Wed. Dec 18th, 2024

Karina Onofre has announced that she is running for Ward 5 on the Santa Ana City Council, which is currently represented by Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez, who has apparently termed out after serving for three four year terms.  Alvarez reportedly is going to sue to get on to the ballot.

Onofre works for a fellow named Mike Dalati, at Santa Ana Property Management, a company that manages rental properties.  She is also apparently the publisher of Mundo Latino Magazine, but their website appears to be defunct.  You can however learn a bit about this publication at this link.  Onofre states on that website that “Our goal with MUNDO LATINO WORLD magazine is to Strengthen Latinos & the Whole WORLD in unison with tips on healthcare, eating, excercising, love poem.”  I have never seen nor heard of this magazine but apparently Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez gave her an award for publishing it.  Sanchez must have dug those love poems!

She is a graduate of Pennsylvania’s Allegheny College, according to her campaign website.  Curiously her Facebook page says she lives in Mission Viejo (she has since changed that and upgraded to the new Facebook Timeline).  She definitely grew up in Santa Ana and she is very proud, as she should be, of her record as a student.

Onofre claims to be a Democrat who is strongly conservative on some issues, but she does not elaborate as to what those issues might be.

Onofre is a fresh face and has an interesting background, but the harsh reality is that she won’t be the only one running for Ward 5.  SAUSD Board Member Roman Reyna will probably enter the race, especially if Alvarez can’t run again.  And Reyna will very likely win.

Reyna has the support of Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido and Council Member David Benavides.  I am pretty sure most of the Council will line up behind him.  Reyna used to work at the Santa Ana Boys and Girls Club and he now works at the Santa Ana YMCA.  He goes to church locally and has a lot of friends in the city.  He will be a force to be reckoned with as a Council candidate.

Onofre, I think, would be better served running for the SAUSD School Board.

author avatar
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.

By 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.

20 thoughts on “Newcomer to Santa Ana politics announces campaign for Ward 5”
  1. No wayyy, there’s only ONE STRONG CANDIDATE HERE and that is KARINA ONOFRE!!!! She is worldly, has great vision, and is super magnetic in person. Tough luck, but Roman will loose again to a Woman like he did in 2004.

    1. I think the best comparison you can hope for is when Michele Martinez beat Pulido’s candidate, Tino Rivera, back in 2006. But Tino was a lazy candidate. Roman on the other hand is a hard worker and with help from Pulido, in terms of fundraising, it will be hard to stop Roman this time. And Onofre, as nice as she may be, is no Alvarez. When Alvarez won she did so with a great ballot designation, deputy D.A. What will Onofre use as a ballot designation? Businesswoman? That is not very compelling. Publisher? Not much better.

      I have nothing against Onofre. I am being realistic when I say that this is Roman’s race to lose. And I don’t expect him to lose.

      Now if Alvarez finds a way to get on the ballot then Roman won’t run. And Alvarez will win handily.

  2. What’s the opinion on Ward 3, will the seat be open since Benavides will not likely run? lest he wants those girls coming out to speak against what he did with them in his office..

  3. yeah, don’t start nasty rumors about Benavides. We are still trying to swallow the whole “Jesus Love” thing about him and like him at the same time.

  4. You know why Claudia is going to sue? Because she knows she’s never going any higher than councilwoman in s.a. people just don’t like her for obvious reasons. This is all she’s got. I’ll vote for onofre because anybody who runs against a pulido hack has my vote but if she wins how long will it take for her to start worshipping at the alter of the tiny dark lord like so many before her?

  5. This kid will be eaten alive, spit out and go on to make a name for herself. If her supporters are smart, they will manipulate this.

    There is more to this than is being reported. A young women of this caliber, gaining sudden support is suspect, to say the least. good for her. Now if should could get some people in the Council ward who actually know here, she might stand a chance……..A snowball’s chance in Hell.

    Put in the time kid, build support and run in 2020.

  6. It will be interesting if councilwoman Alvaez gets the same high voter count as she got in the last election 4 years ago.

  7. I’m not into politics, but I feel that we need a change in Santa Ana city. The city is broke yet the city manager / police chief is making $800K a year. Give me a break!!!

    Miguel Pulido has no limit on his terms, and Claudia has been in office for 12 years. Why are we attacking this poor girl? LET’S GIVE HER A CHANCE!! I

    1. Take it from someone who is into city politics, this young lady has no chance against Reyna, as long as he has Pulido’s support. This campaign will be a waste of her time.

  8. Didn’t history teach us never to underestimate anyone? Remember Loretta Sanchez when she ran for office the 1st time?? Who did she win against??

    1. Loretta had already lost an Anaheim council race when she ran for Congress. Anal Sánchez benefited greatly from Nativo López’ overlapping school board campaign.

  9. Karina Onofre should not be given the opportunity to run for Ward 5 on the Santa Ana City Council, which is currently represented by Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez. Reason being she has proven to be dishonest and unethical. How could we allow some one like her to represent our City. More soon.

  10. “I’ll vote for onofre because anybody who runs against a pulido hack has my vote but if she wins how long will it take for her to start worshipping at the alter of the tiny dark lord like so many before her?”…….. Hmmmmmm

    Very soon, mateo!….. unless she has a loaded mentor who is after the dark lord.

    It appears to me that someone wants to make a crack into the Santa Ana’s Pandora box.

    Could it be the catalytic force which will bring down Pulido and Walters??

    Remember that any big-shoot like Sheriff Carona went down on lying to the investigators not based on the original allegations.

    Therefore, a reasonable accusation can start a self destructive process.

  11. There is so much corruption in the city of Santa Ana, I can’t fathom it… Claudia Alvarez is breaking the law, abusing her power as district attorney, and using the tax payer’s money to file a law suit to get permission to run for fourth term.

    What happened to Democracy???? It’s like George W. Bush filling a law suit to run for 3rd term. This is insane and I’m very disturbed that our council women Alvarez think that she is above the law.

    Santa Ana city council already changed the law to allow Pulido to run for unlimited terms, which is mind boggling..

    Are we in the United States of America?? Where are we???
    Anyone?? Please HELP!!!! I’m moving out of Santa Ana

  12. “Santa Ana city council already changed the law to allow Pulido to run for unlimited terms, which is mind boggling..”

    James,

    It was the voters of Santa Ana that put in place the system that we currently have in which the Mayor, whomever it is, has no term limits. The Santa Ana City Council had nothing to do with this change allowing unlimited terms for the Mayor.

    The first person elected under this system was Dan Young, not Miguel Pulido.

  13. I stand corrected, I meant to say that the CITY COUNCIL already Amended their TERM LIMITS by adding on another term -at exactly the same time Claudia Alvarez was on her way OUT! She pushed for MEASURE D -read it everyone!!! This Measure D allowed her to stay for an additional four years back in 2008! and NOW she wants to stay longer???? What exactly is she in it for? What is she self appointing to her paycheck that she doesn’t wanna let go of??? It makes you wonder, why she wants to claw on to an overheated seat…. What is she GETTING out of it?

  14. May be the new council member can shut this meth bar down

    XXXX w edinger
    Santa Ana 92704

    1. If you have a problem with this business you need to contact the SAPD and the Planning Agency. Libeling them anonymously here will accomplish nothing.

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