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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Divorce is a private complicated decision. Placing politics ahead of martial responsibilities I suspect has nothing to do with divorce in this case if indeed a divorce is pending.
Congratulation on your 25 yr marriage many more to come. Your marriage is strong because you are happy and able to work out difference. Not everyone is so fortunate as you.
Congratulations of your 25 year marriage. Don't be judgemental of others, you dot know anything about anyone's lives unless you live it. Don't waste time speculating on Benavides' love life, this is politics, not a soap opera. Bill Clinton cheated on his wife in front of the world and still ran the country, so I'm sure little ol' Santa Ana can run just fine with a single mayor whom we have no idea what has happened in his personal life. Also, check your facts rumor mills, keep his wife and kids out of it before you claim she's in irvine and the kids are in school there...respect the little ones and his wife and leave them out of it. Perhaps you should find more productive articles to write about like what issues and positions Benavides supports rather than silly high school speculations about who did what to who and who left who. Maybe you should write Benavides a note with "Did your wife leave you, circle yes or no?" Let's grow up and leave the silliness in our heads rather than on permanent blogs where kids and people who could get hurt might one day read them.
Did we not learn anything from the Bustamante scandal?
Family does matter in this city and I can't imagine that very many voters are going to pick a guy who is in the midst of a mid-life crisis. There is too much at stake right now in our city to make that kind of a mistake.
FYI, I already wrote about Benavides' "issues." They are lame. He has not one original idea and most of his spiel is unfunded and quite frankly not realistic.
Lastly, this post got about 20 times as many hits as our post about the new parks in Santa Ana. People do care about these matters and I suspect that the Benavides campaign is already finished.
Never said family doesn't matter, just saying keep the gossip and Speculation out of it...unless you've personally spoken to His wife and gotten the facts, it's irresponsible of you to create gossip. You claim family is so important? Well don't you think you're stirring the pot and those two little innocent children are going to somehow be affected negatively because of this gossip? Maybe Benavides hasn't said a word BECAUSE his family is more important than the campaign and keeping them out of the rumor mill is more important. You have NO CLUE what has happened and until you DO, stop making drama. Use facts about his politics to put Benavides down if you want to, not gossip.
I have not engaged in gossip. All I did was point out the FACT that Benavides does not mention his family on any of his websites, which stands in stark contrast to Mayor Pulido who proudly places his family front and center.
Benavides apparently chose to run for Mayor while his home life was falling apart. That is on him. If his kids are hurt it is his fault. It is obvious his priorities are out of whack!
Maybe the Mayor has learned, Santa Ana voters see a candidate as a package deal.
Art, I thought the same thing about you years ago when your wife and family seemed to be missing from your campaign(s).
Each candidate and their families need to make their own choice on their presentation to the voters.
...and people out there in this crazy world have the balz to want deny same sex marriage! You creeps and your affairs have NO CLUE what marriage is! I would throw down some hard cash to deny DIVORCE to anyone that is married! "Gotta protect the sanctity of marriage, the earth will crumble into dust, it's God's will.." blah, blah, blah! What sanctity? Protect nothing! You people that cheat are a disgrace to marriage. "Hey honey, go get me a beer-hurry up!"
I agree. The biggest threat to marriage is not gays - it is Christians who dump their wives. I take my wedding vows seriously. Too bad so many politicians don't.
Who says his home life is falling apart? Just because pictures are missing? Maybe he and his wife have a very happy and functional relationship not being together? So divorce equals chaos and heartbreak and life being in shamble?!! You should write Hollywood movies. Those who judge judge only because their own lives suck ask they get pleasure out of other people's "problems" Just saying...
You need to go back and read Dr. Lomeli's comment. He is a Benavides supporter and even he acknowledged that divorce appears to be pending.
Don't worry about what I think. Benavides needs to worry about what the voters are going to think. This isn't my problem - it is his.
Clearly the Council chose the wrong candidate. They should have stuck with Sal Tinajero. Too late now.
WHO CARES IF DIVORCE IS PENDING!!!!!!!!!!!! GET OVER IT!!
Your defense of Benavides sounds a lot like his defense of Bustamante.
Benavides built his early political career on family values. So what does he stand for now?
Apparently Benavides is now thirsty for power. You can see where this mess is headed...
The point is that divorce In a local campaign as a election issue is of not important for voters. Pulido's political consultant's tactics include as he puts it " if you throw enough shit at your challenger some will stick". Every past Pulido challenger has been a recipient of this strategy.
This strategy I am afraid is being implemented here.
Santa Ana has more churches than any other Orange County city. Our city is dominated by Democrats but most of the voters supported Prop. 8.
This is a socially conservative city, like it ir not. Most voters were disgusted by Bustamante's alleged debauchery and yet Benavides supported him. Now we find out that Benavides is apparently a train wreck too. Birds of a feather?
I can't imagine that the voters will overlook this mess. Again, you guys should have stuck with Tinajero, now you're stuck with Benavides. Good luck with that...
Many church members are divorced, separated and single. Santa Ana churches do not excluded them as parishioners . Prop 8 compared to the latter is apples to oranges.
Bustamante's alleged crimes against women compared to rumors about Venavides is apples to oranges.
The pulido camp strategy ......"if you throw enough shit some will stick" needs to be understood by those reading attacks against Venavides.
The strategy by definition says if you throw enough lies some will stick..........dishonest, so choose between a dishonest candidate and one with rumors of seperation from his wife.
I think the good Doctor and the "Grown Up" are missing the point.
Two simple question at the fourm will settle this:
1) Have you cheated on your wife?
2) Have you ever had sex with another man?
Let the voters make thier decisions based on that.
Divorce is not a view into ones politics, but infidelity is certainly a glimpse into ones character!
As for leaving his EX-Wife and Abandoned Children alone, that's up to the EGOMANIAC Councilman. Isn't it ironic, that the KIDSWERKS director disgraces his own kids Mother and than bails on them!
How's that for character.
OK these questions are for all the candidates? Let the investigations begin about possible infidelity of all candidates as this is now the litmus test for holding office according to you and the Pulido camp. Be careful what you wish for. Very few politicians can pass this test. As well as very few private citizens. It is why voters do not see it as important when selecting a candidate.
Especially coming from a camp who's strategy is " if you throw enough lies some will stick "
You are entirely off base. What I write here is my work, and does not reflect Pulido's campaign.
Go ahead ans dig up whatever you want. The fact remains that Benavides was a mistake. Your camp should have gone with Tinajero.