Brandman Fires Up the BS Express, Suddenly Announces for Congress; OJB Prepares

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Dunn, Brandman, Murray, Sidhu: "Masters of the Universe"

Dunn, Brandman, Murray, Sidhu: “Masters of the Universe”

That was … sudden.

Jordan Brandman announced today that he will be running for Loretta Sanchez’s seat in Congress.  OJB does not know whether the sudden timing of this has anything to do with Bao Nguyen’s announcement that he is (at a minimum) leaning in that direction as well — a story that, within a day and a half, became OJB’s top story of the year so far and continues to rise with a bullet — but OJB does have its suspicions.

OK, let’s get this show on the road.

So far, Brandman is up against former State Senator and could-have-been Board of Equalization Member or Mayor of Santa Ana Lou Correa.  Bao is expected to enter the race after a bit more preparation than Brandman evidently thinks is necessary.  Among Republicans, carpetbagging Irvine City Council member Lynn Schott has been mentioned, as have various current and former officeholders from Orange, none of whom have yet made a move.  Among other Democrats, various Santa Ana figures have been mentioned (and if the line-up stays as male as it is, one has to wonder whether Michele Martinez will be tempted into the race — although she’s awfully busy now with high positions in both the Latino electeds organization NALEO and the governance umbrella organization SCAG.)

Brandman — the apple of the eyes of both former DPOC Chair Frank Barbaro and his claque and former Republican Assembly speaker Curt Pringle and his co-conspirators — obviously has bipartisan support.  One wonders if he will endorse Pringle’s choice Harry Sidhu — shown above sandwiching Brandman’s bestie Kris Murray — in his race for the 68th Assembly District.  In fact, our first order of business will be to pose that question to him publicly.

Jordan Q1: Will you endorse Harry Sidhu in the 68th A.D.?

Brandman has been all over the board (not uncommon for him) in what he’s been telling people privately about his intentions.  Reports have filtered back to OJB that he’s telling some that he’s “in it to win it” and others that he’s just doing this to raise his name recognition beyond Anaheim and to raise money that can then be used for other races (especially if Loretta does an about face about leaving Congress at some point between now and early March.)  His Council seat expires in 2016, but he’s of course able to run for an open seat in any of the Anaheim districts he chooses for next year.

Here’s his announcement, with the salutation rendered generic:

Dear Sir or Madam [Ed. note: salutation changed for reasons of confidentiality (and perhaps humor)],

I wanted you to hear the news from me first. I am running to succeed Loretta Sanchez to represent California’s 46th District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

I am running for Congress to fight for working families, help businesses create jobs, defend Social Security and Medicare, protect the environment, and ensure every child has access to a 21st century education. It is critical that Congresswoman Sanchez’s successor follow her example of commonsense leadership, and I am that person.

During my time on the Anaheim City Council, residents have come to enjoy new parks and better roads, feel safer with more public safety officers, and benefit from the Anaheim Convention Center expansion and the 1,860 jobs it will generate. As a School District Trustee, I advocated for our students, teachers, and employees to get the resources they needed in order to improve student performance and graduation rates.

This is the principled, results-oriented leadership I believe our community needs and deserves. I know this campaign will not be easy. Can I count on you to stand with me?

I am ready to get to work, and I hope you are, too. Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Jordan Brandman

“Help businesses create jobs” clearly refers to hurling piles of public money at them with great force.  That’s probably what he means by “fight for working families” as well, on the (discredited) theory that a rising tide lifts all boats.  He would be a good Democratic vote on education and probably on Social Security and Medicare as well, lest he lose the support of the little old ladies that love to pinch his cheeks.  “Protect the environment”?

Jordan Q2: What is your position on the Poseidon desalination proposal, given its expected environmental impacts?

As for those parks and public safety officers:

Jordan Q3: Were those hires paid for from Anaheim’s savings — or from money borrowed as part of the Convention Center expansion?  In other words, did the Council achieve these ends with prudent budgeting and fiscal policy — or did it just put it on the credit card for another Council to pay off later?

So many questions!  So much to be done!  And so much time!

P.S. Not coincidentally, OJB is hiring.  Technically, we’re not hiring hiring, as we don’t pay anyone (and forget about benefits) — but there is plenty of work to do on the Brandman beat and we’d love for people to pitch in!


About Greg Diamond

Somewhat verbose attorney, semi-disabled and semi-retired, residing in northwest Brea. Occasionally ran for office against jerks who otherwise would have gonr unopposed. Got 45% of the vote against Bob Huff for State Senate in 2012; Josh Newman then won the seat in 2016. In 2014 became the first attorney to challenge OCDA Tony Rackauckas since 2002; Todd Spitzer then won that seat in 2018. Every time he's run against some rotten incumbent, the *next* person to challenge them wins! He's OK with that. Corrupt party hacks hate him. He's OK with that too. He does advise some local campaigns informally and (so far) without compensation. (If that last bit changes, he will declare the interest.) His daughter is a professional campaign treasurer. He doesn't usually know whom she and her firm represent. Whether they do so never influences his endorsements or coverage. (He does have his own strong opinions.) But when he does check campaign finance forms, he is often happily surprised to learn that good candidates he respects often DO hire her firm. (Maybe bad ones are scared off by his relationship with her, but they needn't be.)