RSCCD Trustee Yanez will face off against Gordon and Tapia again in November

Rancho Santiago Community College District Trustee Nelida Yanez will have her hands full this November fending off two challengers in the Primary Election, in Area Three.

OC GOP Central Committee Member Thomas Gordon, who works as an asbestos inspector for the L.A. Unified School District and Anthony “Tony” Tapia, a local resident and member of a construction labor union, both filed to run against Yanez.

Yanez angered many residents and the Santa Ana College Faculty Association with her support for a ridiculous Santa Ana College Foundation project in Saudi Arabia, where SAC partnered with the Saudis on a new college. The problem is that a) this has nothing to do with Santa Ana and b) the Saudis routinely mistreat women, gays and Jews.

The RSCCD Trustees have also been ripped for their extensive travel expenditures.

Yanez faced off against Gordon and Tapia in 2012 as well.  She won that election with 5,802 votes to Gordon’s 3,718 votes while Tapia netted 2,589 votes, according to Smart Voter.

Gordon may well have had the ballot to himself this year but he did not return calls made by the SAC Faculty Association so they recruited Tapia to run instead. As a member of the OC GOP Central Committee Gordon is not allowed to accept campaign contributions from unions so perhaps that is why he blew off the SAC Faculty Association?

Gordon may well benefit from a Latino vote-split if Tapia can take enough Latino votes away from Yanez but the Latino voter backlash against the GOP presidential nominee, Donald Trump, could hurt Gordon’s chances.

Gordon did however buy a ballot statement for this election. Tapia did not. Here is Gordon’s ballot statement:

THOMAS ANTHONY GORDON
Public School Inspector

Santa Ana is my hometown, and I’m a proud product of Santa Ana public schools. Education is the key to success in life, and that’s why I work as a public school inspector.

It would be my honor to have your support and I ask for the privilege of continuing my service to my community as a member of the Rancho Santiago Community College District Board.

As a public school inspector, I will fight to make sure that our colleges are as safe as possible. Protecting students should be the top priority of our board.

As your Rancho Santiago Community College District Trustee, I will:

• Reduce wasteful spending to ensure money goes directly to classrooms to benefit our students – not overseas
• Oppose racism and hate and stand up against those in the district who are intolerant
• Fight against all attempts of public money being spent to fund excessive travel for board members
• Oppose any new state tuition fee increases
• Serve our students and community not the special interest groups and politicians

My singular focus is to improve the quality of education at Santa Ana College for betterment of students and their future.

Please join my supporters and vote Thomas Anthony Gordon for Rancho Santiago Community College District Governing Board Member.

Unfortunately Gordon forgot to include his website and campaign email/phone number in his ballot statement. You may email him at thomas.anthony.gordon@gmail.com.