The O.C. Democratic party announces their Nov. 3 election endorsements

ORANGE, Calif. — The Democratic Party of Orange County released a new round of endorsements for the November 3rd elections on Monday night. The party endorsed dozens of candidates across city councils, school boards and water districts, reflecting a continued wave of enthusiasm and momentum for Democrats in Orange County. 

This is the Democratic Party’s second round of endorsements; it held an early round of endorsements in late June to help candidates compete while safely campaigning during the coronavirus pandemic. Democrats expect to hold additional rounds of endorsements in August. Candidates needing more information should visit the Democratic Party’s website at ocdemocrats.org. 

The endorsements come days after Democrats hit another major milestone: There are now 40,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans in Orange County. Over the past 12 months, Democrats have gone from a neck-and-neck tie to holding a 2.4 point voter registration lead as the county’s largest political party.

On the endorsements, Chair Ada Briceño stated:

“We are proud to support our large slate of strong and effective leaders. As this pandemic has shown, we need Democratic values of public health and science in our local offices more than ever. Up and down the ballot, voters have a clear choice this November.

“These endorsements will help all Democrats turn out the vote, and support our Democratic state legislative and congressional candidates. We’re determined to flip more seats, including the Orange County Board of Supervisors First District.”

ENDORSED CANDIDATES 

• Ross Chun, Aliso Viejo City Council
• Richard Hurt, Aliso Viejo City Council
• Avelino Valencia III, Anaheim City Council District 4
• Susan Sonne, Buena Park City Council District 3
• Katrina Foley, Costa Mesa Mayor
• John Stephens, Costa Mesa City Council District 1
• Loren Gameros, Costa Mesa City Council District 2
• Glenn Grandis, Fountain Valley City Council
• Mai Khanh Tran, Fountain Valley City Council
• Fred Hong Joo Jung, Fullerton City Council District 1
• Faisal Qazi, Fullerton City Council District 2
• Aaruni Thakur, Fullerton City Council District 4
• Julie Diep, Garden Grove City Council District 2
• Natalie Moser, Huntington Beach City Council
• Dan Kalmick, Huntington Beach City Council
• Oscar Rodriguez, Huntington Beach City Council
• Farrah Khan, Irvine Mayor
• Larry Agran, Irvine City Council
• Lauren Johnson-Norris, Irvine City Council
• Tammy Kim, Irvine City Council
• George Weiss, Laguna Beach City Council
• Stephanie Oddo, Laguna Niguel City Council
• Adrienne Gladson, Orange Mayor
• Eugene Fields, Orange City Council District 1
• Martin Varona, Orange City Council District 2
• Danett Abbott, Orange City Council District 3
• Paulette Hines, Mission Viejo City Council
• Devon Gray, Placentia City Council District 1
• Chris Duncan, San Clemente City Council
• Vicente Sarmiento, Santa Ana Mayor
• Thai Viet Phan, Santa Ana City Council Ward 1
• Beckie Gomez, Tustin City Council
• Letitia Clark, Tustin City Council
• Lee Fink, Tustin City Council
• Carlos Manzo, Westminster City Council District 2
• Lorraine Prinsky, Coast Community College District 3
• Ed Lopez, North Orange County Community College District Area 2
• Judith Benavides, North Orange County Community College Area 5
• Miguel Alvarez, North Orange County Community College District Area 4
• Jose Paolo Magcalas, Anaheim Elementary School District
• Elizabeth Gonzalez, Centralia Elementary School District Area 3
• Steven Schultz, Fountain Valley Unified School District
• Joanne Fawley, Fullerton Joint Union High School District Area 2
• Teri Rocco, Garden Grove Unified School District Area 1
• Walter Muneton, Garden Grove Unified School District Area 3
• Paul Bokota, Irvine Unified School District Trustee Area 5
• Paurvi Travedi, Los Alamitos Unified School District Area 2
• Leah Ersolyu, Newport Mesa Unified School District Area 1
• Gina Clayton-Tarvin, Ocean View School District
• Tiger Cosmos, Orange Unified School District Area 2
• LaShe Rodriguez, Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District Area 2
• Alfonso Alvarez, Santa Ana Unified School District
• Carolyn Torres, Santa Ana Unified School District
• Dr. Rigo Rodriguez, Santa Ana Unified School District
• Allyson Damikolas, Tustin Unified School District Area 1
• Jonathan Stone, Tustin Unified School District Area 4
• David Johnson, Westminster Unified School District Area 1
• Jose Vergara, El Toro Water District
• Soha Vazirnia, Irvine Ranch Water District Director Area 4
• Ann Marie McKay, Laguna Beach City Clerk

About the Democratic Party of Orange County

Orange County is a nationally-watched battleground for control of the U.S. House, and a critical battleground for expanding Democratic leadership in California. The DCCC opened a field office in Irvine in 2019, and the CDP opened two field offices – in Brea and Huntington Beach – in early 2020. 

Once famously known as “Reagan country,” after President Reagan called Orange County the place where “all good Republicans go to die,” Orange County is rapidly shifting from a Republican stronghold into a highly diverse Democratic metropolis. 

Chair Ada Briceno, a longtime labor organizer, Co-President of UNITE HERE Local 11, and recently elected Democratic National Committee member, is the first immigrant and second Latina to lead the Democratic Party of Orange County. Her executive leadership team includes Latino, Asian American, millennial, and LGBT representation. 

Democrats swept all seven Congressional seats in Orange County in 2018. Less than a year later, Democrats overtook countywide voter registration to become the region’s leading political party. Today, OC Democrats have gained more than a 2-point voter advantage over the GOP. Orange County is the nation’s sixth largest county, with 3.2 million residents and more than half a million registered Democratic voters.