2024 Voter Guide
Below you will find every single race that can be found in Huntington Beach, based on the cities covered by the respective agencies. Not all candidates may be on your ballot, but every candidate on your ballot will be here.
If you don’t see a race or a candidate on here that you expected to, it may be the seat is unopposed and not on the ballot.
Click the “+” next to each name to learn more about the candidates.
Huntington Beach
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Candidate
Huntington Beach City Council, 3 seats (at large)Candidate Statement:
You can find Butch’s candidate statement here. In it, he says, “I’m proud that my campaign is supported by proven Huntington Beach leaders. That includes Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark, Mayor Pro Tem Pat Burns, Councilman Tony Strickland, Councilman Casey McKeon, Senator Janet Nguyen, Assemblywoman Diane Dixon, Congresswoman Michelle Steel, Scott Baugh, Congressional Candidate 47th District, Max Ukropina, and the Huntington Beach Republican Women’s Federation”. Every single one of the people he lists here have voted, campaigned, and/or posted on social media in ways that negatively impact the LGBTQ+ community.
You can find Butch’s website here. On the front page, he refers to the election of the current city council majority members Van Der Mark, Burns, McKeon, and Strickland, saying, “In 2022, the voters said "enough". In 2024, it's our opportunity to drive this message home by electing me to the City Council, to sit alongside the majority to ensure and complete the image our city was always known for: A beautiful, safe and accepting coastal community.”
The first item he lists on his platform page is “Family values/our children & grandchildren: I strongly support Judeo/Christian principles & beliefs that emphasize the importance of the nuclear family where our children are taught the notions of loyalty, commitment, respect, love and acceptance for all humans.”
Email:twining@twining4HBCC2024.com
Exposing Huntington Beach shared a number of anti-LGBTQ+ posts that Butch made on social media that he deleted when he announced his campaign.
In one, he shared a meme that said “Dating in 2022: “So…have you always been a woman?”
He shared a post that said, “The only sexual knowledge a 3rd grade boy needs to know is that girls have cooties”. (We include this as Butch has leaned into the narrative that kids having access to age-appropriate material that references the LGBTQ+ community is innately sexual)
He posted, “Woke Twitter employees fired by Elon now identify as job/less”.
And he commented on a thread in 2022, “Is pedophilia any less of an “identity” than heterosexuality, homosexuality, LGBTQ identity? I believe it’s one and the same. So following this logic, the Pedophile flag has every right to fly alongside the Rainbow flag, hence, no special interest flags should fly on city property. It’s that slippery slope thing!”
Surf City Sentinel also made a note that Butch made rude comments regarding some of the women who speak at HB City Council meetings, calling them “comic relief” and “pathetic human beings” - this, in reply to a post that called those same women “vulgar, bigoted hags”. The women in question are progressive members of the community who often challenge the majority council members in their public comments.
Butch, along with Chad Williams and Don Kennedy, held a campaign event at Basilico’s, an Italian restaurant in South HB that is known for making its white nationalist, far-right, anti-LGBTQ politics the main course. One of their latest posts on instagram reads: “ATTENTION DONALD TRUMP: | STOP PREACHING UNITY, BEFORE IT GETS YOU KILLED. | THEY WILL FOREVER BE OUR ENEMIES, AND ONLY UNDERSTAND STRENGTH. | SO STOP TRYING TO MAKE FRIENDS, AND INSTEAD DECLARE UNCONDITIONAL.WAR ON THE LEFT AND THEIR SUPPORTERS. | DON'T GET SOFT. GET REVENGE! | UPON BEING SWORN IN AS PRESIDENT, ARREST BIDEN, KAMALA, ALL OF THEM, INCLUDING THAT BIT** TAYLOR AND HER VAX PUSHING BOYFRIEND. | AND AS FOR MY FELLOW PATRIOTS, DEMAND IT. | YOU'RE AMERICANS. ACT LIKE IT!”
Socials:
On his campaign instagram, he posted a video of his public comments at the February 2024 city council meeting, in which, between his caption and his recorded speech, was about the “invasion” over the Southern border by our “enemies”.
He also posted a picture of Donald Trump after the shooting in PA, with the caption, “You crazy Antifa Loving leftist will pay for this on November 5th. That’s how WE fight!”
On his campaign instagram, he follows:
Valentina Bankhead (extremist anti-LGBTQ+ activist)
Luke Dennis (Proud Boy)
Public Advocate US (extremist anti-LGBTQ+ organization)
Kimberly Guilfoyle (anti-LGBTQ+ and Trump-circle commentator)
Raging Americans (far-right meme page)
Pat Burns (HB Mayor Pro Tem)
Donald Trump Jr.
Libs of Tiktok (extremist anti-LGBTQ+ stochastic terrorism extraordinaire)
Gracey Van Der Mark (HB Mayor)
David M Clifford (candidate for OVSD)
Don Kennedy (candidate for HB City Council)
Fox and Friends
Michael Gates (HB City Attorney)
Endorsements:
Gracey Van Der Mark, HB Mayor
Pat Burns, HB Mayor Pro-Tem
Casey McKeon, HB Councilmember
Tony Strickland, HB Councilmember
Janet Nguyen, State Senator and Candidate for OC Supervisor
Diane Dixon, State Assemblywoman
Jim Silva, Former HB Mayor
Tracy Pellman, Former OVSD School Board
Scott Baugh, Congressman
OC GOP
Lincoln Club
OC Young Republicans
Many, if not all, of these endorsements come from anti-LGBTQ+ people and groups.
News:
The OC Register asked Butch some questions. You can see his answers here.
Huntington Beach City Council candidates share vision of city’s economic future at chamber forum
The Washington Post examined the future of HB here.
The OC Register examined the power balance in HB here.
As of the end of June, Butch had raised over $110,000 in campaign contributions - $85,000 of which was in loans, some of which came from his own business.
He listed among his expenditures Lysa Ray Campaign Services. Lysa Ray has also worked on a number of extremist campaigns over the years, including the unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign for Travis Allen, who is considered to be "California's Trump." He has used the slogans "Take Back California" and "Make California Great Again" for his campaign. She also was the campaign treasurer for OC District Attorney Todd Spitzer, and was involved in a minor campaign finance controversy, where she took the blame for incorrectly filed financial information. And perhaps most importantly, Lysa Ray, who was compensated as a campaign strategist for this campaign, served as County Supervisor Andrew Do’s treasurer during the events that led to his current downfall and FBI investigation for financial corruption.
