Will Correa take back his seat on the O.C. Board of Supervisors?

I had lunch with a state legislator last week and he dropped a bombshell – apparently there are forces in the Democratic Party that are asking State Senator Lou Correa to consider taking back his old seat on the O.C. Board of Supervisors – and giving incumbent Supervisor Janet Nguyen the boot.

The last time I met with Correa, earlier this year, he said he was looking at the possibility of running for State Attorney General, but only if the incumbent were to run for U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein’s seat.  Feinstein got cleaned out by Kinde Durkee so perhaps she might consider finally retiring.  However if she runs again, where will that leave Correa?

I would personally love to see Correa challenge Nguyen.  He is far more popular in the O.C. Viet community than she will ever be.  I think he would absolutely trash her.

And she has it coming.  Nguyen won originally because Correa convinced labor to pay for her recount, after she barely won against Trung Nguyen.  Yet when Correa last ran for reelection, Janet stabbed him in the back right away, endorsing a Republican who was going to oppose him.  That candidate dropped out after she was outed as a carpetbagger. Former Anaheim Councilwoman Lucille Kring ran instead – and Correa easily beat her.

No doubt – if Correa runs it will be personal and he will beat Nguyen.  Remember that half the local Viet voters, at least, are aligned with former Assemblyman Van Tran.  He might have made up with Janet last year when she reluctantly backed him for Congress against Loretta Sanchez, but I doubt he will do anything to help Janet now.  She stabbed Tran in the back years ago after he helped her get elected to the Garden Grove City Council, and even now her former Chief of Staff, Matt Harper, is running against Tran’s friend, Westminster Mayor Pro Tem Tyler Diep, for the 72nd Assembly District.

Tran won’t be able to openly support Correa, but rest assured that he won’t lift a finger for Janet either.