We now have more clarity as to which candidates will be possibly running for the vacant 2nd O.C. Supervisorial District, which includes most of Santa Ana as well as parts of Anaheim, Orange and Garden Grove.
The following candidates pulled papers to run but they have not yet turned in, apparently, the nomination signatures needed to be placed on the March 8 ballot (except for Juan Villegas who has already qualified for the ballot):
- Juan Villegas, (former Santa Ana City Council Member who works for the OC Sheriff’s department, he is the first candidate to qualify for the ballot)
- Jon Dumitru, (Orange City Council Member, had not qualified for ballot as of March 8)
- Cecilia “Ceci” Iglesias, (former Santa Ana City Council Member and SAUSD School Board Member, had not qualified for ballot as of March 8)
- Bryan Kaye, (possibly an Anaheim resident with no previous political experience, had not qualified for ballot as of March 8)
- Kim Bernice Nguyen, (Garden Grove City Council Member, had not qualified for ballot as of March 8)
- Vicente Sarmiento, (Santa Ana Mayor, had not qualified for ballot as of March 8)
Our informal poll shows that Sarmiento is not in the lead. He could be in trouble as he and Kim Bernice Nguyen pretty much hold the same positions and appeal to the same voters.
Villegas is the first candidate to qualify for the ballot. He has a lot of support in the business community and as a member of law enforcement will stand in stark contrast to Sarmiento who is likely dreading the eventual campaign mailers which will remind the voters that he referred to the Anaheim police officers who shot and killed a criminal in Santa Ana after a police pursuit as murderers.
