The blogosphere is abuzz today with yesterday’s news that former State Senator Joe Dunn is NOT going to run against First District Supervisor Janet Nguyen. Of course the folks at the Liberal OC had a good time laughing at me, since I had written recently that my sources indicated he WAS going to run.
So what happened?
Peggy Lowe, of the O.C. Register’s Total Buzz Blog, reported that Dunn felt he should stay with the California Medical Association because of the brouhaha in Sacramento regarding health care. (Have you heard the radio ads from the Nurses’ union, which includes Barack Obama talking about universal health care?).
It makes a lot of sense that Dunn would not walk away from a job that pays him a half million a year. But is there more to the story?
One of our readers commented that perhaps Dunn made this decision because State Senator Lou Correa and Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez had ALREADY endorsed Claudia Alvarez. I don’t know anything about that theory, but I do know, again according to my pajaritos, that Correa, Sanchez and Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido, as well as Assemblyman Jose Solorio were NOT going to back Dunn. That, more than anything else, likely convinced him to stay in Sacramento.
Matt “Jubal” Cunningham, who seems to do his best work when he writes about Santa Ana, had this to say about the situation in his blog:
The key may be what the Democratic latino Troika of Sanchez/Correa/Solorio will do here. It was not a secret that the three of them-especially Correa-disliked Dunn but didn’t have a Democrat who could run ahead of Dunn in June. Now here is their chance. Allowing Janet to have a hall pass guarantees that she gets nested in the 34thSD and 47thCD, one day to pop up and be Lou or Jose’s nightmare on Brookhurst Street. They may weigh that fear against putting a Democrat in a spot to challenge one of the two(don’t you think Claudia would love another shot at Jose?). And some cynics think Jose is going to be the next Democratic Supervisor so a Janet win isn’t all bad for Jose.
The problem, as my colleague Claudio Gallegos pointed out yesterday, is that the cupboard is bare for the local Democrats. They really don’t have anyone to run against Supervisor Nguyen except for Santa Ana Councilwoman Claudia Alvarez, whose nicknames include “Clownia” and “Crazy Claudia.” Not good for them…but believe me, Supervisor Nguyen had a lot to be grateful about yesterday.
Folks, you better get used to the idea of four more years for Supervisor Nguyen. In fact, my advice to the local Democrats is to forget about her. They need to do something about the awful sell-out Democrats on the Santa Ana City Council, and their corporatist leader, Mayor Miguel “Pudrido” Pulido. Now THAT would make a difference for the people of Santa Ana!
Art,
I wish I could take credit for that brilliant comment, but it goes to BladeRunner — the commenter who is a better blogger than probably any of us bloggers!
Art, I have to agree, the Democratic Party should be worrying about building up their farm team by putting real viable Democrats on the Santa Ana City Council.
Of the Democrats on the Santa Ana City Council now, not one of them would be a viable choice for higher office.
MIKE GARCIA FOR SUPERVISOR!
Did anyone ask Michele Martinez yet? She has shown her independence on the Santa Ana council. She would be a great candidate.
I am a proud Dem, at the same time I have been pleased with Janet as our Supervisor. I believe she has made a genuine effort to outreach to all her constituents. For being a Repub she does reach out beyond her party politics and she is paying a huge price. My gets my vote!
Lets run Michelle Martinez against janet.
I agree with #3, I think Mike Garcia would be the best choice for Supervisor!