He also lists among his expenditures Tabula Rasa Enterprises, an LLC in San Francisco, who he’s attributed his campaign paraphernalia to. Many of the far-right campaigns in Huntington Beach over the last two years have paid Tabula Rasa for their signage and campaign literature. Tabula Rasa’s manager, according to their statement of information with the CA Secretary of State, is John Cancilla. John Cancilla is the CFO for Code Four, the company that operates the Pacific Airshow that there’s been so much scandal and controversy over the city’s settlement to.
He’s also contributed a significant amount of money on his own to other campaigns in HB, including Lisa Lanes Barnes, who is running for City Clerk in a rather contentious race. -
Candidate
Huntington Beach City Council, 3 seats (at large)Amory agreed to take the City Council Advocacy Pledge, saying “Yes, I will take the advocacy pledge”.
You can find the full pledge on the Voter Guide landing page.
Email:amory.hanson2016@gmail.com
You can find Amory’s candidate statement here. In it, he says, “I will allow the full 3 minutes at city council meetings when I am Mayor and work to codify this as an ordinance”.
You can find Amory’s campaign website here. This is the website he provided to the OC Register in their candidate questionnaire.
Social Media:
On instagram, this candidate follows 7,377 accounts. Among those:
Pride at the Pier
LGBTQ Center OC
OC Young Dems
OC Equality Coalition
OC Climate Voter
Eagle Forum (anti-LGBTQ group)
***While oftentimes candidates tend to show a preference in their views with who they follow, Amory’s accounts seem to genuinely show a spread across the aisle.
Amory’s instagram account is primarily “Meet Amory Hanson” posts, where he’s encouraging voters to come talk to him in person about his views.
Endorsed by:
We weren’t able to find any endorsements for Amory Hanson.
Public Comments:
Amory speaks at the City Council meetings frequently, but on occasions when LGBTQ+ issues are on the agenda, Amory tends not to comment on them.
News:
The OC Register asked Amory some questions. Among those, “In your opinion, what is the biggest need your city faces, and how would you address it? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)”
Amory replied, “The biggest need our city faces right now is winning the lawsuit against the state of California to make sure we do not have more than 13,000 units of high-density development. I support going to the Supreme Court if needed”.
Follow the Money:
Amory doesn’t seem to have raised any funds for his campaign.
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Incumbent
Huntington Beach City Council, 3 seats (at large)
Natalie agreed to take the City Council Advocacy Pledge with a simple “Yes!”
You can find Natalie’s candidate statement here, where she says, “I’m fed up with the negative headlines and culture wars waged by extremists who seek to tear us apart. I’ll continue my focus on local results by supporting first responders, ensuring our library and parks are accessible, tackling homelessness, and restoring civility at city hall”.
Email: natalie@nataliemoser4HB.com
You can find Natalie’s website here, where she leads with the tagline, “Energy, Empathy, Engagement”. She also highlights her priorities which include “Staunchly protecting our public libraries and the free access to information they represent”, “Improving accessibility with solutions like the Mobi-Mats on our beaches”, and “Focusing on local issues (not culture wars) and improving residents’ quality of life”.
Natalie Moser was an attendee at the first Pride at the Pier event in Huntington Beach, and talked to the crowd about the responsibility of local government to be inclusive. See her at the right of this photo, in the black shirt, flashing a “Peace” sign.
Moser spoke at this event to the crowd gathered. “In this beautiful place that we call home, we know that love knows no boundaries. It transcends gender, sexual orientation and all of the labels society tries to put upon us. (..) Together, we reaffirm our commitment to fostering a city that welcomes all regardless of who they love or how they identify, where everyone feels safe, respected and celebrated for who they are.”
Natalie has voted consistently in favor of marginalized communities. In 2021, Moser voted with the then-progressive City Council to fly the Pride Flag in Huntington Beach, which unfortunately became the rallying cry of the loud percentage of anti-LGBTQ+ activists in Huntington Beach.
When the City Council leadership changed and brought forth an agenda item to prevent the Pride Flag from being displayed in any capacity by the city, Moser loudly advocated against the exclusionary policy. During the first of 3 meetings where the policy was debated, Moser said, “It makes us look like the city everybody expects us to be. I don’t believe we are that city, I believe we’re better than that”.
When the Council majority members disbanded the city’s Human Relations Committee (the group that worked to end hate crimes and discrimination in the city) and re-wrote the City’s 25-year-old Policy on Human Dignity to completely remove progressive language and insert transphobic dog whistles, Moser fought hard against that, too. She questioned the efficacy of the process wherein then-Mayor Pro Tem Gracey Van Der Mark would be able to write an unbiased, ethical update to the policy, citing the Van Der Mark’s well-documented history of close relationships with Proud Boys and the fact that, prior to being elected, Van Der Mark had a playlist of videos on her Youtube channel labeled “Holocaust Hoax?”.
Moser was censured for this by the conservative majority, but Van Der Mark’s well-documented history of discriminatory behaviors and attitudes towards marginalized communities remains.
When the Huntington Beach City Council majority voted to pass a clearly unenforceable city-wide Forced Outing policy and to authorize a lawsuit against the State over AB 1955, Moser fought that, too.
"I don't know exactly what it means other than we are getting involved in things that we shouldn't be," Moser said. "This is not within the city's jurisdiction. We are going after educators. I don't even know what that means, and ultimately, we are giving the ability for our city attorney to sue the state, which is just crazy."
She also has a track record of calling attention to some of the aspects of the policies and resolutions introduced that negatively impact the LGBTQ+ community. You may have heard us talk about how the current Pride Flag ban in HB prevents librarians from having Pride Month displays in June with little flags - we can state that unequivocally because Moser asked that specific question of Councilmember Pat Burns, who authored the agenda item.
Socials:
On Instagram, she posted a photo from the May 2023 Pride at the Pier event for Pride Month this year, with the caption, “Join me in celebrating and uplifting the LGBTQIA+ community this June. Let’s work together to build a world where everyone is accepted, valued, and loved for who they are. Every person deserves to live without fear of discrimination and harassment. We see you, we support you, and we stand with you”.
She also posted this “Shame” graphic after the City Council majority moved forward with efforts to privatize the HB Library and to modify the selection of books in the library based on culture war ideas, saying, “Stand against censorship and library privatization. Your voice matters.”
