I have been sitting on this story for a couple of weeks – but it has become especially relevant with the addition of Thomas Gordon to the Santa Ana Mayor’s race. If you go to the Orange County Republican Party’s website and click on “What’s Going on in Your City,” and then select “Santa Ana” you will find a photo of Santa Ana Council Member Carlos Bustamante. So one would expect that Bustamante would take a lead role in backing Republicans running for office in his area. However, the truth is very far from that.
Ryan Gene Williams, the likeable college student running for the 69th Assembly District, is a Republican who has been asking Bustamante for help – and when he did so at the recent Lynn Daucher reception in Santa Ana, according to a GOP insider who was at the event, Bustamante said that he first needed to talk to Jose, as in Jose Solorio, his peer on the Santa Ana City Council. Well, it is common for council members to get friendly with each other, but here’s the rub – Solorio is William’s Democrat opponent. Oops.
Williams playfully approached Solorio at a meeting yesterday and asked him if “Carlos could come out and play.” Of course Solorio had no idea what that meant, so Williams elaborated – within earshot of several pajaritos. I am told that Solorio was incredulous. He intimated that were he in Bustamante’s shoes he would have already endorsed Williams. Say what you will about Solorio – but unlike Bustamante he knows how to be a partisan – he supports his fellow Democrat candidates.
Will Bustamante redeem himself by backing fellow Republican Gordon in his mayoral campaign? Fat chance of that. Miguel “El Rey” Pulido, Gordon’s Democrat opponent, spoke on behalf of Bustamante at his recent fundraiser – you know the one, where he famously compared himself to Forest Gump. Perhaps “Bubba Gump” Bustamante wasn’t kidding. He appears to be a bit slow when it comes to politics. Where’s Lt. Dan when you need him?
All kidding aside, the OC GOP has a lot of work to do in Santa Ana. We now have a mayoral candidate who is popular with both Democrats and Republicans, in Gordon, and an Assembly candidate who appeals to the young people who are the majority of the residents in Santa Ana, in Williams. But our GOP efforts in the area are tied to a council member who simply does not know how to be a Republican – and who appears unwilling to help his fellow GOP candidates, with the exception of Daucher. But of course Bustamante is probably wishing that Daucher loses so he can run for Lou Correa’s seat on the OC Board of Supervisors – which was the unspoken point of his aforementioned fundraiser.
I wonder if Bustamante has endorsed Tan Nguyen, the businessman running against Loretta Sanchez for the 47th Congressional District? Will he support George Collins, the Republican running for Santa Ana’s Ward 6? Will Solorio let him “come out and play” with regards to Williams? Or is Bustamante going to keep pretending that he is a GOP leader?
I know Orange Juice adopted a new policy for commenting – but Carlos Bustamante is an opportunistic bastard who just wants the spotlight for himself.
Perhaps that’s why he hasn’t endorsed anyone other than Lynn because she is going to lose.
Jeez, what a loser.
Art, haven’t you said you support Lou over Lyn Daucher? Or are you backtracking and now saying people should vote for Lyn and not Lou?
Is Carlos on the Central Committee? If so, I understand he is supposed to support the GOP nominee(see Daucher above).If not, what rule requires him to do get involved in an election?
Finally, please keep up the attacks on Bustamante. You and Ryan will drive him to the Democrats like Nativo and his gang drove Dan Young to the Republicans.
It is tuff to be a republican in the capital of Orange County.
What is “Repbulican” about Bustamante other than the ‘R’ bedside his name?
He has voted with Pulido and Solorio on every issue there is. The man doesn’t have an original thought, or balls to back up any thoughts he might have. He’s not a Reublican; he’s a Lap Dog!
Jose Solorio has somehow been self ordained a “kingmaker” like Ted Moreno.
His current project is ward 6 in Santa Ana.
Interested parties should submit their resumes directly to Jose.
Wow!
With “friends” like Bustamante, I guess you guys feel that you don’t need opposition from Democrats. Well, as long as the GOP infighting in Santa Ana continues, it should give us Dems a chance to rebuild the party here! : )
Well, I can tell you that Carlos has met with Lou. Carlos’ support of Lynn will be non-existent and he will lean on his closest confidants to make contributions to Lou.
YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST.
carlos should just re-register.
I agree with Dude,
Carlos, would you please re-register ASAP?!
I still wish Art would have run for School Board…
Don’t make us Dems have to take in Carlos. Why can’t he join Nativo and become a Green?
“Don’t make us Dems have to take in Carlos. Why can’t he join Nativo and become a Green?”
because carlos could never be elected to the board of sups. as a green… especially in orange county.
i have a feeling carlos will either come to terms with what being a republican means or be cast aside to let someone else come in and expand the base in central county.
carlos has all the makings of being the future for the party here (decent looks, hispanic, great smile, and nice looking family), but sadly… all he seems to be is an empty shell with a hispanic last name.
Hmmm…. Usual suspects are posting only.
Your Blog Pedroza is going south.
God help us – Ed Gonzalo is back. For those of you who do not know, Gonzalo is the alter ego of Stanley Fiala. Please disregard anything that Fiala/Gonzalo has to say.
Stanley – get some help!
Art is correct, Ed Gonzalo claims to be the guy with a form of Turrets Syndrome that causes him to type his outbursts instead of saying them. In reality, it is our old buddy Stanley. Stanley, don’t you have a family to go and abuse?
Has Jose given Carlos permission to endorse Ryan yet? And if so, has he? Why didn