Vote “Blue Revolution Progressive Alliance” in Coastal AD-74 Saturday!

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Long story short: If you’re a Democrat or independent living in this district…

… we strongly urge you to come vote for this fine grass-roots progressive slate on Saturday! (Click for larger image.)

I know most of these activists from Los Amigos, Progressive Democrats of America, and Democracy for America, and they created this slate themselves – it’s not organized or backed by any politician or party leader.  And as we’ve been saying, that’s how ADEMs should be – they’re the PEOPLE’S direct representatives.

We’re basically asking you to vote for this slate and NOT the one organized by new Congressman Harley Rouda.  As much as that’ll upset my friend Gina Clayton-Tarvin who helped organize two of Harley’s THREE SLATES (three because his Congressional district covers three assembly districts.)  Jeez, does he really need to stack the party with 42 loyalists?  How will he ever be kept accountable?

Nothing Against Harley…

I supported Rouda in the primary because he seemed decent, competent, and like the most likely guy to be able to end the 30-year nightmare of Dana Rohrabacher.  After he won the primary I supported him so enthusiastically in his race against Dana that I created this:

I’m not worried about him getting re-elected in Presidential Year 2020, against Scott Baugh or Michelle Steel or whomever Dave Ellis has up his sleeve.  He would have to do really badly to lose the support of the Democrats and independents who backed him by 57%.  But the fact is, we don’t know exactly HOW great of a Congressman he’ll be yet, especially when we stop comparing him to Dana.  And even if he were the second coming of Lincoln, he doesn’t need an army of 42 Roudettes backing him on everything. 

And by the way ALMOST ALL our Congressmen are doing this now, except for Cisneros and Lowenthal, bless their hearts.  A friend just received this e-mail from Congressman Mike Levin (as presumably did hundreds or thousands of south county Democrats)

Gina suggests that this ADEM election is the beginning of Harley’s 2020 re-election campaign.  No, it’s just not.  He’s got it if he doesn’t fuck up real badly.  The ADEMs have other responsibilities, and they need to be INDEPENDENT, not beholden to any politician.

I keep saying that, but look here:

This “Blue Revolution” slate that I’m supporting has only four men and six women, which means you could also vote for three more men and one more woman – maybe even a couple from Harley’s slate if you trust them enough.  Reading through ALL their statements (and knowing some of them for years) I can tell you who else *I* would vote for if I still lived down there:

Lauren Johnson-Norris for the one extra woman, because she was on the right side of so many Irvine issues, and was smeared so viciously by the Agran machine last year.  She’s on the Rouda slate, as are a couple of other women I think highly of, like CL Miller.  Katrina Foley is a superstar, but she really doesn’t need any more power right now.

Allan Beek – the legendary Newport Beach activist who’s been fighting for justice, election reform, and single-payer healthcare since before most of us were born.  He and I started the OC chapter of Healthcare For All California back in 2005, and grew it from us two to hundreds.  This nonconformist is not on any slate, but he deserves your vote for sure.

Also from the Rouda slate I like Manuel Chavez after reading his statement, partly because he fought for Kimberly Ellis to lead the state party.

Johnson-Norris, Beek, Chavez.

I couldn’t find a seventh man to get excited about, and I’m tired.  You read their statements or show up on time to hear their speeches, OR leave one male spot blank for whoever gets it.

HELLO!  GREG HERE!  THE 7TH MAN TO VOTE FOR SHOULD BE MARTIN SALGADO, WHO JUST RAN FOR H.B. SCHOOL BOARD.  ALTHOUGH UNFORTUNATELY, IT WILL PROBABLY BE DAVE MIN, DESPITE THE FACT THAT HE’S NOT PROGRESSIVE AND COULD EASILY GET APPOINTED.  BOTH OF THE ANDREWS ALSO IMPRESS!

I understand there’ a separate ballot for E-Board, and that should be Anne Mohr, from the Blue Revolution Slate above.  She’s already on the E-board, but she deserves “ONE MOHR YEAR!”

So there are Vern’s recommendations for 74th district ADEMs:  Mohr, Abdelmuti, Iannello, Amanyraoufpoor, Beauchamp, Aduna, Johnson-Norris,  Varasteh, Abazajian, Johnson, Afalqa, Beek, Chavez. (And Greg adds: Salgado!)

Show up Saturday, 9:30 to hear speeches or 12 at the latest just to vote, to Christ Our Redeemer Church, 45 Tesla, Irvine.  And if you’re an independent you can vote as well if you just register at the door as a Democrat (which you can change again after you vote if you want.)  Here’s a map to the church.  POWER TO THE PEOPLE!

RESULTS

OK, this is going to pinch a little.  (And you say: YAAAAAAAAGHGHGH!)

Males:  

The top 7 + 2 alternates (OJB endorsees in bold) are:

1. David Min
2. Kev Abazajian
3. Manuel Chavez
4. Marty Salgado (belatedly added)
5. Mark Malouf
6. Jesus Gamboa
7. Tim Burns
8. (Alt) Ron Varasteh
9. (Alt) Andrew Levine

Females:

The top 7 + 2 alternates (OJB endorsees in bold) are:

1. Katrina Foley
2. Andrea Bird-Steiner
3. Lauren Johnson-Norris
4. Lynn Einarsson Woods
5. Jennifer Lee Koh
6. Lynne Riddle
7. Dinah Frieden
8. (Alt) Bethany Webb
9. (Alt) Robin Gurien