Scott Baugh is dying to run against Dave Min: CA-47, vote Weiss!

Originally published by the OC Register.

We’re talking about Scott Baugh here, the valueless kleptocrat and convicted election cheat who just endorsed Donald Trump.  We can only hope that coastal OC won’t be sending someone like that to Washington, to be yet another member of a MAGA majority stalling all progress in this land.  How mortifying would that be!

How do we know Scott is dying to run against Dave Min rather than Joanna Weiss?  For one thing, he just released an internal poll, in the middle of the primary – with no details or proof – showing Min polling above Weiss, obviously intended to get Democrats to stick with Dave.  Also, because Scott and the Republicans haven’t yet begun to attack Dave over his misadventure of last May 2.  That’ll start March 6.

Dave Min obviously enjoys ferocious support from some Irvine Democrats, but his undistinguished State Senate career has been marked by careful avoidance of angering any special interests who might obstruct his rise to Congress.  California needs police and prison reform, renter protections, better fiscal stewardship, but whenever those tough votes were up Dave was nowhere to be found.

The type who “kicks down,” he even trashed his Latino constituents for their temerity in driving up to Sacramento to lobby him for rent control.  Remember that?

Still, Dave could have been the one to save OC from the humiliation of electing Scott Baugh… that is, until Dave’s May 2 misadventure.  He should have dropped out then, pero no – he went on an apology tour.  Humility.  Redemption.  Forgiveness.  The point was missed.  The point being not that he’s a bad person because he had a DUI, but that he can’t beat Scott Baugh because he had a DUI.

The attacks you’re seeing right now on Dave are from AIPAC, the Israel lobby (they say “United Democracy Project” on them.)  These attacks are AIPAC’s punishment for Dave making the lightest criticisms of Israel, and he doesn’t deserve them.  He doesn’t deserve them and yet it’s kind of ironic – he’s getting punished for probably the first time he said anything slightly brave.  Think how gun-shy he’ll be in the future.

But starting March 6 the attacks will be coming from Baugh and the Republicans.  We’re talking about Scott Baugh here, Baugh who accused Katie Porter of calling pedophilia an acceptable “lifestyle” when it was clear she was saying the exact opposite.  Think how unbridled Scott will be when the actual truth is convenient.

If District 47 chooses Dave Min over Joanna Weiss this week, you will be entering a world of non-stop DUI bashing which will last eight miserable months.  Thank God you have the option of voting for Joanna

Joanna is the founder of Women for American Values and Ethics (WAVE) Action Fund, a working mom, an award-winning litigator, and a community organizer born and raised in the OC.  Without Dave’s DUI-straction, the contrast between old-OC Baugh and new-OC Weiss will be as clear as night and day:

  • Baugh’s paternalistic suppression of women’s reproductive rights vs. Joanna’s longtime defense of those rights;
  • Lobbyist Baugh’s loyalty to polluting corporations vs. Surfing Joanna’s passion for the environment;
  • Baugh’s allegiance to Trump and his MAGA brownshirts vs. Joanna’s well-documented work for democracy.

So, coastal OC, if you care about getting back the majority in Washington and finally dealing with some of our nation’s problems, vote for Joanna Weiss this week.  Or else, I fear, get used to saying “Congressman Baugh.”  And hearing me say “I told you so.”

Vern Nelson, a Democrat who runs the Orange Juice Blog,
has had his own DUI’s and knows whereof he speaks.

About Vern Nelson

Greatest pianist/composer in Orange County, and official political troubadour of Anaheim and most other OC towns. Regularly makes solo performances, sometimes with his savage-jazz band The Vern Nelson Problem. Reach at vernpnelson@gmail.com, or 714-235-VERN.