson is a mom with two kids who is happily married.
Good point.
I look forward to learning more about her!
I will say this, it is a beautiful day in America when the candidate that spends the least amount of money and pays the least amount of attention to funders ends up winning the race. Bless her.
Editor,
You are incorrect. It will be Benavides, Martinez, Reyna, Sarmiento, and, if her heart is pure, Amezcua, all sitting together at the little kids table...the table of the people. The times are a changin'... the little kids table is the table where we common folk speak of greater accessibility and transparency within our Santa Ana government, and where city hall works for ALL people in our community.
When is the last time Pulido has voluntarily attended a city event created by the people? Oh yeah, it was last Saturday at the Noche de los altares event. He was walking around asking for votes... but before that? I haven't ever seen him at an event held by the people.
In his credit, he is the reason there are now term limits on mayor. How much did that measure pass by? About 70%? The common people have grown tired of it all.
Continue your attacks on the council members who truly want a transparent city hall, who are good, decent hard working people. You lose more and more credibility every day.
And who knows, Miss Amezcua might choose not to be bought out by Pulido and act with integrity. And then the little kids table might become a very large table.
"All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for people of good conscience to remain silent."
Thomas Jefferson
el juero
Benavides voted with Pulido over 98 percent of the time over the past six years.
And did you not notice that high density apartment developers paid for the mailers that attacked Pulido's children?
You're clearly naive. Benavides campaign wasn't about change, it was a mad rush for power. And the people spoke loudly. Benavides got punked!
Juero, I like your perspective on the situation.
Angélica Amezcua is a wonderful person, as her husband and friends attest.
However, personal character is not the key issue here.
The chief issue is that Angélica is now in a position to make crucial policy decisions impacting Santa Ana residents for the foreseeable future.
Her inaccessibility during the campaign robbed me and other Santa Ana residents of the opportunity to gauge her vision and assess her views on issues and policies.
Her campaign silence was simply irresponsible and has now brought forth this avalanche of post-election scrutiny. Do not blame the public.
Soon enough Angélica will have no choice but to communicate her views and make policy choices. I hope she can do a better job communicating her vision and policy preferences, rather than continue relying on friends and family to vouch for her personal character.
Peace.