Umberg endorsements not that big a deal
Martin Wisckol’s latest Buzz column, over in the O.C. Register, reported today that Tom Umberg, who is vying against Lou Correa for the 34th State Senate District, has announced a spate of allegedly impressive endorsements. However, they bear further scrutiny.
For starters, the first endorsement noted by Wisckol is that of Lt. Governor Cruz Bustamante. Wow. I am not sure that I would: 1) ask for that endorsement, and 2) brag about it if I did get stuck with it. Bustamante is a one-note joke. His own party has no respect for him! I doubt that voters in the 34th will be impressed by the butcher school dropout.
The next endorsement noted is that of Fabian Nunez, the Assembly Speaker for the Democrats, and a specialist in obstruction. Unless you are a labor stooge, Nunez will not ring any bells. He holds his post only because of term limits. He is wholly unimpressive, although in his defense he leaves a better impression than Bustamante.
Wiskcol also noted that Frank Barbara, the O.C. Democrat Chair, and wealthy lawyer Wylie Aitken have endorsed Umberg, as well as Joe Dunn, the current Senator in the 34th District. Dunn’s name is the only one that matters on that list, to voters that is. Barbaro and Aitken are insiders who are familiar to Democrat activists and donors, but not to the public at large.
Correa has been endorsed by Don Perata, the State Senate President Pro Tem. Aren’t Correa and Umberg running for the State Senate? I would think that Perata’s blessing would mean more than that of Nunez, who is the head rooster in the lower house.
A blogger pointed out recently the fact that Correa is analogous to Lynn Daucher, in that both are hated by their respective party bases. Correa for being overly moderate and Daucher for being overly liberal. (What does that tell you about the Democrats – they cannot stand their own moderates! We in the GOP only take umbrage at ultra-liberal RINO’s like Daucher). Umberg is famed for being zealously pro-abortion, and pro-gay. The devoutly Catholic Correa is spited for not being that thrilled with legislation of that ilk.
The question is then will Correa be able to win essentially without his base? A follow-up question to consider is whether the Democrat base is even that important in the blue-collar, middle class 34th State Senate District? What is the Democrat base composed of? It is comprised of liberals, union thugs, enviromental nuts, pro-abortion and pro-gay activists, and wackos who would like to release most prisoners from jail. Does that jive with the 34th Senate District? I don’t think so. This district swings Republican and is full of conservative Democrats. It also favors Latino candidates, from a demographic perspective.
As such, Correa remains the favorite, in my opinion, to win the Democratic primary. Umberg has all of his personal baggage to contend with as well. I don’t think that Correa is all that worried this morning about the recently announced Umberg endorsements. They mean next to nothing. The real battle will be fought in terms of fundraising, mail and actual trench work in the district. I expect Correa to be competitive on all those fronts.
To read the latest Buzz column, go to http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/news/atoz/article_1007580.php.
When you were touting Armando for the 69th endorsements from Barbaro and Aitken and others were shown as examples Armando was in the hunt. Now these folks and others don’t count.? Well, I guess if your’re pushing Correa you don’t want to talk about endorsements because Umberg has legislators local elected officials and unions and Correa has, Perata, who is busy making money on the TV buys up and down the state for his bond plans. And the blogger you mentioned is pretty close to being right–neither Daucher nor Correa are well liked by their party regulars, although I would grant you that Daucher is disliked more then Correa.But please, Dacuher may be liberal to you but her voting record percentages on most groups(outisde of abortion) are pretty much the same as Van tran. She’s a moderate conservative, not a liberal. Correa is a moderate and Umberg a moderate liberal.
This is a pretty lame and uninformed analysis.
How can you possibly believe that Fabian is not relevant. With Fabian comes money, power and union walkers. And, Fabian is very well known in the Latino community since he is one of the few Latino electeds that is truly bilingual. Also, you comment about Fabian only being speaker because of term-limits is lame and pointless. None of these elected we have would be elected but for term limits.
Anonymous,
If Fabian is the best you gys can do, that does not speak well of your party. Every time I have heard him on the radio or TV he has been unimpressive. That he is bilingual is interesting but irrelevant. So is Correa, and the last time I looked Umberg spoke only two languages – English and the lengua de amor…the latter however got him in a bit of trouble.
Art,
Your pal, Rosie Avila, speaks English and the lengua de loca.
Reason #2 Fuentes refuses to support her bid for the 47th.
If Ackerman is the best you guys can do that does not speak well of your party.
Anonymous,
You expect me to disagree with that notion? Are you kidding me? I have been ripping Ackerman for weeks over his endorsement of RINO Lynn Daucher. I would love to see him step down as GOP Senate Leader…
I love it—- RINO Daucher(backed by Minority leader Ackerman) vs. DINO Correa(backed by majority leader Perata).
