This Wednesday, June 30, marks the end of the first campaign finance reporting period, which means that local candidates are scrambling to raise more money in advance of the deadline, so their first campaign finance report will look decent.
Many of the incumbents in town lack opponents. Councilman David Benavides is unchallenged, as is Councilwoman Michele Martinez.
Alfredo Amezcua
Mayor Miguel Pulido is opposed by local attorney Alfredo Amezcua. And Councilman Sal Tinajero is opposed by a man he once appointed to a City Commission, Thomas Gordon, who resides part-time in Denver, Colorado, as well. Gordon is actively involved in opposing graffiti in both Santa Ana and Denver.
The hottest race figures to be the Mayor’s race. I doubt that Gordon will be able to raise much money, but Amezuca can and will, and he figures to self-fund as well.
Thomas Gordon
Gordon, incidentally, just won reelection to the OC GOP’s 69th Assembly District Central Committee, but he came in fourth place out of about a dozen candidates. They ran for a total of six seats, which is to say that Gordon didn’t do that well. He angered many Republicans by supporting carpetbagger Harry Sidhu for the 4th Supervisorial District in the primary election. Sidhu got blown out by the winner, Fullerton Councilman Shawn Nelson, who also has a law office in Santa Ana. Sidhu also lost in his race for the 69th AD Central Committee. He came in second to last, despite Gordon’s support.
As you can see in the picture above this post, not everyone in town is buying into Amezcua’s campaign. Latinos will be split between him and Pulido, and who knows about everyone else. The emergence of other mayoral candidates is almost assured.
I spoke to one potential candidate this week, business owner Irene Ibarra. She ran for the SAUSD School Board in 2008, and she says she is definitely running for Mayor in November. Ibarra plans to self-fund her race. She spent six figures on her school board race and has the ability to do that again.
Past mayoral candidate Stanley Fiala and Councilman David Benavides
We may yet see a challenger emerge to take on Benavides. I am hearing chismes that some of the Council Members are working hard to recruit a candidate. They aren’t happy about Benavides’ alliance with the folks known as the “Usual Suspects.” They are also afraid that when Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez terms out, Benavides will run his friend Roman Reyna for her seat.
Councilwoman Michele Martinez
Martinez may also draw a challenger or two. Last time she barely won over Com-Link Chairwoman Evangeline Gawronski, who was betrayed by her friends in the Usual Suspects. They backed Tino Rivera, who was a lousy candidate. Parks and Recreation Commissioner Tish Leon also ran, but I don’t see her doing so again as Martinez put her on the Parks and Recreation Commission.
I spoke to Martinez today. She has raised a lot of money but could have raise more had she not canceled a fundraiser that ended up scheduled the night the Lakers won their Championship. She will reschedule that event in July.
Good luck to all the candidates. It takes a lot of moxy to run for office. And the campaign finance paperwork is a real pain to fill out!
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You are such an ass**** to post that Anti Amezcua picture. If your pro Pulido then just say so. If your not, then for once post an unbiased opinion. You've turned this blog into a rag more interested in personal attacks than news and insights. This is the last day I read this blog.
Joe,
So now the Amezcua campaign is going to tell us what pictures we can use? Really?
We have not taken sides in this race, despite the overt belligerence displayed by Amezcua supporters, including you and Dr. Lomeli.
We offered that picture to underscore the divisiveness of the campaign, not because we agree with it.
Why don't you stop wasting your time and ask Amezcua to explain on his website what it is he intends to do to improve our city?
I do agree with Joe in terms of this blog now appearing to only have a one dimensional perspective. I used to read this blog daily, and truly enjoy the "moderate" and fairly balanced (although a bit more left leaning) take on "hot topics." In the last few months this blog just seems like a GOP and "targeted" Dem bashing chronicle. You do have great information to convey, I can simply do w.o. the needless condemnation .
limey,
Are you sure you are not referring to our other blog, the Orange Juice? We dabble in politics here at the New Santa Ana blog, but most of our posts are about things going on in town.
If indeed you meant to refer to our other blog, may I remind you, and Joe, that we deal in opinion, and we provide our readers with an open forum to express their take on the issues and candidates.
Joe is sore that we are not supporting Al Amezcua. To be fair, we aren't supporting Pulido either. We are trying to stay neutral. There are still other candidates emerging in this race, so why go all in with someone prematurely? That makes no sense to us.
By the way, Joe's wife Nelida ran for the Santa Ana City Council as a fairly liberal Democrat in 2006. As far as I know Joe is also a Democrat.
Lastly, our writers at the Orange Juice include Libertarians, Repulbicans, Democrats and a member of the Green Party. How is that one dimensional? Honestly, that is a very odd assessment to make. And in the recent Primary Election our writers endorsed people from all the political parties, as did I. Again, how is that one dimensional?
Thank you for responding to my comments. I am indeed referring to this blog and all I can do is simply convey how this "blog" reads to the public. Simply because you have writers representing various political stances does not mean that is how the articles will come across. Take this as healthy and constructive feedback no need to make everything a debate. I am a reader and I am giving my humble opinion.
Admin,
What a snide comment to post in this blog, that former candidate Evangeline Gawronski was betrayed by "the Usual Suspects". This is a racist term, openly used by the SA council members, that refers to Mr. Glen Stroud and his wife. I have actually seen this term in the official council meeting minutes. If I referred to any of the Council members by a derogotory term like that, I would be labled a bigot and a racist. I thought you didn't take sides in anything. Care to explain? And forget about Strouds political leanings, be objective.
Jose,
Well, she was. They all supported Tino Rivera. Had they supported Gawronski, she might have won.
I think by the way that you are confused. The term "Usual Suspects" refers to a certain segment of our town that remains bitterly anti-Latino. It refers to about two dozen people, although they have acolytes as well.
I cannot be objective about those who thought it was OK to erect traffic barriers in French Park to keep Mexicans out. Thank God the ACLU beat them like a drum...