Who will replace Chris Norby on the O.C. Board of Supervisors?

O.C. Supervisor Chris Norby is in the headlines again for alleged campaign finance shenanigans. The L.A. Times is reporting that Norby “spent nearly $8,000 from his campaign account in the last months of 2007 on unexplained charges, campaign finance records show.”

However, Norby terms out in 2010. The real story is the jockeying for position by candidates eying his seat. The main Democratic candidate appears to be former Anaheim Mayor Tom Daly, who is currently the O.C. Clerk-Recorder.

On the OC GOP side, State Senator Dick Ackerman, who terms out this year, is thought to be looking at Norby’s seat. But according to a pajarito, Anaheim Mayor Curt Pringle is also interested in running for Norby’s seat. It pains me to say this, but I rather see Pringle run for this seat than Ackerman. My inside source also told me that former State Assemblywoman Lynn Daucher is not interested in the Norby supervisorial seat.

I reported a few months ago that Norby’s Supervisorial seat has a majority of Latino voters, so it would be nice to see a Latino get elected to replace Norby. In that vein, Latino candidates who might be interested include Manny Ontiveros, who is a Trustee for the North Orange County Community College District; and Placentia City Councilman Joe Aguirre. I would prefer either of them over Pringle and Ackerman. La Habra Councilwoman Rose Espinoza sank her own battleship recently when she was the key vote to raise the O.C. sewage rates by 60% over the next five years. Stick a fork in her – she is done politically with that dumb move.

Of course if Pringle and Ackerman end up duking it out with Daly, this race will no doubt end up in a runoff election. All bets are off at that point!