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(If you want more in-depth discussion of races, visit our main endorsements page!)
NOTE: 8 a.m., Oct. 10: This will be finished, including Council races, by early this afternoon evening sometime soon — except for races requiring further research. There should already be here enough for you to fill in most of your ballot!
UPDATE, 6 p.m., Oct. 12: It’s all done except for a couple of dozen hundred pieces of research
UPDATE 8 a.m., Oct 15: Water boards are all done; just some city council seats and a few other stragglers to go!
We’ve noticed that the post that was supposed to be just a list of our picks has become a slow-loading behemoth, because (1) it’s (close to) comprehensive and (2) we can’t stand not to argue about them! So this offers you a simple list that you can use to fill out your ballot, while still being able to click on that link if you want any nuance (and we know you will might!) Let let’s get to it! We offer separate endorsements from Vern, Greg, Ryan, and our various Buddies, who are referred to only as V, G, R, and B. To the ramparts! Our list begins below the photo introducing our list.
Admittedly, Vern and Greg do tend to list to their left….
PRESIDENT/VP:
V: Biden/Harris; G: Biden (or Hawkins if you must, as it won’t matter here); R: Biden/Harris (sorry, Ryan, they’re a ticket)
CONGRESS:
- 38th Cong: V&G&R all for Tolar, VG as a protest, R as a raspberry
- 39th Cong: V&G&R all for Cisneros
- 45th Cong: V&G for Porter, R for Raths
- 46th Cong: V&G say skip the race, Correa wins regardless.
- 47th Cong: V: Vote your party; G: Lowenthal; R Briscoe
- 48th Cong: V&G&R all for Rouda
- 49th Cong: V&G for Levin; R just sighs
STATE SENATOR:
- 29th District: V&G&R for Josh Newman, R with admonition
- 37th District: V&R for Moorlach; G undecided about Min
STATE ASSEMBLY:
- 55th AD: V Leans Rodriguez; G Firm Rodrigues; R Chen
- 65th AD: V&G&R all Quirk-Silva, with much commentary
- 68th AD: V&G for Fox; R for Choi with nod to Fox
- 69th AD: V waiting for him to endorse Batiste; G says skip it; R unsure
- 72nd AD: V&G&R all STRONGLY for Diedre Nguyen over Janet
- 73rd AD: V weakly for Rhinehart; G even weaker than that
- 74th AD: V disgruntled and equivocal; G gets why ,but supports Cottie
COUNTY SUPERVISOR:
- District 1: V&G are uneasily for Contreras; R is for him, because he’s not Do
COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICTS
North Orange County Community College District
- Area 2: Ed Lopez already won
- Area 4: G&V for Miguel Alvarez
- Area 5: V&G for Rodarte; R fir Garcia-Gomez
- Area 7: G for Kropke
Coast Community College District
- Area 2: G&V for Long Pham
- Area 3: Prinsky already won
- Area 4: G&V for Hornbuckle
Rancho Santiago Community College District
- Area 1: Zeke Hernandez already won.
- Area 3: G&V for Tinajero
- Area 5: G for Crockett (likelier to win); V for Ulloa (he commented here!)
- Area 7: G&V for Miller over thirsty Loretta (Hey, Loretta! Run against Rep. Devin Nunes!)
South Orange County Community College District
- Area 1: G decided on Inmon, with Kaushal as a back-up choice.
- Area 3: Incumbent already won
- Area 6: G endorses Dack — and thinks you should check out his comment below on the main (slow-loading) endorsement page! Vern, are you with me on that?
- Area 7: G for Jemal, easily
UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICTS
Anaheim Union High School District
- Area 3: Katherine Smith already won
- Area 4: Incumbent already won
Fullerton Joint Union High School District
- Area 2: Joanne Fawley already won
- Area 3: Vicki Calhoun already won
Huntington Beach Union High School District
- G: Lankster and Hagaman
UNIFIED (K-12) SCHOOL DISTRICTS
Brea Olinda Unified School District
- Area 2: Deana Miller already won
- Area 3: Paul Ruiz already won
- Area 5: G prefers STEM education advocate Barnes; R leans to Businesswoman Lyons
Capistrano Unified School District
- Area 1: Amy Hanacek has already won
- Area 2: G&V both favor Braunstein
- Area 3: G liked them all, but found each slightly troubling, so look for endorsements elsewhere
- Area 5: G believes that Castellanos is best prepared to advance the reform agenda she and Funes share.
