Why is Santa Ana Councilman Carlos Bustamante still a Republican?

Barack Obama almost won Orange County.  He did win in San Bernardino and in Fresno and he easily won the state.  The Democrats rule Sacramento and are likely to take back the Governor’s seat in two years when Schwarzenegger moves on.

Locally the Democrats own Santa Ana and are making inroads elsewhere.  In fact one of them, Tom Daly, will likely take over for Chris Norby on the Board of Supervisors when Norby terms out, and Supervisor Janet Nguyen will likely be toast in four years when Latino voters will be motivated to give her the boot.

So why is Santa Ana Councilman Carlos Bustamante still a Republican?  He is the only Republican on the Santa Ana City Council.  He has no hope of moving up to higher office as a Republican.  So why stay in the GOP?

The question of course is would the Democrats accept Bustamante in their midst?  He would fit right in with the nuts on their Central Committee.  But I doubt that Latino Democrats would want anything to do with him.  Then again he is part of “Team Pulido.”

So when will Bustamante turn blue?

About Admin

"Admin" is just editors Vern Nelson, Greg Diamond, or Ryan Cantor sharing something that they mostly didn't write themselves, but think you should see. Before December 2010, "Admin" may have been former blog owner Art Pedroza.