Who is Santa Ana’s most powerful politician?

Who is Santa Ana’s most powerful politician?  U.S. Rep. Loretta Sanchez certainly made her case this year by helping to elect Anaheim Council Candidate Jordan Brandman and Assembly Candidate Sharon Quirk-Silva.  But Assemblyman Jose Solorio also was a key factor in the successful re-election of Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido and the victory of Assembly Candidate Tom Daly.

But what about Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Claudia Alvarez?  Has there ever been a more powerful termed out local politician?  She beat out two candidates who were incumbents, for the Rancho Santiago Community College District’s Board of Trustees.  And she helped elect unknown and unfunded Santa Ana Council Candidate Angelica Amezcua, in Ward 3, while giving Santa Ana Councilman Vince Sarmiento a scare in Ward 1 with Amezcua’s sister, Estela.

While Mayor Pulido didn’t get overly involved in any other campaigns this year, he figures to take out Santa Ana Springsters Michele Martinez and David Benavides and I think he will be targeting SAUSD Trustee John Palacio too.

Palacio rolled the dice this year by building a lame coalition against Pulido.  Most of them lost.  Now he faces an uncertain future as he will be opposed by a well-funded candidate backed by Pulido, in 2014.  And who will pay Palacio to be their campaign consultant after he wrecked just about every campaign he touched in 2012?

Supervisor Janet Nguyen pulled her fellow Republican Robert Hammond out of the race for the 69th Assembly District, only to watch her party lose the 65th Assembly District too, where Quirk-Silva beat out Chris Norby.  Now the Democrats have a super-majority in the State Assembly.  Good job Janet!  Not.

What about State Senator Lou Correa? He figures to have an army coming after his seat in 2014 but what will he do?  And who will he back for his seat?

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