Updated: Just checked. Still no mention of David Benavides’ wife or family on his campaign website. What is up with that?
I still remember when Santa Ana Council Member David Benavides first ran for the City Council, in 2006. Go back and look at his Smart Voter page and you will see that he proudly described himself as a “Husband of a Santa Ana school teacher, dad of a 4yr old daughter & 6mo old son.”
But take a look at Benavides’ mayoral campaign website and you will find no mention whatsoever of his family. And his campaign Facebook page also makes no mention that he is married and that he has kids. His Council Facebook page likewise omits any mention of his family, as does his personal page. Click on his “profile pictures” and you get several face shots of Benavides – and no family pictures. Even his official City Council bio omits any mention of his wife and children.
What gives?
This is a fairly shocking turn of events. The two things I always admired about Benavides was that he once worked in youth ministry and that he was a family man. Now I have to wonder what is going on.
A city insider told me that Benavides conducted a poll before announcing his campaign for Mayor. One of the questions posed to voters was would they support a mayoral candidate who had cheated on his wife. Why would he include that question in his poll?
Remember that Benavides and his wife bought their home in Santa Ana by participating in a home loan program for teachers, called the “Extra Credit Teacher Home Purchase Program,” which offered a reduced mortgage rate and $7,500 in down payment assistance to teachers who worked at low-performing schools, according to this press release. The Benavides couple were in fact one of the first families to participate in this program. Does Benavides have to give this money back if he and his wife are living separately now, as rumors allege?
Perhaps most unsettling is Benavides’ longtime friendship with his fellow Council Member Carlos Bustamante – who was arrested this year for numerous felony charges of sexual harassment and public theft. Benavides is one of the only Council Members who has NOT called on Bustamante to resign.
Benavides reached out to me before he announced his campaign but I have since made it clear that I am supporting Pulido. He does need to step up now and clarify what is going on. Santa Ana is dominated by working families. The voters deserve to know the truth.
This all brings to mind a slew of emails I received a few years ago from a fellow who claimed he had phone records proving that Benavides had an affair with his wife. Apparently they worked together. Benavides and I met afterwards and he swore there was no affair and that it was a misunderstanding. But now his wife and family are missing from all of his websites – and you have to wonder what in the world is going on.
By contrast, Mayor Miguel Pulido’s official Council bio page proudly mentions his family. So does his Facebook page. Say what you will about Pulido but even his staunchest critics attest to the fact that he is a great father.
But that is not all. While looking at Benavides’ personal Facebook page tonight I noticed he no longer is working at US Bank. Apparently he is now a partner at a company called Civico Real Estate Group. Now this is a problem as this company is based in Santa Ana and is involved in the sale of real estate. Benavides now has a huge conflict of interest both as a Council Member and as a candidate for Mayor.
Why would Benavides quit his job at US Bank? Is he going through a mid-life crisis? Why run for Mayor under these circumstances? It just makes no sense. Yet this guy is the face of the supposed Santa Ana spring?
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Low blow, better be careful or Emly will come over and kick you in the back side.
Is that her name? You certainly wouldn't know it from looking at Benavides' websites.
And if you think this was low, know that I didn't include the latest rumors about Benavides' marriage. I'll leave that to my readers.
The only backside Emily will be kicking is David's...She has packed and taken the kids to Irvine.
Bustamante's wife could learn a thing or two from Em.
Art. Will this impact David's ability to vote on the PBID?
Only if he is involved with properties in the PBID area. I am told that he had some interest in the scuttled attempted purchase of the Santora building by his church. That would definitely have posed a conflict.
This guy is going to go down in flames by Labor day.
1) He is ill prepared to be mayor.
2) The closet has skeletons deeper than a simple affair.
3) Santa Ana, no matter how progressive is not ready for this guy (see #2).
4) Lupe, Collins will dillute the vote just enough to re-elect Miguel, who is the only viable canidate.
I have seen david speak, in small and large (20+) groups, he's just not that well put together. I would not hire him to sell my house let alone run the city.
Who is Benavides allys on the Council? Word on the streets is that Benvides is coordinating efforts with Council candidates Hart and Amezqua and that they have many of the same supporters? Usual sospechosos? Also, what place to you think Benavides will come in Mayors races? Why is he running if he cannot win or can he win?
Wow. No bueno!
Benavides will get more votes than the rest of the yahoos, but he will lose.
I have no idea why he is running.
If in fact he is seperated/divorced and if in fact, infidelity is the cause, how can he possibly survive that.
The machine will eat him up:
"Are you married"?
"Have you ever been unfaithful to your (ex) wife"?
THOSE TWO SHOTS WILL RUIN ANY CHANCE HE HAD. PERIOD.
But when it starts to get really nasty and someone asks him how a man of God, who wears his "NEWSONG" on his sleeve could do this, I expect a fumbling, disengenuous answer like: "We all have sinned. I made mistakes....."
Now if the EX stands by him, maybe a snowballs chance in hell he makes it to Holloween, if she decides this is a great time to get even, well, poor kids is all I have to say.
Which brings up this point: What does it say a bout a man, who has not been largely successful in business (he's areal estate agent in Santa Ana, no Brett Franklin or Sandy Deangles mind you) who aspires so much to be popular and powerful, that he would put his family through this. his behavior indicates to me a narcissistic self centered ego-maniac, with thoughts not rooted in reality. Seriously, why would any logical(Hell, leave church going out of it)man do this at this point in his life.
Wait until they start asking where his kids go to school and he answers Westpark in Irvine. That's really a vote getter!
How about this AD:
We have one philandering womanizer on the council in Carlos Bustamonte, do we really need one as mayor?
FIND THE WIFE ADMIN. GET THE ANSWERS!
wow, is David really scaring the status quo?
I think the winning will be the name on the 4 by 6 card given to the voters who go to the polls.
Cook, again is the voice of reason, logic and Benavidesexperience.
However, there is a changing face of the electorate, and that is those who vote from home. The push to reach these folks could be the key.
If the "Tom Bradley" syndrome does exist as so many claim, imagine the freedom o make your choice from the safety of your own home. Now image you are a retired Latino of reasonably conservative values and you have been inundated with negativity about this "Young Gun" Benavides, who is somehow linked to Bustamonte.......
I think you can count thse votes for David on one hand.
The stack of 4x6 cards is shrinking with each election.
But Cook is right.
For the sake of argument any martial issues and divorce are political none issues. Was not an issue for Clinton nor the mayor of L.A.
Bustamante's alleged infidelity is associated with crimes against .women. Introducing Bustamante in this issue of a alleged Benavides divorce is apples to oranges and more important irresponsible.
Instead of getting defensive why don't you explain why Benavides won't mention his wife and kids?
Not being defensive. Only stating my opinion. I hear rumors of a divorce. Probably why no mention of family.
Are saying divorced,separated and single candidates are less candidates than married candidates?
di·vorce (d-vôrs, -vrs)
n.
1. The legal dissolution of a marriage.
2. A complete or radical severance of closely connected things.
v. di·vorced, di·vorc·ing, di·vorc·es
v.tr.
1. To dissolve the marriage bond between.
2. To end marriage with (one's spouse) by way of legal divorce.
3. To cut off; separate or disunite: an idea that was completely divorced from reality. See Synonyms at separate.
v.intr.
To obtain a divorce.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin dvortium, from dvortere, to divert, variant of dvertere; see divert.]
I find that heartbreaking. My wife and I celebrated 25 years of marriage this year. Divorce just isn't an option for me and I cannot understand why Benavides would put politics ahead of his family.