On Instagram, she follows:
Pride at the Pier
Regina Blankenhorn (HB City Clerk Candidate)
Rhonda Bolton (HB City Council)
Dan Kalmick (HB City Council)
Friends of the HB Library
Human Rights Campaign OC/LB
Groundswell
Peg Corley (Executive Director of the OC LGBTQ Center)
Protect HB
OC LGBTQ Center
OC Young Dems
Radiant Health (OC LGBTQ Healthcare)
National Women’s Political Caucus OC
Women In Leadership
National Alliance on Mental Illness OC
Citizens Climate Lobby
Congresswoman Katie Porter
Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris
State Senator Tom Umberg
State Senator Dave Min
State Senator Josh Newman
OC Supervisor Katrina Foley
OVSD Trustee Gina Clayton-Tarvin
OC Huddle (this group donated the funds for Pride at the Pier to create the Giant Pride Flag)
Sierra Club
OC League of Conservation Voters
OC Dems
Wave
Women in Leadership
Planned Parenthood
Orange County Labor Federation
Several local teachers’ unions
Teamsters Union 911
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Candidate
Huntington Beach City Council, 3 seats (at large)You can find Marissa’s candidate statement here. In it, she says, “I am endorsed by and serve with Moms for America, and I serve on the Greater Huntington Beach Interfaith Council”.
***Moms For America has been labeled by the Southern Poverty Law Center as an “extremist anti-government organization. Read more about their reasoning behind that designation here.
Email:marissa@jackson4hb.com
Marissa responded with a partial commitment to the City Council Advocacy Pledge and provided us with a very detailed perspective of her views. We are sharing it here in full. She said, “I’m so grateful to be a part of the process to welcome and create a supportive place for all individuals, regardless of our background or identity. Thank you for the opportunity!
After sincere thought and consideration for your position and where you stand in the community, my heart truly goes out to you because I know that many people do not treat you kindly and with respect when they may not agree with some of your beliefs or lifestyle. I can see how this situation can be very frustrating, confusing or heartbreaking, and I believe that you deserve to be treated with kindness and respect, as we all do, even when people disagree. I know that God loves all of us with a love that is very hard to even comprehend in this life! He cares about every intimate detail of our lives and sees us as we are. We are His children.
With that said:
I pledge to have open dialogue with the LGBTQ+ community and engage in respectful dialogue that can help our community and hopefully diffuse contention on either side and treat each other with decency and respect.
I pledge to prioritize safety, dignity and equity for all in our community. I truly believe we are all God’s children and deserve to be treated with respect even if we do not agree on certain issues. We should also have the freedom to live in safety, free from violent acts which should never be tolerated.
As for acknowledging separation of church and state, I understand and agree with, but I cannot pledge to it because I also believe and understand that there should be the freedom to worship God according to our own conscience, and that it is protected under our constitution. Our forefathers did not want government to favor one religion over another and that is one of the main reasons why this country was founded: for the freedom of religion, not the freedom from religion. So I believe if we can all have the opportunity to express our beliefs freely and with dignity and equity, we will be more welcoming and understanding of one another.
I also cannot pledge to inclusive voting choices because I support the people’s voice, according to the special election which was voted on recently in Huntington Beach, to only display the city flag, state flag, some military flags, the American flag and Olympic flag during the Olympics on city property. Most importantly, I believe the American flag is inclusive to all of us and represents all of our freedom. It may show favoritism and could alienate the religious beliefs of those who may not agree with the beliefs represented if other flags were flown. I believe the American flag serves to represent all of us and serves as a reminder to those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom and should be respected and should represent the dignity and equity we all deserve.
I hope my response is helpful and know that I do care about you and am thankful again for the opportunity to participate in and with your community and hope to engage in the good we can do together!
Thank you so much!”
You can find Marissa’s Campaign Website here.
On her website, she says, “I would be honored to serve on City Council and potentially as Mayor as a conservative, patriotic wife and mother of faith who cares about all the residents. I have a vested interest in the safety and security of all our suburban beach community. I believe I can be a voice for virtue, decency, respect and honesty. I love living here and I love the people of Huntington Beach!”
On her platforms page, she leads with “IN GOD WE TRUST”. Some of her platforms include;
FAITH
What are we doing as a community to Trust in God?
Worship God according to your conscience and allow others to do the same.
Build faith in your family and Church.
DEFEND THE SANCTITY OF THE FAMILY
Husband and wife have a sacred role to their relationship and their children, and teach them correct principles.
There are only two genders, male and female.
I truly believe that God cares about the success and happiness of all families, and it is the government's responsibility to uphold and support parental rights and the family unit as the basic unit of society.
We need good father figures present in the home who support their wife and children.
FREE SPEECH AND MORALS
Child pornography is obscenity and is not protected under free speech. We need to make it harder to access it!
We also need to make it harder for children and youth to access any type of pornography, especially online, as it can destroy them and their future family if left unchecked.
Uphold the law that alcohol is illegal for sale and consumption for anyone under age 21.
Discourage use and abuse of alcohol and all mind altering substances among all ages, which are the cause of many crimes and injustices, and the destruction of many families and relationships.
Social Media:
List any accounts you find - ballotpedia is usually a good place to start!
On instagram, this candidate follows:
Bill Essayli (CA Assemblyman and Champion of Forced Outing Policies)
Barbie George (Leader of the local chapter of Moms for America)
California Family Council (anti-LGBTQ group)
Endorsed by:
Moms for America
We weren’t able to determine any other endorsements for Marissa; they aren’t listed on her social media or campaign website, and we didn’t find any in our own searches.
News:
The LA Times covered a candidate forum that Marissa spoke at.
The OC Register asked Marissa a few questions. One of the questions was, “Why would you make a good leader, and how would you represent the diverse communities of your city? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)”
Jackson replied, “I believe that to be a good leader, it takes a person who really cares about the people and has a desire to serve and work alongside them. Huntington Beach is the first place that my family and I have lived where we finally feel truly at home. We love the diversity of our neighbors, who come from so many wonderful and different cultures and backgrounds! I believe it is important to listen to and understand all sides of issues that arise. We need leaders who are willing to talk to each other and try to understand each other before making a judgment. We need kindness, decency and respect even when disagreements arise. We need to find common ground and build on it as we seek compromises that help to address the most important matters. I have been a leader in church, community and school, and effectively worked with many people of varying backgrounds and opinions to achieve results in peaceful and meaningful ways. While raising five children, I know firsthand what the children and families of Huntington Beach care about and need most!”
