A Day at the Races: Daily Updates to Candidate Filings

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Greg with check at Registrar of Voters 300 px

We may have new posts up before and after Friday, and maybe before and after Wednesday the 16th, but the default will be just to note new candidates here.  That photo was of my smiling face from two years ago yesterday, when I implemented my successful plan to get more than 25% of the vote against District Attorney Tony Rackauckas without even filing a ballot statement.  It’s the only photo I could find in our archives of someone submitting a check to the Registrar of Voters, so we’re stuck with it.

The dates will be listed in reverse chronological order, so scroll down!  March 14-16 are in italics, as they will apply only to races where no incumbent is running.

Wednesday, March 16 (Final Day Where Incumbent Folds)

Tuesday, March 15

Monday, March 14

Friday, March 11 (Final Day for Most Races)

[Pretty much on time, after recovering from being busy.]

Judging only from dates of entry of various submissions and such, candidate filings on Friday were almost identical to than on Thursday.  If recollection serves, “Final Fridays” are usually much busier  than that, so congratulations to candidates for coming in early as well as to ROV Staff for doing their usual wonderful job.

CA-39: Democrat Brett Murdock got his ballot designation approved on Saturday (but it’s included in this Friday listing).

CA-45: Democrat Ron Varasteh filed his papers. NPP Nancy Trinidad Marin did the same.  Republican Greg Raths got his ballot designation approved on Saturday.

CA-46: Democrat Bao Nguyen turned in papers before the deadline — which in this race is next Wednesday.  Republican Bob Peterson, an OC Sheriff’s Commander, did the same.  Interesting.

CA-47: Alan Lowenthal’s 2014 opponent Andy Whallon turned in only a candidate statement, which suggests that he lives in the LA County portion of the district.  Pretty good investment there.

CA-48Colin Melott did not

SD-29: Josh Newman filed his papers in what will be an interesting three-way race.  (Ling-Ling Chang did not file a candidate statement here.  Weird mistake for a well-off candidate who needs to build name recognition in the vast majority of the OC portion of the district that isn’t in AD-55 — but one that helps her opponent Sukhee Kang.  Perhaps, like me, she’s figured out that he’d be easier for her to beat in November?)

SD-37DON WAGNER DID NOT FILE!  REPEAT, DON WAGNER DID NOT FILE!  So this race will be a one-on-one: John Moorlach and Laguna Beach Democratic Club President Ari Grayson.  (It’s interesting that the biggest news of the day is non-news!)

AD-55: Gregg Fritchle turned in nomination signatures.  This race ain’t over, as incumbent Chang is not running, so maybe we’ll see a candidate statement from him as well.

AD-68Deborah Pauly filed a little more material.  Republicans Steven Choi and Kostas Roditis, sudden Democrat Sean Jay Panahi, and newly NPP Brian Chuchua, finished filing, including submitting candidate statements.  Alexia Deligianni-Brydges filed her papers – but submitted no candidate statement.  (That is good news for Pauly, the only other woman on the ballot.)

AD-69Tom Daly finished things up.  His opponent, Ofelia Velarde-Garcia, also filed her papers.

AD-72: Controversial attorney Lenore Albert-Sheridan had her ballot statement revealed on Saturday — and it says “Consumer Advocate/Economist.”  I don’t know whether that’s pending — or as a result of — the resolution of her disciplinary hearings with the California Bar Association.

Judicial #3: Andrew Stein filed his papers.

Judicial #23Derek Hunt will remain on the court with an election, as Emily Wehbe-Sturgeon withdrew her candidacy.  (Congratulations to Judge Hunt — and to the other judges who have evaded judicial challenge.)

Judicial #40: Larry Yellin filed his papers.  Thuy Pham filed his papers.  SHAWN NELSON DID NOT GO AHEAD WITH HIS RUN.  That’s a surprise (to me, at least.)

OC Board o’ Ed 1Robert Hammond turned in his papers.  Vong Xavier Nguyen did not go forward.  Rene Gomez (widely believed to have been deployed as a confusion bomb against the campaign of Beckie Gomez on this “plurality wins” contest) showed up to file nomination papers — but not, according to the candidate log, a declaration of candidacy.  Paul Zive completed filing — but without a candidate statement.