Garden Grove Unified School District
- Area 1: No guidance available on this one
- Area 3: Walter Muneton already won
- Area 5: V likes Cahill; G, bothered by Samantha’s ignorance of Poseidon while running for the County Water Board, also endorses Cahill
Irvine Unified School District
- Area 1: Incumbent already won
- Area 3: There’s no good alternative to Yu — certainly not Sidney Wu –but I can’t endorse him due to his role in the unethical disqualifications of Goethals from handling criminal cases after the “snitch scandal,” which he has never adequately addressed. Sometimes accountability hurts.
- Area 4: Newcomer Scott Fayette elected without opposition
- Area 5: G prefers Bokota
Laguna Beach Unified School District (3 seats)
- G agrees with DPOC’s choice of Vickers and Osborne. For the third seat, flip a coin between Morgan and Kramer
Los Alamitos Unified School District
- Area 2: G supports Trivedi
- Area 4: No one filed!
- Area 5: G supports Cutuli, given her stability and vast experience
Newport-Mesa Unified School District
- Area 1: G supports Ersolyu. Snell seems good, but Ersoylu looks very impressive.
- Area 3: G supports Crane. Both look fine, but I’ll take retired teacher Crane over Coach Booker.
- Area 6: G supports Peters, who looks very impressive. Zavouris is a distant second. Reading about Weigand was less impressive, and Xeno needs to bring more than music to the table.
Orange Unified School District
- Area 2: G supports Tiger Kennedy Cosmos
- Area 3: G supports Ana Page
- Area 6: G strongly endorses Carrie Lundell
Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District
- Area 1: G decided that Eric Padget deserves re-election
- Area 2: G favors Lashé Rodriguez, with some misgivings, but she’ll probably be fine.
- Area 3: G strongly prefers Misty Janssen. Blades seems like a real horror show.
Saddleback Valley Unified School District
- Area 2: G endorses Wong
- Area 3: G endorses Morrell
Santa Ana Unified School District
- V&G say to keep incumbents Alvarez, Rodriguez, and Torres
Tustin Unified School District
- Area 1: G: Damiakolas
- Area 2: G: Stocks
- Area 4: Newcomer Jonathan Stone has already won
ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICTS
Anaheim Elementary School District
- Area 1: Jackie Filbeck has already won
- Area 3: VGR ALL strongly support Magcalas over horrific and unqualified Lucille Kring!
Buena Park School District
- Area 3: Tharwa Ahmad won without opposition
- Area 4: G suggests Castaneda, who seems nice.
Centralia School District
- Area 3: Incumbent won without opposition
- Area 4: Incumbent won without opposition
Cypress School District
- Area A: Incumbent won without opposition
- Area E: Incumbent won without opposition
Fountain Valley School District (2 seats open)
- G: currently leaning towards Schultz and Nguyen
Fullerton School District
- Area 2: Incumbent won without opposition
- Area 5: Newcomer Leonel Talavera won without opposition
Huntington Beach City School District
- Area 1: G favors Noor
- Area 3: Incumbent won without opposition
La Habra City School District, Full Term (2 seats open)
- G: Hanson and Dobson.
La Habra City School District, Short Term
- Emily Pruitt won without opposition
Lowell Joint School District
- Area 1: Incumbent won without opposition
Magnolia School District
- Area 2: Incumbent won without opposition
- Area 3: Incumbent won without opposition
- Area 4: Incumbent won without opposition
Ocean View School District
- Incumbent Gina Clayton-Tarvin won without opposition. Doomed incumbent (wait for our Weekend Open Thread) Norm Westwell did as well.)