It seems that Marissa is primarily self-funding her campaign.
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Incumbent
Huntington Beach City Council, 3 seats (at large)Rhonda agreed to the City Council Advocacy Pledge, saying “An absolute YES! Thank you for the work you do to advocate for our LGBTQ+ community members”.
You can find Bolton’s candidate statement here, where she says, “It’s time to end the chaos and mismanagement at City Hall. The City Council should focus on safe streets, fixing projected budget deficits, a healthy local economy, and responding to our residents’ needs”.
You can find Bolton’s campaign website here, where she leads with the words, “Common Sense. Fairness. Voice of Reason”.
Under her “issues” tab, she highlights the battle over the library, listing as one of her priorities: “PROTECT OUR LIBRARIES FROM POLITICAL INTERFERENCE by letting parents decide what their kids can read, not political appointees, and keeping educators and library professionals as our libraries' leaders, not a politically connected corporation”.
Email:caboltons@me.com
When the City Council majority moved in 2023 to pass a policy that effectively bans the Pride Flag from any official displays by the city, Rhonda fought back against the idea that it wasn’t a discriminatory act. “The fact that we have symbols that have a special meaning to certain segments of the community does not mean that other segments of the community are excluded”.After anti-semitic and anti-LGBTQ+ pamphlets were littered around Huntington Beach neighborhoods in June of 2023, Rhonda worked alongside Councilmembers Kalmick and Moser to introduce an agenda item for the council to pass a resolution that said, “The City Council of the city of Huntington Beach denounces antisemitism, white supremacy and anti-LGBTQ hate”. Unfortunately, this agenda item did not pass due to the votes of the majority board.
When the Council majority voted to pass a complete rewrite of the city’s Policy on Human Dignity, Bolton pushed back on Councilmember Burns’ suggestion that the previous statement, (which spelled out the demographics who are often targeted by bigotry and discrimination) was somehow more divisive and “identity politics”. Burns suggested that we should all be content to be under a single umbrella, and Bolton replied, “We are not all under the same umbrella because you do not ever have to worry about being pulled over for driving while Black or being killed because you’re Black, being shot at your synagogue. As much as I’d like to say, yes, we’re all under the same umbrella, we’re not there yet.”
In June of 2024, Pride at the Pier was in attendance at the second City Council meeting of the month, and offered all seven council members, as well as the City Manager and City Attorney, small Pride Flags. Bolton, along with Kalmick and Moser, accepted them and placed them in full view at their space on the dais.
Councilmember Burns took issue with this, saying that they were ‘flaunting and poking the citizens of the city in the eye’ by displaying the flag, claiming it violated the Pride Flag ban. Rhonda Bolton replied, “I believe it is my First Amendment right to have this flag up here. This is my individual statement, this is my individual speech, I don’t treat it like it’s speech on behalf of the city, I’m not going to abuse the city’s processes in that way. This is my individual statement”.
On her website, she has a number of blog articles, including “A Ban By Any Other Name Still Stinks”, where she says, “Censorship proponents say they simply want to “protect children.” Choosing what our children read is the job of parents and professional educators, not political appointees who are chosen to score points with a narrow constituency. We all want to protect children. The First Amendment simply requires that we do so in a way that places parents, not the government, in the role of deciding what their own children read”.
In another article, she says, “The United States Supreme Court has repeatedly explained that public libraries are a pillar of the intellectual freedom guaranteed to us by the First Amendment of our nation’s Constitution. Therefore, politicians cannot restrict or control libraries’ content "simply because they dislike the ideas contained in those books and seek by their removal to `prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion.’”, referencing 1982 U.S. Supreme Court case Island Trees Union Free School District v. Pico.
Bolton, who has built a career in civil law, references court cases and legal doctrine frequently in her work on the council, due to what seems to be the council majority’s consistent intention to use the City Attorney’s office as a tool for political movement.
Socials:
Personal Instagram (no posts)
Across both instagram accounts, Bolton follows;
OC Young Dems
Natalie Moser
Dan Kalmick
Pride at the Pier
Lavender Dems
Protect HB
Regina Blankenhorn (City Clerk Candidate)
HB Banned Book Story Time
Peg Corley (Executive Director of the OC LGBTQ Center)
WAVE
Black Women’s Collective
Parks Matter
Planned Parenthood
SoCal for Harris
Friends of the HB Library
Kamala Harris
Endorsements: (Rhonda’s endorsements page focuses on organizations, rather than political figures, but we have included some here that we know she’s received)
Congresswoman Katie Porter
State Senator Dave Min
OC Employees Association
Orange County Register
Huntington Beach Police Officers’ Association
Teamsters Joint Council 42
American Federation of Labor 4
West Orange County United Teachers
National Union of Healthcare Workers
Sierra Club
Women in Leadership
Planned Parenthood
Orange County League of Conservation Voters
WAVE
Orange County Labor Federation
OC Young Democrats
Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs
Western States Carpenters Union
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Candidate
Huntington Beach City Council, 3 seats (at large)You can find Don’s candidate statement here. In it, he says, “Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark supports me because she knows I’ll always stand up for family values”.
Email:Don@Kennedy4HB.com
Campaign Website:https://www.kennedy4hb.com/home
On his main page, he says, “Things are changing here in HB, some for the better and some things that need changing. It's these reasons that I want to represent the citizens of Huntington Beach as a Council Member. I will use my decades of executive leadership in business and my genuine love of HB to strategically help guide our city”.
Social Media:
Twitter:
Don has been particularly active on social media over the years.
In one HB Community Page, he shared a campaign ad with the caption, “Leave it to Kalmick to oppose “Parental Notifications”. He’s wrong for kids | He’s wrong for parents | He’s WRONG for HB!! Listen to him parrot his “Buzz word” like a liberal puppet”.
*We are not able to share images in this format, but feel free to reach out if you are looking for the screenshots of the instances we discuss below.
He referred to Councilmember Rhonda Bolton, who was appointed after Tito Ortiz resigned in 2021, as “Bolt On”, and stated that the way she expresses her lived experience as a black woman is a form of prejudice (presumably against white people, although he didn’t explain his comments).
