In a stunner, four challengers qualified today to run for Mayor of Santa Ana, perhaps dooming the campaign of Alfredo Amezcua, the former Rancho Santiago Community College District Trustee who was the first announced opponent to the incumbent, Mayor Miguel Pulido.
The other challengers include Charles Hart, a Republican and county government worker who is trying to pass the California bar exam; Roy Alvarado, whose nomination signatures are still being verified; and past mayoral candidate George Collins, a documentary filmmaker and Republican who lives in Ward 6. Collins received 13.8% of the vote in 2008, when he first opposed Pulido, according to Smart Voter. In 2006, Collins ran for the Santa Ana City Council, receiving 16.9% of the vote, according to Smart Voter.
Alvarado is registered as a Decline to State voter. He is a retired contractor who is originally from New Mexico. It is telling that you cannot find him on Facebook. Nor can you find any pictures of him online. He often speaks at Council meetings, where he tends to oppose most things.
If Amezcua had been the sole opponent he might have had a shot. Now the opposition vote will be split and essentially nullified.
In related news, Councilmember Michele Martinez did not draw an opponent, in Ward 2. She has promised on Facebook to walk precincts for her fellow Council incumbents.
In Ward 4, Councilmember David Benavides also drew a free pass. He has been in the headlines of late for his alliance with known gay-bashers and Mexican-haters Lupe Moreno and former SAUSD Trustee Rosie Avila, as well as a slew of Minutemen including the notorios Anita and Gary Hynds. There are rumors going around that Benavides will be supporting Amezcua for Mayor and Thomas Gordon for Ward 6, as they share many of the same backers.
Councilmember Sal Tinajero drew three opponents, in Ward 6, including OC GOP Central Committee Member Thomas Gordon, who like Benavides is also an ally of Moreno and her Minutemen. Gordon maintains a second household in Denver, Colorado. He is a government worker for L.A. Unified, where he serves as an asbestos inspector.
Gordon got just over 24% of the vote, in 2006, when he ran for Mayor against Pulido, according to Smart Voter. He also won reelection on the OC GOP Central Committee this year, barely, coming in fifth out of six candidates. He got just 10.5% of the vote, according to Smart Voter.
“Community Volunteer” Helen Martinez, is also running. Her signatures are still being verified. She is a registered Democrat.
Nam Pham, who previously served with Moreno on the Santa Ana Library Board, ran for the Rancho Santiago Community College District’s Board of Education in 2008. He came in last place with 10.9% of the vote. Pham is a Republican.
The two incumbents who are up for reelection to the Santa Ana Unified School District’s Board of Education, John Palacio and Audrey Yamagata-Noji, both qualified for the ballot. I am their only challenger. There were nine candidates in all for the SAUSD School Board in 2008.
Palacio, like Gordon, maintains a second household out of state, in Palacio’s case that would be in Phoenix, Arizona. He runs the HEEF Foundation and as an SAUSD School Board Member he draws a salary from the School District as well as free healthcare. He has been on the SAUSD School Board for twelve years.
Noji is the Vice President of Student Affairs at Mt. San Antonio College, in Walnut. She made headlines a few weeks ago when she illegally expelled a student for Tweeting about a teacher. You can read about that scandal by clicking here. Yamagata-Noji has been on the SAUSD School Board for an astonishing twenty years.
Holy Sh*t,
Audrey is still around???
Back in 1984 when I was assistant coaching for her husband Gene at Woodbridge High in Irvine, we had some fun.
Those little Irvine Philly’s were something. I remember one time Gene came home with tissue on his member and Audry gave him the third degree…..If only she knew about the bong hits in the white Karman Ghia, little Nicole ohhh ohh Nicole.
Gene Gimmie a call, tell the old lady your’e golfing!
Looks like you have it made Art if you work hard you can beat Noji. Amezqua’s campaign is DOA. Tinajero will win and win big but will need to work a little bit. Benavides and Martinez will now help Tinajero I imagine. Looks like Amezqua will have to try again in two years but he will not be alone if Pulido does not run. I think he should give it up.
Let’s get busy,
Indeed, time to get to work. I have begun to talk to my friends in the community and am making plans to get our grassroots campaign going.
I do think Pulido might retire in two years, but by then there will be all sorts of change coming to the Council. Bustamante will be up for reelection, and this time we are taking him out. Alvarez will be termed out. Sarmiento will likely be running for Solorio’s seat. And Ream will be long gone.
Amezcua should have stayed on the Rancho Board. But I guess he couldn’t since he didn’t live in the correct Area.
If Benavides is smart, he will join Michele in supporting Sal and Pulido. We shall see…
Fascinating! Political strategy is so entertaining.Based on the weak credentials many of these challengers possess I may just run for a spot in the future. Until that time, here is to Art’s grass roots campaign to take Yamagata-Noji out!
On a side note and out of morbid curiosity, how did Amezcua’s fundraising weekend go?
Did Martinez rally promise, or did she simply post it?
??,
Here is what she posted:
Great news! I just received notification that I will be running unopposed this election. I will still be on the campaign trail walking door to door helping my colleagues get re elected.
-really
Remember measure D gave a fresh start to term limits.
Any terms elected and served before measure D became effective do not count in the limit.
The 3 term limit is not retroactive. So in this upcoming election, whoever is the winner of wards 2,4 and 6, will serve their first of three terms.
Wards 1,3 and 5 are currently serving the first of three possible terms now.
cook,
Has the City Attorney conveyed this? Or is this just a theory?
OH MY GOD!!!!, LOL LOL
again:
cook,
Has the City Attorney conveyed this? Or is this just a theory?
Good luck Amezcua me and my buddies are here for you.