Savanna School District
- Both incumbents won without opposition
Westminster School District
- Area 1: V&G endorse David Johnson
- Area 4: Incumbent won without opposition
SPECIAL DISTRICT CONTESTS
Unincorporated Governance
Capistrano Bay Community Services District
- No candidate statements. No paper trail of any kind. No recommendation.
Emerald Bay Service District
- Incumbents won unopposed
Rossmoor Community Services District , Full Term
- G&V: Searles, Maynard, and DeMarco. Important: Do not deviate from this!
Rossmoor Community Services District , Short Term
- Jeffrey Rips won without opposition.
Surfside Colony Community Services District
- Incumbent won without opposition
Three Arch Bay Community Services District
- Incumbent Gary Rubel and newcomers Alan Anderson and Judy Yorke all won without opposition.
Serrano Water District
- Division 2: Incumbent won without opposition
- Division 3: Incumbent won without opposition
- Division 5: Incumbent won without opposition
Silverado-Modjeska Recreation and Park District
- G: Ask your neighbors. They all seem equally good to me.
Sanitary Districts
Costa Mesa Sanitary District
- Division 2: G: Ferryman
- Division 4: G: Art Perry
Midway City Sanitary District (Vote for 2)
- R: Anyone but Diep; V: Power + Not Diep; G: Power + Tai Do, to beat Diep
Sunset Beach Sanitary District, Full Term (3 seats?)
- Re-elect the incumbents
Sunset Beach Sanitary District, Short Term
- No one ran
Surfside Colony Storm Water Protection District (2 seats open)
- V seems to like Linda Garofalo. G says OK. How about her and Kriss? Let’s do that.
Water Districts — Local & Regional
El Toro Water District
- Incumbents won without opposition
Irvine Ranch Water District
- Division 1: Incumbents won without opposition
- Division 4: Per John Earl: vote for Karen McLoughlin!
Moulton Niguel Water District
- Incumbents and a newcomer, Sherry Wanninger, won without opposition.
Santa Margarita Water District
- G says: 100% of you should vote for Martin, 75% of you should vote for Olson, and 0% of you should vote for Ury or Gibson. The procedure you follow to determine your own vote is on the main page.
East Orange County Water District (Two seats open)
- G: Per John Earl, vote only for Julio Morales.
Rossmoor/Los Alamitos Area Sewer District, Full Term
- Incumbents Van Jew, Jim Bell, and William Poe won without opposition.
Rossmoor/Los Alamitos Area Sewer District, Short Term
- This short-term seat went unfilled; the Board will appoint to the vacancy
Mesa Water District
- Division 1: Fred Bockmiller has been re-elected without opposition.
- Division 2: G&V&R are all EARLY and ENTIRELY for Ereth!
- Division 3: Marice DePasquale has been re-elected without opposition.
South Coast Water District
- G: 100% of you should vote for Lenger. 75% of you should also vote for Erkeneff, and 50% of you may also vote for Erdman. Instructions are on the main page. Nobody vote for Goldman.
Trabuco Canyon Water District
- Incumbents Don Chadd and Stephen Dopudja won unopposed.
Yorba Linda Water District
- Incumbent John Wayne Miller and newcomer Trudi Kew Desroches were elected unopposed.
Water Districts — Larger Ones
Orange County Water District
- Division 2: Denis Bilodeau won without opposition, sad to say.
- Division 3: Roger Yoh won without opposition
- Division 4: V outlaws Tri Ta. R&G agree. John Earl says: Kris Beard! All agree.
- Division 6: We’re all of us are ENTHUSIASTIC for Michael Elliott
Municipal Water District of Orange County (MWDOC)
- Division 1 (Short Term): G has narrowed it down to Fred Smith or a write-in.
- Division 3: We all want to keep Diep off. V follows John Earl’s recommendation for Linda Moulton-Patterson. G thinks that incumbent McVicker is a better bet to win.
- Division 4: V&G are STRONG for Karl Seckel!
- Division 6: Incumbent Jeffrey Thomas won reelection without challenge.
- Division 7: We all want to keep Megan Yoo Schneider!
Library Districts
Buena Park Library District
- Patricia Ganer, Incumbent
- Dennis Salts, Incumbent
- Irene Castaneda, Incumbent
- L. Carole Jensen, Community Volunteer
Probably keep the incumbents.