He said, in a 2023 comment thread, “Those who control the textbooks control the future. Young parents and actually all parents need to be vigilant regarding the curriculums being administered to our youth !”
He shared a picture of Councilmember Dan Kalmick wearing a mask during an upswing of COVID infections, captioning it, “The embarrassing Tiny Danny… THE MASKED” with thumbs down emojis.
He shared a cropped photo of Councilmember Natalie Moser smiling and holding a sign at a civil rights demonstration (taken several years before her time on the council), placing it next to a drawing of a ghoulish, smiling pumpkin.
Don, along with Chad Williams and Butch Twining, held a campaign event at Basilico’s, an Italian restaurant in South HB that is known for making its white nationalist, far-right, anti-LGBTQ politics the main course. One of their latest posts on instagram reads: “ATTENTION DONALD TRUMP: | STOP PREACHING UNITY, BEFORE IT GETS YOU KILLED. | THEY WILL FOREVER BE OUR ENEMIES, AND ONLY UNDERSTAND STRENGTH. | SO STOP TRYING TO MAKE FRIENDS, AND INSTEAD DECLARE UNCONDITIONAL.WAR ON THE LEFT AND THEIR SUPPORTERS. | DON'T GET SOFT. GET REVENGE! | UPON BEING SWORN IN AS PRESIDENT, ARREST BIDEN, KAMALA, ALL OF THEM, INCLUDING THAT BIT** TAYLOR AND HER VAX PUSHING BOYFRIEND. | AND AS FOR MY FELLOW PATRIOTS, DEMAND IT. | YOU'RE AMERICANS. ACT LIKE IT!”
Don, in a post about this campaign event on a local community forum, said of the author of the above call to violence “Special thanks to Tony Roman, a true Patriot who loves America and is the proprietor of Basilico’s. A place for conversation, great food and good times”.
He shared a video from Bill Maher, who is well-known for his significant transphobia and islamophobia, about “wokeness and child indoctrination”, captioning it “Posting this because of the relevancy of what HB is confronting right now. Reasonable residents and parents are asking for some basic protections for our youth when it comes to books. No Ban - just moving to age appropriate sections….. that’s it.
As a candidate, Don Kennedy For HB City Council, my goal is to earn the votes of those in the middle, the “no party preference” and “Independent” voters as well as the conservatives who want good judgement in their representatives and feel that the far left candidates simply don’t offer this option. Those far left candidates are vehemently fighting and are “all-in” against our residents desires to protect our youth from this indoctrination. Watch Bill Maher, a very well known liberal speak the truth on this topic as he calls out the dangers”.
Don was also heavily involved in the failed campaign to recall several of the City Councilmembers prior to the election in 2022 that flipped the board to a far-right majority.
On instagram, this candidate follows:
Savannah Finch Souter (anti-reproductive rights activist)
Lincoln Club of OC (far-right political organization)
Unwokeism (far-right meme page)
On his instagram, Don has shared many posts that brand the slate he’s running on as “The Maga 3”, or “Conservative Fighters”.
Endorsed by:
Don’s campaign website does not have this listed, but we can confirm he’s endorsed by the following:
Tony Strickland
Casey McKeon
Calvary Chapel at Huntington Harbor
The Lincoln Club
OC GOP
News:
The OC Register asked Don Kennedy some questions. See his answers here
Huntington Beach City Council candidates share vision of city’s economic future at chamber forum
The Washington Post examined the future of HB here.
The OC Register examined the power balance in HB here.
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As of the end of June, Don had raised nearly $65,000 in campaign contributions.
He listed among his expenditures Lysa Ray Campaign Services - and Lysa Ray is his campaign treasurer. Lysa Ray has also worked on a number of extremist campaigns over the years, including the unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign for Travis Allen, who is considered to be "California's Trump." He has used the slogans "Take Back California" and "Make California Great Again" for his campaign. She also was the campaign treasurer for OC District Attorney Todd Spitzer, and was involved in a minor campaign finance controversy, where she took the blame for incorrectly filed financial information. And perhaps most importantly, Lysa Ray, who was compensated as a campaign strategist for this campaign, served as County Supervisor Andrew Do’s treasurer during the events that led to his current downfall and FBI investigation for financial corruption.
Since Don is running on a slate with Butch Twining and Chad Williams, we examined their campaign finances to discover who is being paid for their slate campaign signage. That seems to be covered by Butch Twining’s campaign, which lists among his expenditures Tabula Rasa Enterprises, an LLC in San Francisco, who he’s attributed his campaign paraphernalia to. Many of the far-right campaigns in Huntington Beach over the last two years have paid Tabula Rasa for their signage and campaign literature. Tabula Rasa’s manager, according to their statement of information with the CA Secretary of State, is John Cancilla. John Cancilla is the CFO for Code Four, the company that operates the Pacific Airshow that there’s been so much scandal and controversy over the city’s settlement to.
He’s also contributed a significant amount of money on his own to other campaigns in HB, including Lisa Lanes Barnes, who is running for City Clerk in a rather contentious race. -
Incumbent
Huntington Beach City Council, 3 seats (at large)Dan agreed to take the City Council Advocacy Pledge, saying “Sounds good to me”.
Candidate Statement:
You can find Dan’s candidate statement here. In it, he says, “My record includes fighting to:
Maintain safe neighborhoods and ensure fast emergency response times.
Reduce homelessness by investing in mental health outreach and care.
Support HB libraries and strongly oppose the effort to privatize them.
Protect our environment and ensure clean air and water.
Promote transparency at City Hall and root out corruption”
Email:dan@dankalmick.com
You can find Dan’s campaign website here. On the main page, it says of his background, “Dan’s long record of community service includes serving as a reserve firefighter with the O.C Fire Authority, Chair of Huntington Beach Planning Commission, President of the Bolsa Chica Land Trust, Vice-Chair of the O.C. Transportation Authority Citizens Advisory Committee, and a longtime volunteer at the HB Senior Center”.
Under Issues, he lists a number of things, including;
SUPPORT HB LIBRARIES and oppose any effort to privatize them or reduce programs.
ENSURE TRANSPARENCY at City Hall and go after corruption and the misuse of tax dollars.
ENSURE TRANSPARENCY at City Hall and go after corruption and the misuse of tax dollars.
