Who should replace retiring DPOC Chairman Frank Barbaro?

By: Joe Hill, OC Politics Blog

“Tired of infighting in his organization, Orange County Democratic Party Chairman Frank Barbaro said Tuesday he would step down,” according to the Mission Viejo Patch.

“There’s a lot of infighting,” Barbaro said. “The day after the election, the problems were over. But leading up to the election was a nightmare. It was Democrat versus Democrat and the whole thing was just overwhelming.”

Barbaro cited the intra-party squabbling over Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido’s supporters and his challenger David Benavides as one example.

Candidates to replace Barbaro as DPOC Chairman include Jeff LeTourneau of Tustin, a gay-rights activist; and Henry Vandermeir of Ladera Ranch, executive director of the Democratic Foundation of Orange County.

I know them both. LeTourneau is a good guy but I cannot imagine that he will be able to rally the many disparate interests in the DPOC.

Vandermeir works for an organization that supported Pulido so perhaps he is not part of the Benavides coalition that failed so badly on Nov. 6.

But maybe not. At any rate, why go with another white guy? Why not a woman – or a minority? I am hearing that the usual blue suspects are pining for Joe Dunn. Please. The guy is a lobbyist now. Should both of Orange County’s red and blue parties be run by lobbyists?

Other candidates that should be considered to replace Barbaro:

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