Placentia Library District
- Incumbent Carline and newcomers Shioura and Dahl were elected unopposed.
Santiago Geologic Hazard Abatement District, Full-Term (Two seats open.)
- Employee Rights Attorney James Guziak
- Business Owner Bhavin Patel
- Appointed Incumbent Craig Schill.
G says: Just vote for Guziak.
Santiago Geologic Hazard Abatement District, Short Term
- Nobody seems to have run. Write in one of the above names, I guess.
JUDGES
No judicial retention races are on the ballot!
BALLOT MEASURES
State Ballot Measures
Proposition 14: Bond measure to increased state stem-cell research funding
- G says yes; R says not a priority now. See the companion page for this!
Proposition 15: Remove Prop 13 tax benefit for commercially office buildings
- G&V say Yes. R says No.
Proposition 16: Reverse ban on affirmative action in State-funded programs
- G says Yes. R says No.
Proposition 17: Allow paroled felons to vote
- V & G & R unite on: YES!
Proposition 18: If 17, can vote in primary if will be 18 by general election
- G says Yes. R says No.
Proposition 19: Changes reset rules for inheritance taxation of home values
- G & R are both guardedly in favor, pending more rumination
Proposition 20: Re-impose harsher rules for criminal procedure/punishment
- V & G & R unite on: NO!
Proposition 21: Increases city/county power of cities to impose rent control
- G&V say yes; R says no
Proposition 22: Eliminates state law under which app drivers became employees rather than independent contractors
- V&R (& eventually G after some confusion) agree on NO!
Proposition 23: Private dialysis clinics must have doctors present
- G&V lean yes; R is non-committal
Proposition 24: Expands state consumer protection agency’s power/funding
- G&V say yes; R says no
Proposition 25: Ending use of cash bail in favor of threat assessment
- V says NO! G&R say YES! A veritable bloodbath ensues on our other pages!
Local Ballot Measures
(Clicking on the links will give you the full text and a summary of each measure, as well as potentially arguments for and against each
We encourage members of each affected community to offer opinions on these!
- G thinks it’s fine.
Q – City of Costa Mesa Retail Cannabis Tax and Regulation Measure
- G recommends a yes
S – City of Fullerton Community Services, Street Repair, and Emergency Response Measure
- R is a strong no, and G is tired of fighting with him about Fullerton. (Until the next time!)
U – City of Fullerton Fireworks Ballot Measure
- R is a No. G would like to see some statistics on fires. G thinks that Safe&Sane is is OK on concrete and asphalt — away from dry grass and wood.
V – City of Laguna Woods Advisory Measure on Marijuana Dispensaries
- G says yes. Definitely good news for retirees!
W – City of La Habra Cannabis Business Tax/Regulation Ordinance of 2020
- G recommends a yes
X – City of La Habra Citizens Initiative for Preservation of Open Space in La Habra
- G recommends a yes. Coyote Hills advocates like it.
Y – City of Los Alamitos Quality of Life, 911 Police Response, Business/Job Protection Measure
- G says yes. Tonya Doby endorses it, so he will too.
Z – City of Newport Beach Addition of Harbor Commission to the Newport Beach City Charter
- G says no. Click the link, read the No argument, and you’ll probably agree with it.
AA – City of Orange, The Trails at Santiago Creek Open Space and Residential Project
- G finds this is a close call, but leans Yes. Not all deals with developers are bad, if the harm imposed is minimal, there’s no theft of valuable city property, and the benefits accrue to all. This gives a developer the right to build some (unfortunately, all high-end) houses on land next to a depleted, valueless sand-and-gravel pit, in return for which some significant money and recreational benefits go to everyone in the city. The amount of open space zoning remains the same; it’s just shifted. See his suspicions about what’s really going on, on the main page.
BB – City of San Clemente, City Council Term Limits
- G asks: Who’s worse, the Council or the staff? If Council, yes; if staff, no. (G don’t know.)
CC – City of Tustin Limited Council Compensation
- G says Yes: he’d rather a Council be paid than bought! See main page for detailed analysis.