Social Media:
On instagram, this candidate follows:
On his instagram, he posted a joint statement with councilmembers Rhonda Bolton and Natalie Moser, calling for the resignation of OC Supervisor Andrew Do, who is under investigation from the FBI for alleged financial crimes and misuse of his elected office.
On Twitter, this candidate follows:
On his twitter account, he tweeted about AB 1825, a law he lobbied for that prevents cities from banning books from public libraries on the basis of subjective standards, especially around race or LGBTQ content. He said, “As of January first, Cities including Charter Cities will not be able to remove or preclude books based on subjective standards. This will protect our library in Huntington Beach. Thank you @AMuratsuchi for your leadership!”
He also tweeted to confirm that he voted against the controversial Pacific Airshow settlement.
After city council candidate Chad Williams insinuated during a city council meeting that Dan Kalmick was a pedophile for saying that he’d read a Japanese cultural heritage book about bath houses to his young children, Dan pushed back - in a tweet, he shared the video of his public comments about Williams’ slanderous statements, and captioned it, “I came down from the dais to the podium in to discuss the accusations by another Council candidate. We need folks who can govern, not attack others and their family. I'm running for re-election to get back to governing, not hate on the LGBTQ+ community and not to ban books”.
Endorsed by:
Democratic Foundation of Orange County
DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF ORANGE COUNTY
314 Action Fund
Honor PAC
Huntington Beach Elementary Teachers Association
HUNTINGTON BEACH TOMORROW
Huntington Beach Union High School District Educators Association
Ocean View Teachers Association
ORANGE COUNTY LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS
Orange County Register
Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties
Sierra Club
Women for American Values and Ethics (WAVE)
West Orange County United Teachers
Huntington Beach Police Officers Association
Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs
WORKING FAMILIES PARTY
TEAMSTERS JOINT COUNCIL 42
TEAMSTERS LOCAL 911
Carpenters Local 714
IBEW
Labors 652
Los Angeles/Orange Counties Building and Construction Trades Council
NAIOP, Commercial Real Estate Development Association
Operating Engineers Local 12
Orange County Employees Association
Ironworkers Local 433
Ironworkers Local 416
UCFW 324
United Union of Roofers, Waterproofers and allied workers
Pipefitters 250
CONGRESSMEMBER KATIE PORTER
ASSEMBLYMEMBER COTTIE PETRIE-NORRIS
STATE SENATOR TOM UMBERG
STATE SENATOR DAVE MIN
STATE SENATOR JOSH NEWMAN
ORANGE COUNTY SUPERVISOR KATRINA FOLEY
OCEANVIEW SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARD TRUSTEE GINA CLAYTON-TARVIN
COAST COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT TRUSTEE DR. LORRAINE PRINSKY
HUNTINGTON BEACH UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARDMEMBER BONNIE CASTREY
HUNTINGTON BEACH UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT BOARDMEMBER DIANA CAREY
FORMER HB MAYOR JILL HARDY
FORMER HB MAYOR KIM CARR
FORMER HB MAYOR DEBBIE COOK
FORMER HB MAYOR CONNIE BOARDMAN
FORMER HB MAYOR KEITH BOHR
FORMER HB MAYOR AND FORMER CALIFORNIA COASTAL COMMISSIONER SHIRLEY DETTLOFF
FORMER HB MAYOR GRACE WINCHELL
FORMER HB MAYOR VIC LEIPZIG
FORMER HB COUNCILMEMBER JOE SHAW
SEAL BEACH COUNCILMEMBER JOE KALMICK
FORMER WESTMINSTER COUNCILMEMBER SERGIO CONTRERAS
COSTA MESA MAYOR JOHN STEPHENS
COSTA MESA COUNCILMEMBER ARLIS REYNOLDS
COSTA MESA COUNCILMEMBER ANDREA MARR
COSTA MESA COUNCILMEMBER MANUEL CHAVEZ
News:
Dan spoke out against the Pride Flag Ban in early 2023. He challenged the assertion from the council majority that this had nothing to do with the LGBTQ community. As the Daily Pilot records, “Although Burns’ proposal did not specifically mention the pride flag, Councilmember Dan Kalmick said it clearly targeted the flag that represents “a group of folks who have been marginalized throughout history. (...) If you don’t want to fly the pride flag, let’s come out and say it,” said Kalmick, who voted in the minority against the measure.”
The LAist documented him speaking about the policy, ““What it actually did — which was to stop the Pride flag from being flown in in June — is something that's absolutely discouraging and frightening for our folks in the LGBTQ community that live in town and come and visit and recreate in our town”.
In a Cal Matters article about the harsh swing in the city council over the last two years, they quoted him; “It’s a banana republic down here,” said Dan Kalmick, one of three Democrats on the city council who regularly oppose the conservative majority. “This isn’t Republicanism. This is nihilism.”
Dan voted against policies that lay the groundwork for book banning in the HB Library, which is run by the city and is outside of the OC Library system.
Kalmick also voted against dismantling the city’s Mobile Home Park Advisory board, even suggesting alternatives to dismantling it that the conservative majority would compromise with. Per the Voice of OC, “Councilman Dan Kalmick suggested instead changing the board to an advisory committee for “attainable housing,” that would focus on mobile homes, apartments and other options to help “bring down the cost of housing. (...) It would be kind of a catch all for the folks that come down here, they’d have a clearinghouse to voice their concerns,” Kalmick said. “We could repurpose this committee to cover housing as a whole.”
Kalmick also voted against the wholesale rewrite of the city’s 25 year old Policy on Human Dignity, which was rewritten by Gracey Van Der Mark, Casey McKeon, and Pat Burns to remove all references to marginalized communities and replace them with anti-LGBTQ+ dog whistles. On the same note, he voted against the censure of Councilwoman Moser - who was being censured for calling out then-Mayor Pro Tem Van Der Mark’s controversial history of questioning the validity of the Holocaust. Kalmick, who is Jewish, supported Moser in her decision to question if someone who is affiliated with such views could responsibly rewrite the Policy on Human Dignity.
Kalmick also voted against a recent city-wide Forced Outing Policy, which was partnered with legal language that allows the City Attorney’s office to sue the state over AB 1955 on behalf of individual citizens, regardless of whether they live in HB or not. The LA Times reports, “Kalmick called the ordinance “ridiculous and not in our wheelhouse. (...) We need to be working on our budget, we need to be working on recruitment of executive staff, recruitment of a city manager, not trying to solve, again, solutions to problems that don’t exist ... I haven’t had a single parent write in and say, ‘We have a problem and need you to solve it,’” Kalmick said.