OC Board o’ Ed 3Zonya Marcenaro-Townsend filed, which completes the trio of Republican contenders.

Supe 3:  Todd Spitzer completed his filing.  Unless a whole bunch of write-in candidates can collectively hold him to no more than 50% — and despite the obvious entertainment value, I don’t recommend trying — this one is over.

Dem 55: Four candidates applied and will automatically be installed, with three more to be added later by the DPOC.  These are incumbents Molly Muro and Jeff LeTourneau, and some guy named something like “Vote for Bernie Sanders and Kamala Harris” Diamond.  Incumbent Cynthia Aguirre took out papers but did not run.

Dem 65: Incumbents Monika Broom, Marti Schrank, and Jesus Silva will be waved into office without appearing on the ballot, as will DPOC Treasurer Arnel Dino.  Incumbent and John Vassiliades took out papers but did not run.

Dem 68: Incumbents Florice HoffmanDavid SonnebornMelissa Fox, and Ted Perle have filed for re-election.  Incumbent Mani Kang, who has been a tireless advocate of the Sikh community in OC and beyond, reportedly came up one signature short.  Others who completed filing include Paul LucasKen Wyant, and Public Relations Executive Dan Chmielewski.  Those seven will go to the ballot.

Dem 69: Incumbents Carina Franck-Pantone and Dr. Jose F. Moreno filed their papers.  Among non-incumbents, Art HoffmanSharon TarantoRickk Montoya, and Jim Pantone, filed papers.  Ken and Lindy Burke did not, likely for a good reason having nothing to do with politics, and certainly deserve alternate spots if they want them.  Emma Jeanette Burns Avelino Valencia III, and Ada Tamayo Jones also took out papers but did not file.  Only six qualified, so those six are waved in.

Dem 72: Incumbents Shelly Haggerty, Jim Moreno, and Nam Pham have filed papers.  Incumbent Ken Arnold did not take out papers.  Incumbents Sutida Bergquist and Benny Diaz took out papers but did not file (although I say Benny there on Friday, so I’m a bit concerned about the accuracy of the report.)  Non-incumbents Mark Paredes, Vong Xavier Nguyen, and Victor Vallederes completed filing. That’s six people for six slots, so they are waved in without  vote.

Dem 73:  Four incumbents — Dr. Bill HonigmanFran SdaoAnita Narayana, and Denise Penn — completed their filing.  They and non-incumbent Deborah Cunningham-Skurnik will be waved in.

Dem 74:  Incumbents Janis Burstin Marleen Gillespie, Jonathan Adler, and Dean Inada completed their filing.  (Incumbent Joel Flores didn’t run.)  Non-incumbents Andrew Gallagher, Farrah Khan, and Jill Cseresznyak qualified to run,  Leah Ersoylu and Craig Beauchamp took out papers but did not file.  (In Beauchamp’s case, it was due to a fluke clerical error disqualifying one signature sheet, which is terrible for one of the top disability advocates in the DPOC, but she’ll presumably come back as someone’s alternate.)  Richard Armendariz did not qualify.  Donna Chessen and Robert Zick did not complete the process.  With seven qualified candidates, this will go to the ballot.

Chris Nguyen should do this next section, not just because it’s the Republican Central Committee but because it’s a lot of typing.

GOP 55: 15 people qualified.

GOP 65: 16 prople qualified.

GOP 68: 19 people qualified.

GOP 69: 9 people qualified.

GOP 72: 11 people qualified.

GOP 73: 12 people qualified.

GOP 74: 14 of 19 candidates qualified.

P&F 3: Adan Plascencia qualified.

P&F 4Abner Zelnic did not pursue his candidacy.

Thursday, March 10

[Filed belatedly.  Sorry, life stayed busy.]

U.S. SenatePaul Merritt qualified for the ballot.  Congratulations, Paul!

CA-39: Brett Murdock filed his papers to run against Ed Royce.  Release the hounds!  (On Royce, I mean.)

CA-46: Republican Bob Peterson, an OC Sheriff’s Commander, took out papers.

CA-48: Suzanne Savary sprinted through the whole process, taking out and filing her papers.