DD – City of Westminster Term Limits
- G rarely favor term limits, but Westminster’s staff doesn’t seem powerful enough to make them a danger here.
CITY COUNCIL & EXECS
Aliso Viejo
- G: Richard Hurt, with or without Ross Chun.
Anaheim
- District 1: All strongly for BARNES! Diaz is the klepto’s choice!
- District 4: G&V both like both Robbins and Randle-Trejo. But G thinks that Randle-Trejo is more electable and V thinks that Robbins will win based on people power. Vote for either and pray that one beats Avelino. G says Republicans can also vote for Brunette — who could win on their votes alone.
- District 5: All of are ALL-IN for Batiste. A vote for Quezada is wasted. (A vote for Faessel is suicidal.)
Brea
- Council (2 seats): G says Marick and (with a little less emphasis) Neufeld.
- Treasurer: G says Brea should stop electing its Treasurer. I’ll choose Eby and hope that she lacks the clout to prevent it.
Buena Park
- District 3: G&V both support Susan Sonne.
- District 4: G says Sipl, in what is essentially a protest vote
Costa Mesa
- Mayor: V favors Foley. G does too, though not uncritically. But that’s a discussion for another time; vote her back in first.
- District 1: G endorses Stephens. V does too, though with criticisms about pension debt.
- District 2: G leans towards DPOC-endorsed Gameros, a Project Coordinator, over RPOC-endorsed Chapman, a Property Management Consultant, but doesn’t know much about Parkin.
- District 6: V rules out Ramos; G agrees, agrees ands also rules out Abraham and Pettis, so we have plenty of good company in favoring Harlan.
Cypress (2 seats)
G didn’t get around to researching this and is open to suggestions. If I had to vote right now, it would be for Hertz and Marquez, but that will be either more sure or altered by tomorrow.
Dana Point
District 4
- Gary Newkirk, Media Sales/Photographer
- Mike Frost, Small Business Owner
Greg: Needs research, but leaning towards Newkirk.
District 5
- Benjamin Tyler Bebee, Insurance Agent
- Michael Villar, Businessman/Retired Marine
Greg: Needs research. Villar has the DPOC endorsement. So there’s that.
Fountain Valley (2 seats)
V: Brothers, who was Gus Ayers’s best Republican friend in FV.
G: We must presume that Brothers will win re-election, so I’ll endorse only one Democrat: that obstinate arrogant jerk Dr. Tran — who really should have dropped out of her doomed race from afar against Gil Cisneros and run for Supervisor against Steel — because she’s smart, has good values, and with some legislative experience under her belt she might end up doing a lot of good.
Fullerton
- District 1: V&G support Fred Jung definitively; R also leans his way.
- District 2: G endorses Dr. Qazi, R disparages him and endorses Businessman Dunlap.
- District 4: R endorses Whitaker, whom G&V agree is one of the best Republicans around; G&V endorse Thakur (over R’s objections), arguing he’s one of the best Democrats around. (Behold the weakness of the districting system: Two good candidates in one district!)
Garden Grove
- Mayor: G leaning (ruefully) towards Jones, V considering Bui; we are accepting input from the Grovers!
- District 2: Needs more research. G leaning tentatively towards Diep, but must read more!
- District 5: V&G like Tucker, and do not like Klopfenstein. (It means “knocking stone,” as on a door. News you can use!)
- District 6: V&G burn nice for Kim Bernice Nguyen — and endorse her!
Huntington Beach (3 seats open)
- V&G agree: This is a critical and momentous election for our dear once-hometown HB. Go with reasonable and honest reformers Oscar Rodriguez, Dan Kalmick, and Natalie Moser. As some restaurants say: NO SUBSTITUTIONS! In any event, DO NOT go with any violent white-supremacist symps (even one with a Latino name and probable STDs, even if R jokes about it), or with Harper, or with good-hearted but Poseidon-poisoned Billy “Not THAT Billy”) O’Connell. Honorable mention to Honest John Briscoe — but this just isn’t his race.
