Pulido’s reign may be coming to an end…at last
Santa Ana Councilmember Mike Garcia has pulled papers to run against Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido (pictured at left with former coca farmer and current Bolivian President-for-life Evo Morales), according to the Total Buzz blog. Santa Ana School Board member Sal Tinajero pulled papers to run for Garcia’s council seat, which means he likely won’t run against Pulido as well.
Stanley Fiala has also qualified for the mayor’s race, and a fourth candidate named Jason Moran has pulled papers but still needs more signatures in order to qualify.
I will write more about this later, but suffice to say that Pulido is in trouble. His stance against mayoral term limits won’t sell to local voters, and the gutting of the Santa Ana library system will also work against Pulido.
In related news, I am looking for a decent candidate or two to run for the Santa Ana School Board. If anyone is interested, please contact me via email. Please don’t make me do it – I have my hands full just editing this blog! The filing deadline is this Friday, August 11. You don’t need to collect signatures to run for the school board. The current crop of school board candidates is lacking in quality, for the most part. Our school teachers need board members they can work with – and local parents need leaders who will fight to make our schools better. There is no reason why we should not be able to turn the Santa Ana Unified School District around!
How much money does it take to win a race against an incumbant Mayor? How will Mr. Garcia raise that money? I’ve heard Mike has little kids and is tired of politics. Maybe this is his way of getting out of politics. Maybe he will run again for office when his kids are older.
How can a Santa Ana School board member like Tinajero hope to get elected to the city council? We have the worst schools on the planet in Santa Ana and he’s in charge. I don’t think it will be too hard to take him to task in campaign mailers. I saw him speak at a council meeting a few weeks ago and he’s a pretty poor public speaker as well.
Oscar Garza and Art Pedroza would both be good candidates. I think Lupe Moreno would not be such a good choice.
I thought the School Board in Santa Ana passed tough campaign fund raising rules. Can Tinajero take money from School contractors if it’s for his Council race? That’s does not seem fair or right! Can someone who know campaign fundraising rules please look into this.
The Garcia’s presence in the race will make my race legitimate!
Although, I have done 0 campaigning in 2004 and have run simply to collect protest and bingo votes, I was surprised to get 20%, 10,000 votes.
The 2004 was Presidential election which historically draws double participation.
As I recall about 50,000 registered voters cast their vote in 2004 and because there is nothing interesting in this election, even Governor’s race is a dog, I do expect about 25,000 voters or less in November 7, 2006.
So who are the dropouts?….. Mainly bingo voters who vote for incumbents only.
Early in the 2004 count of about 10,000 absentee ballots, I was actually getting about 25% of votes. As the race progressed from 10,000 to 50,000 votes counted I I lost only about 5%.
So it is safe to say that drop out voters will give me about 5%.
So this is what I see will happen in November 7, 2006. Essentially I have same strategy as in 2004, 0 campaign, colecting protest and bingo voters only.
Pulido: In spite of his problems Pulido is liked among voters on the street. I am usually collecting my signatures in front of the supermarkets to get feeling about peoples opinion. Too many times when I asked for signature I received a reply: “No! Thank you! Miguel is doing excellent job”
Garcia: Although Garcia is fairly nice guy, he is not as known as Pulido’s Dynasty and Mike will have to really fight for every vote thus puling Miguel in to a fray. Old clich
Alas, the voters of Santa Ana have a real choice.
Where do I send my cheque for Garcia for mayor?
Art,
There is more to this story than you think. I will write about whats going on regarding as soon as I get a chance.
Mike Garcia has never really liked being in elected office and this is his way to bow out. He also can
Art, I assume you would oppose Garcia since during the last council meeting he was one of only two council members(with Solorio) voting for the Big Pro Union regulation which would have prevented the big box stores (Wal-Mart type non-union stores) from opening new locations without doing a full blown EIR. The Unions have been trying for years to get the city to keep non-union stores out. Garcia is a Union hack.
Mike Garcia will make a great Mayor, but his time is not now. The City Council needs you now Mike, not Sal.
Come writers and critics
Who prophesize with your pen
And keep your eyes wide
The chance won’t come again
And don’t speak too soon
For the wheel’s still in spin
And there’s no tellin’ who
That it’s namin’.
For the loser now
Will be later to win
For the times they are a-changin’
Why did George Lopez pose with the Mayor?