The L.A. Times features an article today about the contest between Republicans Mimi Walters and Harry Sidhu, for the 33rd State Senate District, which is currently held by Dick Ackerman.
The article doesn’t make any new revelations, but check out this excerpt, “Sidhu received campaign contributions from the Orange County Employees Assn. and was endorsed by the Log Cabin Republicans, a group that champions gay rights as part of a conservative agenda.”
Interesting. I can’t help but wonder, what if Harry Sidhu had run as a moderate, instead of running as yet another knuckle-dragging conservative troglodyte?
Think about it. Sidhu would have been terribly compelling. An immigrant himself, he could have talked about the positive contributions that immigrants make to this country, instead of attacking immigrants, which is what both Sidhu and Walters did.
Sidhu in fact owns three Pollo Loco restaurants – where he has been distributing campaign messages. Who do you think works at those restaurants? And Sidhu is just as brown as his workers likely are! How often do O.C. Republicans have a chance to vote for someone who is not lily white?
Sidhu pointed out in the Times article that Walters represents a very small city, which is true. Sidhu is on the Anaheim City Council. Anaheim is one of the biggest cities in Orange County – and it is actually well managed, as compared to Santa Ana, where the City Clowncil is a joke. The 33rd Senate District does encompass a portion of Santa Ana, including my neighborhood.
As one would expect, Walters refused to be interviewed by the Times. That is typical of OC GOP hacks. I do not like politicians who are not approachable. It is their job to make themselves available to the public AND to the press.
Sidhu is by no means a perfect candidate, but Walters will just be another OC GOP machine legislator. Too bad Sidhu didn’t give the voters a chance to vote for someone different. I think a moderate message would have served him very well.
The bitter race between Sidhu and Walters underscores why the GOP is becoming extinct in California. Extremism works in gerrymandered districts, but independents and moderates have no reason to support extremists on either the left or the right.
I expect Walters to prevail. However I will be voting for Gary Pritchard, the Democratic candidate, in the general election. He at least is not a hard right nut case.
Yeah it’s sad that a candidate who looks like one of my favorite actors (the Lebanese-American Tony Shaloub, of the Monk series, Men in Black, and numerous Cohen Brothers epics) is just another immigrant-bashing anti-government rightwing jerk, essentially indistinguishable from Nasty Little Mimi.
Vote Pritchard in November! And eat at Charo Chicken, not Pollo Loco! (the lemon-garlic roasted chicken, the black beans, mm-mm-mm, think I’ll go there right now.)
Vern,
I love Shaloub, especially in Galaxy Quest. And Charo Chicken is a lot better than Pollo Loco. As usual you are spot on Vern!
Art –
Sorry, but Alan Rickman stole that movie (as he did in Dogma). And EPL is good, but here in Anacrime we have a place called Zankou Chicken that puts them to shame with their garlic sauce. Not to mention Alberto’s. Yum!
Maybe ‘Zankou’ or ‘Alberto’ should run for office!
SMS
Art –
By the way, when I was with the Chau campaign I attempted to get him to play the immigrant card and as usual I was overruled by you-know-who.
I have a feeling that with so little going on in that race overall and Ron coming out strong now at the end (I’ll be interviewing him today I hope – I still have laryngitis), especially with Chau not touting his successful immigrant credentials, a lot of the white voters (i.e. the majority) are going to vote for… *gasp* the white guy.
It’ll be a bittersweet victory for Ron Shepston considering this truth and the fact that he’ll then have to go up against Dirty Gary’s millions and minions.
Did I mention I need a consulting gig? Ron? Are you still reading? I know how to hit him where it hurts… and on the cheap, too. I would so love to be responsible for taking down that bastard!
SMS
I live in Laguna Niguel and we here disgusted with Walters racist, misleading and deceptive campaign. It started with her attacking Sidhu on Prop and then apologizing to him for that, and ending up with Orange County Grand Jury issuing a press release denouncing the mailer. Basically OC Grand Jury called Mimi Walters a ‘LIAR’ – what an embarrassment for her and her supporters! This is same way she is planning to represent us in Sacramento – by lying to us. Harry Sidhu will be much better senator – honest, strong and effective. My family is going to vote for Sidhu.