As of September 21, 2024, Kalmick had raised $145,769.68, all of which was in monetary donations (no loans).
One of his largest donors is the California Teamsters Public Affairs Council, Public Affairs Fund. The Teamsters have been very involved in the re-election campaign for Kalmick, Moser, and Bolton, as they feel that these incumbents are the best defense for the public workers within the city. Many of the policies that these incumbents within the council minority have been voting against are targeting public employees - HB has been losing career employees at a staggering rate.
A majority of the donations Kalmick has received have been less than $500 and from constituents within HB.
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Candidate
Huntington Beach City Council, 3 seats (at large)You can find Chad’s campaign statement here. In it, he says, “With a proven track record of service, leadership, and a willingness to fight for righteousness, my commitment to Huntington Beach is unwavering”.
Email:Chad@chad4HB.com
You can find Chad’s Campaign Website here.
He lists as his top priorities:
Fighting High Density
Fighting Homelessness
Fighting for Local Control
Fighting for the “Safest City”
Chad is a youth pastor at Calvary Chapel at Huntington Harbor. In a recent sermon labeled ‘Government God’s Way’, Calvary Chapel HH lead pastor, Joe Pedick, had this to say, ‘Every person that gets voted in, they’re gonna be flawed people, but - are they evil? And I believe we’re living in such a day where we’re dealing with evil, okay? Evil agendas, when you are mutilating our kids, that’s evil. When you’re bringing, uh, gender confusion to our kids, that’s evil. When you’re killing babies up to the day of birth, that’s evil”.
Social Media:
On Twitter, this candidate follows:
Greg Laurie (Christian Nationalist Evangelical)
Ray Comfort (Christian Nationalist Evangelical)
Tucker Carlson (Far-Right, anti-LGBTQ commentator)
Andy Ngo (far-right, anti-trans activist)
Seth Gruber (far-right activist, anti-lgbt and founder of the anti-abortion White Rose Resistance)
On instagram, this candidate follows:
Real Impact (Calvary Chapel’s political wing)
Beach Cities Community Church (this post is with anti-trans activist Abigail Shrier)
Jack Hibbs (Pastor at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills)
Chad posted an American flag on instagram, with the words, “This is my Pride Flag”.
Public Comments:
At the April 16th, 2024 City Council meeting at the 1:04:45 mark, Chad speaks about an illustrated children’s book called “The Big Bath House”, which is about Japanese bath-houses. Chad calls it “a pedophile’s dream come true”, calling it “child sexual exploitation” - despite the fact that no children, illustrated or otherwise, are shown nude in the book. He then looped in the transgender community, despite the fact that no transgender people seem to appear in the book - his concern was that the author of the book expressed a desire for acceptance of all body types, including transgender bodies. He said, “ - and there it is, the quiet part out loud. She hopes thing become more hospitable towards fully nude biological men bathing naked with naked little girls. Let that sink in.” He then referenced the satire video by the San Francisco Gay Men’s Choir, “(they say) ‘We’ll convert your children, happens bit by bit”. He leaves out the important detail that the video was mocking people who thought the queer community was trying to make kids queer, and that the lyrics continue - “We'll convert your children. We'll make them tolerant, and fair”.
He then, after calling this book a “pedophiles’ dream come true” references a statement made by Dan Kalmick, who was expressing how absurd Chad’s suggestions about the book, “(Dan) said, ‘I would absolutely read that with my four year old’. You folks vote for me in November, and I will join this team to fight to protect our kids, and let’s send the likes of Dan Kalmick packing to read whatever he wants, or do whatever he wants, with his”.
Kalmick, along with a considerable amount of meeting attendees, felt that Williams was insinuating that Kalmick was being inappropriate with his children, and associating him with claims of pedophilia. This insinuation would be criminal - regardless of Kalmick’s status as a public figure, casual suggestions that he participates in criminal activity with his children is not legal for Williams to make. Kalmick sent Williams a cease-and-desist letter demanding he retract the statement, to which Williams claimed this was a “lawfair” attack upon a number of occasions.
Williams posted about this on instagram, saying, “Truth is on my side. I am taking a stand for righteousness and charging onto the frontlines of the battlefield”.
Noteworthy:
During a February campaign event for the Measures A, B, and C campaign (during which Chad was also campaigning as a City Council candidate), Chad called the LGBTQ+ community an “abomination”. When asked at a later date to defend his words, he said, “I stand by everything I said there. Spread it around”.
Chad is the only city council candidate who declined to sign the voluntary code of fair campaign practices during this election.
Chad has a history of islamophobia. While talking about the Paris terror attacks on Fox News, he said of the attacks, “It shows, really, that this is the real face of Islam that we need to be aware of. We shouldn’t be so optimistic about Islam in America, Islam is, by definition, uh, from Arabic to English, it is submission. These guys are bent on submission”.
Chad also called his political opponents a “deranged cabal”, saying “God will judge you”.
Endorsed by:
Jack Hibbs (far-right, anti-LGBTQ pastor at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills)
OC GOP
Lincoln Club
*** Chad Williams is running on a slate with Don Kennedy, Butch Twining, and Lisa Lane Barnes (who is running for city clerk), as well as campaigning with OVSD candidates Keith Jorgensen and David Clifford.
Chad, along with Butch Twining and Don Kennedy, held a campaign event at Basilico’s, an Italian restaurant in South HB that is known for making its white nationalist, far-right, anti-LGBTQ politics the main course. One of their latest posts on instagram reads: “ATTENTION DONALD TRUMP: | STOP PREACHING UNITY, BEFORE IT GETS YOU KILLED. | THEY WILL FOREVER BE OUR ENEMIES, AND ONLY UNDERSTAND STRENGTH. | SO STOP TRYING TO MAKE FRIENDS, AND INSTEAD DECLARE UNCONDITIONAL.WAR ON THE LEFT AND THEIR SUPPORTERS. | DON'T GET SOFT. GET REVENGE! | UPON BEING SWORN IN AS PRESIDENT, ARREST BIDEN, KAMALA, ALL OF THEM, INCLUDING THAT BIT** TAYLOR AND HER VAX PUSHING BOYFRIEND. | AND AS FOR MY FELLOW PATRIOTS, DEMAND IT. | YOU'RE AMERICANS. ACT LIKE IT!”