Anonymous,
Didn’t Nunez endorse Claudia Alvarez againt Scumberg? Didn’t help her that much. Let’s face it – Nunez is the rubber ducky in Perata’s bathtub. The big dog is Perata, and he will be sure to raise a lot of money for Correa. Scumberg is finished…
Umberg is a Moderate/Liberal. I do not know, every question on an issue I ever asked him was carefully answered or not in such a way the question was never really answered.
At least with Lou I have always gotten an answer, May not have agreed with him but something is better than nothing, he has my vote and I am a Democrat.
You know you’ve gotten to Art when he resorts to name calling.
The big dog is Ackerman and Van Tran is finished.
Anonymous,
Ackerman is indeed a dog – but I would not characterize him as “big.” Tran doesn’t need him. The only thing that Daucher will accomplish is the ruination of Ackerman’s political career.
And yes, referring to Umberg with a nickname was a low blow, but I am really tired of him and those who are still supporting him. Wake up Dems! Umberg is toast in the primary. You better get on Correa’s good side now while there is still time to do so…
Wake up Reps. Van Tran is toast in the primary. You better get on Dauchers good side while there is still time to do so.
BuenaClinton,
I rather be represented by a Democrat than by Daucher.
Art:
I said Fabian was truly bilingual. Lou barely speaks grade school Spanish.
And, Lou is a LINO/
Anonymous,
And Fabian is also truly liberal. He is not a good fit for our district. Lou is. Fabian did not do much for Claudia last time, and his help will be useless for Umberg this time. If anything this will just serve to cement Fabian’s reputation which is not stellar. Lou will win the primary, mark my words, and Fabian will look as stupid as Ackerman for having backed the wrong candidate.
Lou’s Spanish is just fine. I don’t think anyone doubts his ethnicity or heritage – except you. He is certainly a whole lot more Latino than Umberg, no?
Art, are you a member of the Republican Central Committee? Don’t they have rules against refusal to support the Republican nominee?
I can just see the Correa mailer in the general election…
“Lou is a good fit for this district.” Art Pedroza
By the way, just because Claudia lost doesn’t mean Nunez wasn’t helpful. It was a very close election(which bodes well for Correa). problem is, Alvarez is petulant, didn’t like the hit pieces Umberg put out(but she was fine in hitting Umberg)and didn’t endorse Umberg. Could Correa or Umberg do the same sore loser dance after the primary?
Silveracres,
I am not a member of the OC GOP Central Committee, and your post explains why I probably will never be part of that body again. I like being free to do and say what I want to. And if Daucher wins the primary, I will definitely be supporting her Dem opponent, but only if that is Correa. Umberg is awful and I would rather vote for a third party candidate then support either Umberg or Daucher.
Art is claiming he plans to vote for Armando de la Libertad and Lou Correa if they win their primaries. Who’s the RINO now?
GOP Guy,
You are jumping to conclusions. I am voting for Ryan Gene Williams in the 69th A.D. I am voting for Van Tran in the 34th Senate District.
However, I am recommending Armando de la Libertad to my readers who are Democrats, in the 69th, and Correa in the 34th. Someone has to win the Dem primaries in each of these races, and I find these candidates preferable to their counterparts.
In the general I hope to again vote for Williams and Tran respectively. However, as I have already asserted, I will not vote for Daucher if she wins the primary. I reserve the right to vote for anyone other than Daucher – and I don’t think I am the only Republican in the district who feels that way.
You know you’ve gotten to Art when
he refuses to partake in the lively discussion about Rosie “Lengua de Loca” Avila and her recent stunt to terrorize voters into believing Mexican textbooks are part of the SAUSD curriculum and in every SAUSD classroom.
OC Blog reports that Tim “Semper Fi” Whitacre helped Rosie write that op-ed article. If that’s true, and it’s looking like that, I’m certain the Central Republican Party isn’t too happy with one of their own’s reckless display of massaging the truth.
Wake up! Rosie is burnt toast in the primary.
I hope Art’s silence doesn’t mean he was involved in this boondoggled mess.
Rosiewatch,
No, I was not involved. Frankly, when I first read the article I thought it was a good strategic move, but Claudio outed the inconsistencies and misrepresentations in the column, here at the Orange Juice blog, and now of course this is turning into a mess for Rosie. That is too bad, because I think she meant well.
I don’t know by the way that Tim had anything to do with the editorial. I know that was hinted at in OC Blog, but I have not seen any evidence to back up that claim. Thus until we know otherwise we must assume that this was Rosie’s work.
I don’t know that this story will necessarily hurt Rosie in the long run. Her primary opponent is in debt and he has no name ID in the district. He is also a recently converted Dem. I think Rosie will be facing off with Loretta in the general.
Loretta could still be in trouble. She has accomplished nothing during her years in Congress, except for getting her carpetbagger sister elected to the House.
Dear Rosiewatch, I agree with you that Rosie is “burnt toast” in the congressional race but that means she will still be a school board member and that’s sad.