CA-49Doug Applegate sprinted through the whole process, taking out and filing his papers.

SD-37: Ari Grayson files his papers and will presumably be on the ballot. Don Wagner paid his filing fee.  (In light of what happened — and, more to the point, didn’t — the following day, this is perplexing.)

AD-68Sean Jay Panahi filed his papers.  More on this story as it develops.

AD-69: Tom Daly filed his papers after it became clear that he would likely have opposition — no causal relationship asserted there! — ending some commentators’ (viz., me) concern that Jordan Brandman might file against his old boss and, with Daly taking a dive, walk into the Assembly.

AD-72: Lenore Albert-Bleeping-Sheridan filed her papers, meaning that I’m going to have to write a story that I didn’t really want to write if I could avoid it after all.  Travis Allen also filed for reelection.

Judicial #3Megan Wagner filed her papers and is on the ballot for this open seat.  Andrew Stein files some of his papers.

Judicial #48Scott Steiner files some of his papers.

Judicial #49Mike Murray filed his papers and qualified for the ballot.

OC Board o’ Ed 1Beckie Gomez filed her papers.  Paul Zive took out his papers.

OC Board o’ Ed 3Michael Parham filed his papers.  Margaret Brown filed her papers.

OC Board o’ Ed 4: Chris Norby filed his papers.

Supe #1: Andrew Do filed his papers and qualified for the ballot.  Phat Bui qualified for the ballot.

Dem 65Jesus Silva filed his papers.

Dem 68: Paul Lucas filed his papers.  Amanda Riley filed her papers.

Dem 69Sharon Toranto filed her papers.  Avelino Valencia III did too.

Dem 72Jim Moreno filed his papers.  So did Vong Xavier Nguyen.  Victor Valladares took out his papers.

Dem 73Anita Narayana filed her papers.  Jonathan Adler files his papers.

Dem 74Richard Armendariz took out his papers.

GOP 55Brett Barbre, my favorite political opponent for non-party OC office, filed papers.  (My favorite childhood disease for which they now have vaccinations was German Measles.)  Ed Gunderson filed papers.

GOP 65:  Chris Norby (whom OJB will endorse for this one, if Vern allows it, to make up for stiffing him on the OCBOE seat) filed papers.  So did Sean Paden, a dangerous conservative intellectual who we hope will pay us if we call him that.  So did Shawn Nelson.

GOP 68Michael Parham, a candidate for OCBOE (Board of Ed), filed papers.  Mark Bucher did the same.  So did GOP Chair Fred Whitaker.

GOP 69Brett Franklin filed papers.

GOP 72: Andrew Do filed papers.  So did P.J Garcia and Pat Garcia, whom I’m assured are different people.

GOP 73Roberta Turbow filed papers.  So did Jennifer BeallTony BeallCathy SchlictT.J. Fuentes, and Eric Weigand.

GOP 74Jon Aiken and Scott Baugh filed papers.

P&F 3: For the Peace & Freedom Party, Adan Plascencia filed papers.

Wednesday, March 9

[Filed belatedly.  Sorry, life got busy.]

CA-45: Greg Raths filed his papers.

CA-46Lynn Schott filed her papers.

CA-49Darrell Issa splurged on a candidate statement.

AD-55Phillip Chen splurged on a candidate statement.

AD-68Deborah Pauley filed her papers and qualified.  Alexia Deligianni-Brydges took out papers.  Sean Jay Panahi filed his signatures.  Brian Chuchua took out his papers.

AD-69Ofelia Velarde-Garcia took out her papers.

Judicial #48: Karen Lee Schatzle filed her papers.

OC Board o’ Ed 3Margaret Brown took out her papers.

OC Board o’ Ed 4:  Jack Bedell filed his papers.

OC Supe 1:  Todd Spitzer files his papers.

Dem 55Greg Diamond and Jeff LeTourneau took out papers.

Dem 69Jim Pantone took out papers.

Dem 73: Deborah Cunningham-SkurnickFran Sdao, and Denise Penn filed papers.

GOP 55: Dennis White took out papers.  Peggy HuangDesare FerraroIrene Yezbak, and Susi Khan filed papers.