Irvine (3 Council seats open)
- Mayor: G: Democrats should vote for Huang and Republicans for Daigle (who is so competent enough to run Irvine.) R prefers Shea and rules out Daigle. V also rules out Daigle, but considers Shea “an illiterate homophobic racist [female dog].” All of us feel dirty for wading into Irvine’s gutter-level politics.
- Council: V endorses Johnson-Norris and rules out Newgent. R either sarcastically or sadistically favors Agran because it might destroy the city and if it voted for him the city would deserve it. G favors Johnson-Norris and rules out Agran, Carroll, O’Malley, and Park. He’s continuing research on considering Kim, Jiang, and Liang, and maybe also Bratton, Dillard, Green, and Pole. (He likes and respects Newgent, but … policy differences.)
Laguna Beach
- Council (2 seats open): G is still researching, will probably go with Whalen and either Nokes or Flores. (Not Dicterow, who needs to go.) Vern is plum stumped.
- City Clerk: G will go with McKay, the Lavender Dems choice.
Laguna Hills
- Council (two seats open) G says: vote for Wood, and only for Wood, unless we find a write-in!
Laguna Niguel
- Council (three seats open) G says: (1) everyone vote for Moslehi; (2) if you want to vote for two — as I would here — vote for Moshehi and Oddo; and (3) if you want to vote for three, vote for Astrella, but I think that 1&2 are pretty equal and 3 is a fair bit behind. (And this is a really tough town for reformers, so I doubt that all three will win anyway.)
Laguna Woods
- Council (three seats open) G says: support the incumbents, Conners, Hatch, and Horne! The others do not sound good.
La Habra
- Council (3 seats open) G: Vote only for Espinoza and Cruz. If you must cast a third vote, it might as well be for Shaw, since he’ll win anyway. R: Vote Shaw, who should have learned from his bad OCBOE vote. V: Shaw’s a loyal party man.
Lake Forest
- District 1: G says NOT Cirbo. I still need to research who can best beat him.
- District 5: G says NOT Pequeño I still need to research who can best beat him.
La Palma
- Council (3 seats open): V says Marshall Goodman. G agrees, and adds April Kamilah Bagasao Bautista We’ll soon add a third name — most likely Aparicio or Quan — so pick one of them if you vote before that research is done.
Los Alamitos
- District 1: V&G&R agree: vote for Tanya Doby, because Dean Grose is gross.
- District 2: G supports Kate Hallman
- District 3: Jordan Nefulda was apparently elected unopposed.
Mission Viejo
Council (2 seats open): G prefers Hale and McConnell.
Newport Beach
- District 2: G says Scarbrough
- District 5: G would stick with Jeff Herdman
- District 7: Will O’Neill seems to be unopposed. Let me know if otherwise.
City of Orange
- Mayor: V & G are glad to agree on Gladson!
- District 1: G&V agree: Eugene Fields! G adds: Vaughn seems like the best (i.e., least klepto) Republican.
- District 2: G&V agree: Martin Varona will be a great council member! If you can’t stand him — and why not? — Alatorre is the better of the rest.
- District 3: G&V agree: Danett Abbott-Wicker is the best. if you disagree, Russo is next best.
- District 5: Greg enthusiastically endorses Ana Gutierrez.
- Clerk: Pamela Coleman seems unopposed.
- Treasurer: Richard A Rohm seems unopposed.
Placentia
Ryan has an overall observation: Placentia is the only city in Orange County to actively take a step towards pension reform. We should reward this necessary boldness, not shy away from it.
- District 1: G for Devon Gray; R for Rhonda Shader
- District 3: Yamaguchi appears to be unopposed
- District 5: R for Ward Smith; G for Hilaire Shioura
- City Clerk: incumbent unopposed
- City Treasurer: incumbent unopposed
Rancho Santa Margarita (2 open seats)
Council: V says NOT Beall; G is tentatively for Christopoulos, Machuca, & Schwartz
San Clemente
- Council, Full-Term (2 seats open): V is seeking advice from Mayor Ward. G: Not any of Duncan, Washington, or Hart. Probably James, will research the rest.
