The Team Benavides consultant, John Palacio, lost his tug of war with Mayor Pulido

What a night.  To sum it up, Mayor Miguel Pulido won easily.  Over in the RSCCD Area 5 race his longtime ally, Claudia Alvarez, also won.

What about Team Benavides?  Well, David Benavides got beat, badly.  So did Eric Alderete, in Ward 3, by an unknown candidate, Angelica Amezcua, who barely campaigned.  And while Vince Sarmiento won in Ward 1, he did so barely over another unknown candidate, Estela Amezcua.  The one guy in the Benavides cabal who won with a big margin was Roman Reyna, in Ward 5.

What happened?  It sure looks like Team Benavides was led poorly by their consultant, John Palacio.  Epic fail for that guy.

It won’t be long before Mayor Pulido forms a new Council majority and Benavides, Reyna and Michele Martinez get seated at the little kids’ table while the adults run the City Council.

Team Benavides allies Myriam Tinajero and Valerie Amezcua also lost over in the SAUSD School Board race where Republicans Rob Richardson and Ceci Iglesias were the top vote getters.  Another fail for Palacio!

This was a divisive campaign and I remain disgusted that Benavides’ allies and the Voice of OC went after Pulido’s kids.  What horrible people!  I am told that Martinez’ campaign treasurer worked with the PAC that funded those attacks and that she was the one coordinating it.  She will be toast in two years as will Benavides when they both come up again for re-election.

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.
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.

View Comments

  • With GG passing and the current mayor getting another possible 8 years starting in the next election and all of the current sitting councilmembers being termed out in 6 years.

    How long is it going to be before there is another call to change / extend councilmember terms?

  • This was an exiting race. Looking forward to running in 2014 for SAUSD. I'm an unknown to a few but known by many Jerry Cazales The Karate Guy.

  • Bottom line; the Santa Ana Spring is stronger now than before the election.

    Pulido would be wise to take the message sent to heart...stop with the behind the scenes dealing and you'll have willing partners. Stick with the status quo, and find yourself marginalized. That's exactly the way this is going to go down.

    As for Pulido, he's gone in 8 years. THAT is a huge victory for the people of Santa Ana.

  • What a classless fool.

    He doesn't concede, he doesn't wish the city well, he issues some hollow threats.

    David will get torn down like the two bit realator he is.

    He is a liar, a cheater and a bad loser!

  • 67 votes lead with 4,665 left to count RSCD 5

    I don't think Alvarez has won yet, the spread is very small and the amount of votes left to count is large.

    • She will do better in the later rounds. Latinos vote later and often use provisional ballots. McLoughlin would have done better with the Absentee Ballots.

      • well the Absentee Ballots are mostly what is left to count.

        District: Rancho Santiago Community College District Trustee Area 5

        Vote-by-Mails left: 2,851

        Provisionals left: 1,814

        Total left: 4,665

        • But these would be the late absentees, which should go more to Alvarez than to McLoughlin. And Chapel is still in the mix, doing his job, breaking up the white vote.

          • 1 (468)
            2 (452)
            3 (272)
            4 (272)
            5 96
            6 118
            7 118
            8 118
            9 118
            10 89
            11 67

            Too close to tell, she made up the early deficit with the late precincts counts, but has been falling with the drop offs and pro’s that are counted last. This may even become a recount race.

    • Again, that would be highly unlikely. He barely campaigned and the area he ran in is highly Latino. The bald biker look is not a good fit for Santa Ana.

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