Libertad quietly gains top endorsements for his assembly campaign

Armando de la Libertad, a young Democrat with a background in the bank industry, is quietly gathering endorsements from some of the top partisan and community leaders in Orange County, in his bid for the 69th Assembly District. His website, which is available at http://www.votelibertad.net/, notes endorsements from noted politicians U.S. Representative Loretta Sanchez; Frank Barbaro, the Chair of the Orange County Democratic Party; Westminster School Board Member Sergio Contreras; and my old friend Jim Benson, who is a member of the O.C. Democratic Party Central Committee. Community leaders who support de la Libertad include Santa Ana leaders civic like Dave Lopez, Rueben Martinez and Alan Woo. Other notable supporters include Bill Lockyer’s wife, Nadia Maria Davis; Ruben Smith; Jess Araujo; and Deborah Vasquez, amongst others.

There are several other Democrats vying for the 69th, but none are worth supporting, in my opinion. God only knows if the Republicans will run anyone of note for this seat. The district leans so heavily towards the Democrats that it is really not worth spending any GOP money on a misguided effort to with this seat back. The money is better spent elsewhere. Most likely a college student or an outright nut will carry the GOP banner. How sad that is, but what can you do? I suggest that those of you who are unfortunate enough to be Republicans and live in the 69th, as I do, lend your support to de la Libertad. He is perhaps the only reasonable and sensible Democrat in the race so far. Whatever you do, please refrain from supporting Jose Solorio, a Santa Ana City Council member who is proving to be just another partisan hack.