- City Council, Short-Term, 1 Seat open: G says NOT Knoblock and will do research
- City Clerk: Incumbent seems unopposed
- City Treasurer: Incumbent seems unopposed
San Juan Capistrano
- District 1: Incumbent Sergio Farias won without opposition
- District 5: V and G both endorse Alpay
Santa Ana
- Mayor: V endorses Sarmiento; given all of the big bad donor spending to elect the odious Solorio, G has decided to do the same.
- Ward 1: V&G for Thai Viet Phan. R opposes SAPOA’s hope Contreras.
- Ward 3: V&G support Jessie Lopez. R opposes SAPOA’s hope McLoughlin and presumably Chaffee’s assistant Welker.
- Ward 5: G tentatively for Hernandez, as he finds the attacks on him questionable, but that may change when he researches who has the money to win. V may lean Perez, but will hear out Hernandez. R would probably oppose Villegas over his past Solorio ties.
Seal Beach
- District 2: Pending further research, G is inclined to Damoci
- District 4: Incumbent apparently unopposed
Stanton
- District 2: G endorses Van
- District 4: G leans toward Estrada, but will research. Warren lied to DPOC about her being a Democrat some years back to prevent an endorsement on a city measure. Unforgiven. (Note: Vern reports a call from a friend of hers saying that she’s been a Dem for many years and Estrada is a plant from a vengeful Kevin Carr. So take that for what it’s worth.)
- VERN TRUSTS WARREN, AND DOUBTS SHE LIED ABOUT ANYTHING. This promised research not having materialized, Vern endorses Warren.
Tustin (3 open seats)
- Council: V — & G after “deposing” Fink and getting him to reveal facts that should help his campaign — endorse Beckie Gomez, Letitia Clark and Lee Fink, in honor of Betty Valencia!)
Villa Park
- City Council: Incumbents won unopposed.
Westminster
- District 2: V&G endorse Carlos Manzo
- District 3: V&G endorse Tai Do over Kim Ho
Yorba Linda
- City Council: Incumbents reelected without opposition
Vern: And thus — not with a bang, but with a gracious North County whimper — doth our coverage conclude.
(Greg: Or rather, it will end here, once it’s fully completed!)
Harris-Biden, really? Really? Alrighty, then. Respectfully, that’s so whack. All will be well. Despite the whack.
What? Did they switch spots on the ticket? News to me!
I’m waiting for Maya Rudolph to explain everything to me on SNL tonight.
Irvine races — For school district area 3, Cyril Yu, who is competent and experienced and well-endorsed, is the best choice. For mayor Farrah Khan is by far the best choice, not mentioned by any of you. She has been an effective member of city council and a good progressive counter to Shea. For city council, Khan originally was on a “ticket” with Tammy Kim and Johnson-Norris. Agran has now been inserted on that list, but I agree with your negative Agran comments. Tammy Kim however is well worth supporting. Johnson-Norris engenders more mixed feelings (as in pro-developer) but overall better than Carroll or O’Malley. One of my friends supports Laura Bratton but I don’t know enough yet to concur or disagree.
That was sort of an inopportune comment, though perhaps you wouldn’t have known that. I’ll give you a relatively short answer, for now.
I would certainly have endorsed Cyril Yu, except for one thing: when he worked as a Deputy DA under Tony Rackauckas, he had the bad luck to be one the primary attorneys to seek the removal of Judge Thomas Goethals — now on the intermediate Appellate Court that covers Orange County — to be disqualified from hearing cases over the “Sheriff’s snitch scandal” after Public Defender Scott Sanders and others forced the issue.
I would probably have endorsed Farrah Khan had the scales not fallen from my eyes when she duplicitously “took a fall,” leaving the door open for the Council to appoint Mike Carroll to the Irvine City Council rather than face a special election where he and Lauren Johnson-Norris (usually considered to be the protege of Melissa Fox, whom Farrah hated after she believed that Fox denied her the DPOC endorsement to the Council two years before she won), would have been the likely favorites — leaving the door open for the current Mayor Shea’s benighted rule. This unfolded slowly over multiple meetings, where I predicted that Farrah was “sleepwalking” towards a disaster for the Democratic Party, and she took to Facebook denying it and calling me a liar.
