I’m giving the little pajarito one more chance. He reports tonight that Santa Ana Council Member Mike Garcia’s fundraiser in the Park Santiago neighborhood home of Leo and Yvette Aguilar was a success. Democrats and Republicans turned out, many with checks in hand.
Republicans in attendance included Ryan Gene Williams, the GOP candidate for the 69th Assembly District, and three Santa Ana City Council members who have mysteriously failed to endorse their GOP candidate Williams – Carlos “Bubba Gump” Bustamante; Alberta Christy; and Lisa Bist.
Santa Ana City Council candidates Tino Rivera and David Benavides were also there, as was Santa Ana School Board candidate Sergio Verino, who works as a city inspector.
Prominent Democrats in attendance included Santa Ana Planning Commissioner Harvey De La Torre, whose wife was just elected to the OC Democrat Central Committee; and my co-blogger Claudio Gallegos. Garcia’s friend and fellow council member, Jose Solorio, was not there, nor was Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido.
No one has filed yet to run against Garcia, and the filing deadline is coming up on August 11. His reelection should be a slam dunk.
Is this school board candidate Sergio Verino related in any way to Lynette Verino who ran for council against the empress of evil (Claudia Alvarez) last time around?
Garcia’s success is Santa Ana failure.
Four more years of high murder rate.
Skeletons in Garcia’s
closet
Glad to see our 69th AD GOP nominee is wasting his time attnding fund-raisers for Democratic city councilmen.
Has Garcia endorsed Ryan Gene?
I didn’;t thinks so.
Maybe Ryan Gene should spend less time trying to get Democratic politicians to like him, and more time asking 69th AD voters for their support.
There’s little hope Ryan Gene will attract any donor support — and antics like this almost guarantee it.
Bipartisan – nonpartisan – Why not make evey race non-partisan and do away with the party system.
11:51,
Garcia voted against Pulido with regard to Mayoral term limits. That makes him a good guy in my book. Besides, its not like any of the Republicans on the Santa Ana City Council have bothered to endorse Ryan. They should be ashamed of themselves.
republican shaking his head:
“Glad to see our 69th AD GOP nominee is wasting his time attnding fund-raisers for Democratic city councilmen.”
Isn’t it funny then that Mike Garcia had a slew of Republicans at this event including your future rising star Carlos Bustamante.
“Has Garcia endorsed Ryan Gene?”
No. Garcia is good friends with Jose, however that doesn’t mean that if Ryan were to run for a position on the council in two or four years that Mike and Jose wouldn’t endorse him. Both Dems, especially Jose, have the nicest things to say about him and respect him.
“Maybe Ryan Gene should spend less time trying to get Democratic politicians to like him, and more time asking 69th AD voters for their support.”
Seeing as how the GOP isn’t helping the kid out, he’s making inroads with those players in the city and in the district who could help him out in a potential future race in Santa Ana.
Besides, have you looked at the demographics of the district? It’s not the most overwhelming GOP district in the state. Having a Republican candidate in a Democrat district where even Democrats can say, “Hey, that Ryan dude is awesome! I’d vote for him…” is actually something that the GOP hasn’t been able to pull off since Jim Morrisey.
“There’s little hope Ryan Gene will attract any donor support — and antics like this almost guarantee it.”
Ryan wasn’t going to attract donor support anyway because the party has its head up its ass when it comes to the 69th AD. They (the machine) don’t want it back until they redistrict the 69th and can run some Van Tran-esque hispanic republican. However, the past three GOP candidates have only managed just under registration. So, what does that tell you?
Ryan is a young, intelligent candidate who is doing the GOP a huge favor in a different way.
If he were to expect the GOP to tun out, he wouldn’t win.
A GOP candidate will take back the 69th AD given its Democrat registration advantage by being a candidate that Dems can stand to vote for and Ryan is that type of candidate. Perhaps not now, but give it time. He is new to the OC political system but knows how to work it.
Ryan is a conservative-moderate candidate who fits the district better than Lynn Daucher, and can reach out to Dems like no other GOP candidate has before, because he doesn’t chastise them. He works WITH them on THEIR playing field and respects THEIR opinions.
Say what you want, but Ryan is the best thing to happen to the GOP in Central County in a long time. Within a few years, the GOP will take back Central OC with his help.
Besides disgruntled republican, if you have a problem with Ryan being the GOP nominee, then why didn’t you run?
Brock.
Looks like Garcia will run un-opposed. Congratulations Mike! That will allow him to spend his time and money getting good people elected in the other seats.
“Looks like Garcia will run un-opposed. Congratulations Mike!”
Condolences democracy!
Brock in Anaheim,
“Say what you want, but Ryan is the best thing to happen to the GOP in Central County in a long time.”