GOP 65Jack Bedell and Tim Milosch filed papers.

GOP 68Nick Wilson and Trevor O’Neil filed papers.

GOP 69Cecilia Iglesias and Angie Cano filed papers.

GOP 72Charlotte Christina, Michael Gates and Phat Bui filed papers.

GOP 73Lisa Bartlett filed papers.

Tuesday, March 8

U.S. Senate: LORETTA SANCHEZ IS IN!  SHE CANNOT RUN FOR RE-ELECTION!

Eleanora Garcia has taken out papers to run against her for Senate.  Could split the vote!  (Well, it’s logically possible.)

CA-45Mimi Walters has qualified for the ballot.

AD-68Harry Sidhu has qualified for the ballot.  Still the only one to do so!

Konstantinos Roditis has paid his fees.

AD-69: The news here is that there is no news.  Tom Daly still unopposed.

AD-74: Karina Onofre turns in her papers.  Katherine Daigle does likewise.

Judicial 3Wayne Philips turns in his papers.

Judicial 23: Judge Derek Hunt turns in his papers.

OCBOE 1: Beckie Gomez turns in her papers for Board of Ed.  Republican Rene Gomez — out to split the Gomez vote? — takes out papers.

1st Supe:  Michele Martinez turns in her papers.

3rd Supe:  Todd Spitzer is still unopposed!

Dem 69:  Ken and Lindy Burke take out their papers.  Dr. Jose Moreno takes out his papers.  Rickk Montoya takes out his papers.  Avelino Velencia III takes out his papers.

Dem 72:  Mark Paredes takes out his papers.  So does Vong Xavier Nguyen.

Dem 74:  Dean Inada is on the ballot!

GOP 55:  James Gerbus is on the ballot.

GOP 65:  Baron Knight turned in his papers.  Peter Kim turned in his papers.

GOP 68:  Dominica Kristedja turned in her papers.

GOP 69:  Steve Nguyen turned in his papers.  So did Thomas Anthony Gordon and Maribel Marroquin.

GOP 73:  Lisa Bartlett was issued her papers.

GOP 74Katherine Daigle turned in her papers.  So did John Warner and David Whitley.   Mike Glenn took out papers.

Monday, March 7

U.S. Senator: Ling Ling Shi (NPP) takes out papers.

46th Congressional: Louie Contreras pays his money.  Joe Dunn pays his money.

37th State Senate: Ari Grayson pays his money.

Dems 65th: John Vassiliades files his papers.

Dems 68th: Dave Sonneborn files his papers.

Dems 69th: Emma Jeannete Burns takes out papers.  Carina Franck-Pantone takes out papers.

Dem 74th: Jill Cseresznyak files papers.

GOP 55th: Karla Downing files papers.  Michael Withrow files papers.  Susi Khan takes out papers.

GOP 65th: Shawn Nelson takes out papers.  LeRoy Mills files papers.

GOP 68th: Denis Bilodeau files papers.

GOP 72nd: Tyler Diep files papers.  Dean Grose files papers.  P.J. Garcia takes out papers.  Pat Garcia takes out papers.

GOP 73rd: Greg Woodard files papers.  Cathy Schlicht takes out papers.


About Greg Diamond

Somewhat verbose attorney, semi-disabled and semi-retired, residing in northwest Brea. Occasionally ran for office against jerks who otherwise would have gonr unopposed. Got 45% of the vote against Bob Huff for State Senate in 2012; Josh Newman then won the seat in 2016. In 2014 became the first attorney to challenge OCDA Tony Rackauckas since 2002; Todd Spitzer then won that seat in 2018. Every time he's run against some rotten incumbent, the *next* person to challenge them wins! He's OK with that. Corrupt party hacks hate him. He's OK with that too. He does advise some local campaigns informally and (so far) without compensation. (If that last bit changes, he will declare the interest.) His daughter is a professional campaign treasurer. He doesn't usually know whom she and her firm represent. Whether they do so never influences his endorsements or coverage. (He does have his own strong opinions.) But when he does check campaign finance forms, he is often happily surprised to learn that good candidates he respects often DO hire her firm. (Maybe bad ones are scared off by his relationship with her, but they needn't be.)