I’m prepared to elaborate extensively on both of them, outside of this comments section. How soon would you like to see those posts?
Happy to see the posts. Re Khan vs Shea and Yu vs Wu, the question is what is the better option given the choices at hand.
I’ll certainly understand why readers may want to do that. I simply am not personally willing to recommend either, based on prior behavior, because I don’t think that they’ve shown the ethical mettle to ascend (as quickly as they would prefer) to the next higher rungs of office. I have some hope that Cyril may ultimately explain things in a satisfactory manner; I have few hopes, at present, for Farrah. And I had been a big supporter of her.
Got a call from someone close to Stanton candidate Carole Warren, who says she’s been a Democrat for many years, and that Estrada is a “spoiler candidate” put up to it by Dem-turned-Reep gadfly Kevin Carr. I don’t know about the “lying to the DPOC” incident, but I do know about Democrat spoiler candidates.
No on measure AA In Orange
Why? Elaborate, please.
Why? I think it’s a decent deal.
The last endorsement I’m waiting for is the East Orange County Water District Director. Julio F. Morales has been endorsed by OC Democrats, so that leaves 1 more to choose for me.
Where IS East Orange County? Given our county’s shape, that’s not a phrase you often hear.
Also, I wouldn’t assume that the OC Democrats would know who’d make a good water director. I’m sorry we don’t have any better answers for you yet…
It’s small district around the east side of Tustin and Orange.
As for the term “East OC,” I’d normally use it for everything east of the 241 toll road, from either the 91 (my preference) or the Anaheim border (if you must) down to the eastern border of Mission Viejo (shared with RSM, which I consider East County), then down that border until you hit SJC, including all of the incorporated areas. This includes Silverado, Canyon Country, the Cleveland National Forest and mountains/hills beyond it. all of which are culturally distinct from South County. I could argue that Lake Forest is East County as well.
Real South County either has a beach southeast of Newport Coast, or is an inland area starting with Lake Forest (maybe) and Laguna Hills and then southward. (Review the map of my proposed “Nuevo Viejo” for a better idea of what’s where.)
Irvine is not South County. Along with Irvine, southeast Huntington, and maybe beachless Fountain Valley, Costa Mesa, and cartographically troublesome Lake Forest is part of either Central County (with Santa Ana, Tustin, Villa Park, Orange, Garden Grove, and in my opinion Anaheim south of the 91) or the Central Coast, which is Huntington east of Beach, Newport, and beachless Fountain Valley and Costa Mesa (at least south of the 405. There is no Central Coast equivalent in the North … because it’s all just eastern North County or (the vast majority) northern East County — and hardly anyone lives there anyway.
I have spoken.
Nuevo Viejo (or “New Old”), for those who don’t know, was my proposal that Laguna Niguel, Laguna Hills, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita, Ladera Ranch, Los Flores, and Coto de Caza come together into one city that could plausibly be a base for substantial economic activity, easily comparable to Irvine or Anaheim. (I had originally included Aliso Viejo as well, but I now think that it, like Laguna Woods, is culturally distinct. I do not think that it should expand to the unincorporated areas to the northeast and east, which are probably best left to the Supervisors.)
I don’t think there’s really an “East County,” though maybe a far inland area.
But I define CENTRAL COUNTY as: (ahem) Santa Ana, Tustin, Orange, and Irvine. And MAYBE Newport. I have spoken.
This is the page covering filings, which were completed in August. Our current page, with endorsements, is here: http://www.orangejuiceblog.com/2020/10/oc-vote-4-ojb-endorsements/. Sometimes, when there’s one good candidate in a race for multiple seats, it makes sense to vote for just that one candidate.
John Earl suggests only voting for Morales. The difference between him and the other three is greater than the differences among the other three. You don’t want your second candidate being the one that beats Morales by one vote.
Thank you for the endorsement Vern and the consideration Greg. Whether I am elected or not, I hope to stay in touch. I may take you up on letting me write here once in a while.
Good luck, Samuel! We’d love to have you here.