Why, exactly is Williams the “best thing to happen to the GOP in Central County?
What exactly has he done to win this acclaim from you? I’m reading where he is attending various functions with electeds, but what has he done with his sleeves rolled up? Not only has he not helped improve any of the cities in the 69th, he also has done very litte, if any, campaigning. Has anyone seen him walking neighborhoods?
I have nothing against the guy, but c’mon, Brock. You’re either close to Williams or you are him. Otherwise what is there to cheer about regarding his local resume and his service to the community?
The kid needs to do something first before he thinks of running for this seat or any other in the future. Or, are you saying we should vote for him because he’s a nice guy? I know a lot of “nice people” who have never lifted a finger to help out the communities around them.
Has anybody seen Williams walk in the community? What has he done in the community?
knock it off:
I just thought since I “wasn’t campaigning” that I’d take a stab at rebutting some of your claims.
I’ve been making phone calls into the district and talking to voters via the phone.
I actually just got hired by a firm to help get-out-the-vote on Arnold’s campaign in Santa Ana and the surrounding areas, so I’ll be working closely with Victory ’06 and Carlos Bustamante as the election draws closer.
I’m currently working on getting a good deal for some walk pieces, but because of the lack of funds it isn’t a “high priority” for a whirlwind consulting firm.
The joys of being a poor, broke college student.
Regarding walking, I know I am stubborn at times when it comes to doing it and I do need to get out more. My problem is that I’d like decent walk pieces to hand to people instead of some plain, black and white piece of paper that I get copied at Kinkos or at the campus.
Personally, I’m very self-concious about the way I appear to people. I always have been and that’s what’s been preventing me from walking… I WANT DECENT handout pieces.
Granted, there are mistakes I’ve made during the course of the campaign that I regret, (i.e. trusting people who turned out to be people I shouldn’t have trusted), but you live and learn and pray you don’t make the same mistake again.
Brock told me the other day to just walk with the Daucher pieces I’ve got stacked in my car and just tell people my campaign platform at their door. I may just go ahead and do that if nothing else since Lynn’s race is more high-profile then mine.
Finally, your argument that I havent done anything to improve the quality of life in the cities I’m looking to represent in the Assembly could be looked at two ways:
First, yes. I haven’t been elected to school board or city council. I currently do not sit on any city our county-wide boards, nor have I done much if any community involvement in a city and a county I moved into about a year and a half ago.
Why haven’t I? Hmm… school… work… making sure I have enough money to purchase a box of Raman noodles and a 2 liter bottle of Pepsi every week.
Thank God Art invites me over to his house to eat whenever he has leftovers.
I, like most young people in this county, don’t have the available time to get involved with our communities because there are more pressing issues that have to be dealt with first.
Had I have been from a little more well-off family and had an available trust fund provided to me, I could have went to school and saved time not looking for a decent job which would’ve provided me the extra hours to get involved with the community.
Being young sucks in that capacity, especially if one is looking to get elected into an office at the age of 20.
Second, just because I haven’t been involved in the community doesn’t mean that I don’t want to be involved in the community.
The opportunity I’ve had running for Assembly has given me the chance to talk to and have professional connections with local, state, and federal elected officials as well as average everyday people.
Those elected officials and average everyday people I’ve met have come to learn more about me and what my vision is for Santa Ana, the surrounding communities, and California regardless of whether they be Democrats, Republicans, Greens, or whatever.
Not to sound narcissistic, but I would imagine these individuals see some kind of potential in myself as a future elected official, and are curious to know what I would be capable of accomplishing in such a capacity.
Anyways, I feel like I’ve beaten a political dead horse by responding, but it gives me a chance to have my say in a public forum seeing as how Jose will not debate me during the campaign.
If you, or anyone reading feels the need to call me or email me for anything, we can go out for drinks (non-alcoholic for me) or whatever.
949.400.1435 or ryan@ryangene.com
Peace!
The mere fact Ryan is young does not discount the fact he may be great politician. I would much rather prefer a candidate with no experience with politics, but the ideas to lead, and think outside of the box. Why would we want a candidate with experience who will only do more of the same.
Ryan has stepped up to the plate and run for a seat no one else was willing to accept. Perhaps Ryan understands this election is not his, but he certainly is investing on a something which will have a huge return in the future.
You see it is really a win win situation for Ryan either way, and anyone who simply wants to discourage him, does not understand the game we call politics.
Mark my words, Ryan will be a threat to any democrat in the near future, so long as he does not slip.
Keep on chugging Ryan!
Did you see the Total Buzz posting that shows Garcia pulling papers for mayor? It looks like he is running against Pulido.