The 1st Supervisorial District candidates aren’t wasting any time. Both Carlos Bustamante and Brett Franklin came by my house today. A pajarito told me that Bustamante had over forty walkers out and about today. If true that is astounding. Lincoln Club members usually write checks but don’t walk precincts. I also heard that Benny Diaz had walkers out in Santa Ana.
On the sign front, Janet Nguyen’s signs are up and they are huge. They dwarf Bustamante’s signs – but he has more of his up. For some reason he put them up in Little Saigon too – which makes no sense.
Sources also tell me that many Santa Ana voters have no idea who Bustamante is. Some think that Franklin is still their councilman!
Mail went out today too. I received pieces from Bustamante and Janet Nguyen. You cannot tell that Bustamante is a Republican from his mailer. He does mention increasing police and deputy sheriff patrols in our area. Hmmm…isn’t the City of Santa Ana drastically understaffed? If Bustamante cannot attend to public safety at the local level, how will he do it as a Supervisor?
Bustamante’s mailer also fails to mention any of his endorsers. It also does not include any pictures of Latino residents or leaders. The only politician pictures besides Bustamante is Rob Richardson from the Santa Ana School Board. There are rumors that Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido wants to put Richardson back on the City Council, in Ward 3, if Bustamante gets elected to the Board of Supervisors. Pulido is not shown on the mailer in question.
Franklin’s walk piece looks pretty good. It is a slick, glossy four color double-sided piece with lots of pictures, including a shot of Franklin and Pulido.
Janet Nguyen’s mailer features her with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger; Newt Gingrich; former Assemblyman Ken Maddox; Congressman Ed Royce; and Tom McClintock. It is clearly targeted to GOP households. It says on the front cover, “Republican Leader Janet Nguyen – the Choice for Supervisor.”
Nguyen touches on core GOP issues – including eminent domain abuse; stopping tax increases; and reducing waste. She also says she will “support the Sheriff’s crackdown on illegal aliens.” Ouch. That might cost her some Latino votes – but it will help her with older voters and white voters.
Nguyen also mentions making “neighborhoods safe – drive gangs out.” Franklin’s piece talks about “fighting crime,” but it does not mention gangs.
Bustamante’s mailer notes that he will “support tough measures to protect our neighborhoods from gangs.” However, at the last City Council meeting he dragged his feet when Councilwoman Michele Martinez suggested that the city start up a Gang Prevention and Intervention Commission. Can’t have it both ways Carlos!
Mark Leyes posted both mailers over at OCBlog.
See Janet Nguyen’s mailer here.
See Carlos Bustamante’s mailer here.
HISPANIC 40 ENDORSE BUSTAMONTE
The group walking for Bustamonte is called the Gen/Next Hispanic 40 and they hold their meetings in front of Home Depot on Macarthur in Santa Ana and across from Costco on Garden Grove Blvd in Garden Grove. Expect a press release from Lewis/Holder announcing their endorsement on Monday.
You failed to mention a new branch of the HISPANIC 40 club now meeting in front of Lowes on Beach Blvd in the city of Westminster. They also endorsed Bustamonte on Saturday morning and will be walking for him next weekend.
Art-
Two simple questions which should warrant very simple answers from you:
1) Has Janet Nguyen EVER voted for eminent domain?
2) How sure are you about your answer? (% wise)
PS: I know you’ve read this comment before Art. I don’t blame you for not answering. It sucks when you support a lying candidate…
11:35,
Honestly, as far as I know she never has.
Art,
“Janet Nguyen winning the sign war”
Please Art, give it a few days…
Or have you already put on your flight suit in preparation for a landing on an Aircraft Carrier in the pond at Centennial Park? I presume Janet’s next signs will be “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.”
Chris,
Never mind Janet – you better keep an eye on Benny – your fellow Dems are starting to figure out they have a choice in this election…
Big Janet signs have sprung up in Santa Ana followed by orchards of Bustamante signs. I am sure others will follow in the fertile first district election soil.
I answered a few questions from a pollster today.
Even tho there were plenty of questions on Umberg, I don
Art,
Benny is a great guy, and I wish him all the luck in the world. But the reality is that Benny has not been able to generate a significant number of votes over two elections in Garden Grove. I doubt that he will be able to pull together the level of support necessary to win this race, or even be a major threat to Umberg.
I’ve written more on this topic in my post on TheLiberalOC.com Unity! The other campaign fuel.
Chris,
However, in this election Benny has a great chance because of the power of vote-splitting. There are so many white candidates running, and Vietnamese candidates too, that Benny, as the sole Latino Democrat, stands to clean up. But he cannot win without the help of his fellow Democrats.
C’mon Chris, in your heart you know Benny is a better person than Umberg, any day.
Art:
Benny and Tom are both great people, and I have endorsed both of them a number of times.
Sorry, I will not engage in debate over which of the four Democrats in this contest is a better person than the other. All four have the qualities and character that are needed on the Board of Supervisors.
Speaking of character though, I am reminded of a recent fundraising event announcement for Janet Nguyen (her Supervisor Campaign) held on October 26th 2006. The top two names on her Host Committee are Michael Schroeder, and Shawn Steel.
I will take this opportunity to quote from your post on Red County/OC Blog today;
“Schroeder is not the problem. He is just a symptom of a deeper rot in the OC GOP.”
Art, you can judge the character of a person by the company they keep.
Chris,
Good point – isn’t that what sullied Tom’s career in the first place?
That aside, it strikes me that he represents the powers that be, whereas Benny represents the people. Really, it is a striking contrast.
Let the people decide…more of the same or someone from their ranks who will stand by and for them? The contrast could not be greater.
“11:35,
Honestly, as far as I know she never has.”
Art- Thanks for the answer. Has she ever actually told you that or are you making an assumption?
Benny and his supporters are working hard knocking on doors in Central S.A. and I think it will get him votes. I’m not sure enough to win but he will do better than many of you think. At least he’s not just campaigning in the all Gringo areas north of 17th like Bustamonte! We have not seen him knocking on doors in Central S.A ever!! Maybe he is afraid of Pit Bulls!
The OCR says today that all the demo’s are behind Tom and the gop’ers are splintered among many.
I expect that this race for BOS 1 is about taking the seat back for the “white majority”.
the demo’s put up a “brand name” and top voter getter in “white bread” Tom Umberg. (plus a few “lesser knowns too)
The gop’ers put up “lesser known names” (fine people & canidates)
So if you put two and two together.
The desire of the voter’s to pick a winner (lotto ticket, horse race thinking, etc). With the white vote.
This election is all ready in the bag.