News:
The Voice of OC covered a HB City Council meeting where the council was voting on a resolution to stand with Texas over their dispute with the Federal government regarding the border. They quoted Chad;““As we speak right now on the southern border, there is an invasion taking place,” said candidate Chad Williams. “If you three won’t sign it, I know three people who will … we have an opportunity to rescue the nation in November, to rescue this city. It’s going to be 7-0 and you three have got to go!””
The OC Register asked Chad some questions. Among his answers, he said, “We the people of Huntington Beach don’t want to LA our Huntington Beach”.
His assistance treasurer is Jen Slater, who also worked on the 2022 City Council Campaign of Tony Strickland.
As of his 9/21/2024 campaign finance filing, Chad had raised nearly $250,000 in campaign donations, a significant percentage of which came from out of state donors. When questioned on it, Chad brushed off concerns by saying that he has lots of friends around the country.
Since Chad is running on a slate with Butch Twining and Don Kennedy, we examined their campaign finances to discover who is being paid for their slate campaign signage. That seems to be covered by Butch Twining’s campaign, which lists among his expenditures Tabula Rasa Enterprises, an LLC in San Francisco, who he’s attributed his campaign paraphernalia to. Many of the far-right campaigns in Huntington Beach over the last two years have paid Tabula Rasa for their signage and campaign literature. Tabula Rasa’s manager, according to their statement of information with the CA Secretary of State, is John Cancilla. John Cancilla is the CFO for Code Four, the company that operates the Pacific Airshow that there’s been so much scandal and controversy over the city’s settlement to.
City Council Race
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Candidate
Huntington Beach City Council, 3 seats (at large)
You can find Regina’s candidate statement here. In it, she says, “Currently working in local government, I directly support a City Council with daily communications and assist residents and businesses to ensure that all policies and procedures are properly followed. (...) I will passionately foster a transparent, neutral, and responsive local government. I ask for your vote to make this vision a reality. Together, we can safeguard your right to have a voice and participate in your local government”.
Regina Agreed to take the Pride at the Pier Do No Harm Pledge, saying, “Well, this is a hard YES! So proud to support and give my Do No Harm Pledge.”
Campaign Website:https://regina4hbclerk.com/
On her campaign website, Regina says, “The role of the City Clerk extends far beyond the City Council meetings. It encompasses the critical internal workings of City Hall, where adherence to legal processes and the accessibility of public records are paramount. I currently work in local government, where I directly support the Tustin City Council with daily communications, assist residents and businesses, and ensure that all policies and procedures are followed with integrity. I know city government!”
Regina, who would be responsible for running elections in HB if elected, also has a page on her campaign website with Voting Information and resources.
This city clerk race has been filled with a lot of high tensions. After the anti-LGBTQ+ HB City Attorney Michael Gates shared a post on his social media that spread heavy misinformation about Regina Blankenhorn and called her a ‘Deep State’ candidate, current city clerk Robin Estanislau (who is stepping down) spoke up during public comments in a recent city council meeting to correct the record and call out Gates’ disregard of the campaign ethics policy he signed. See her full comments here.
Social Media:
According to her Linkedin, Blankenhorn started her municipal career as an assistant to the City Clerk and City Manager’s offices in San Juan Capistrano in 1990.
On instagram, this candidate follows 22 accounts, including:
Rhonda Bolton (HB City Councilmember)
Natalie Moser (HB City Councilmember)
Melissa D. (Original Member of Pride at the Pier)
Protect HB (This local group largely funded the creation of our Giant Pride Flag)
Gina Clayton-Tarvin (OVSD Trustee)
Letitia Clark (Tustin City Councilmember)
Endorsed by:
Robin Estanislau, current HB City Clerk
Joan L. Flynn, former HB City Clerk (2004-2016)
Anne Marie McKay, current Laguna Beach City Clerk
WAVE
OC Dems
Women in Leadership
Orange County Labor Federation
Ironworkers Local 433
UFCW Local 324
Planned Parenthood
News:
The Daily Pilot covered this city clerk race. Read the article here.
Follow the Money:
According to the Surf City Sentinel, Regina recently donated $24,000 of her own money to her campaign, after the 9.21.2024 filing date.
As of 9.21.2024, Blankenhorn had raised $14,923.00.
$300 came from the Democratic Club of West Orange County
$400 came from Laguna Beach Democratic Club
A considerable number of small donations came from individuals who have also donated to Pride at the Pier.
$3,000 came from the Women In Leadership PAC.
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Candidate
Huntington Beach City Clerk
Email: LisaLane4HBClerk@gmail.com
You can find Lisa’s campaign website here. She leads with the main priority of her campaign, “Experienced Leader Committed To Implementing Voter ID”.
She uses a lot of “buzz words” in her “about me”, but doesn’t give a lot of information about her actual professional background for us to review. “My skill set is a tapestry of valuable attributes that align seamlessly with the responsibilities of a City Clerk. From management and strategic partnerships to analytical acumen, cross-functional team leadership, negotiation finesse, public relations, and effective coordination, I bring a wealth of business experience”.
Under ‘Professional Journey”, she references a career with a global chemical manufacturer without providing insight on what role she had within that company. According to her Linkedin, she worked in the sales department for a company called Diversey, which makes cleaning and hygiene products.
Barnes left her role at Diversey in 2023 and has worked as a realtor since then.
You can find Lisa’s campaign statement here. In it, she says, “My background as an accomplished business professional equips me with the necessary skills for this critical role. Throughout my career, I’ve driven operational excellence within a global organization, honing my organizational abilities and attention to detail. These transferable skills seamlessly align with the responsibilities of the City Clerk”.
Social Media:
On instagram, this candidate follows:
Epoch Times (Conservative News, ran by the cult Falun Gong)
Keith Jorgensen (OVSD candidate who ran campaign lit about “crazy woke people”)
David Clifford (OVSD candidate who ran campaign lit about “crazy woke people”)
Savannah Finch (anti-choice influencer)
Don Kennedy, (Candidate for HB City Council who has said he will “protect our youth from indoctrination”)
Gracey Van Der Mark, (HB Mayor and anti-LGBTQ activist_)
Ed Laird (Huntington Beach conservative Kingmaker)
Leadership Institute (far-right political training organization)
Candace Owens (Far-Right influencer)
James O’Keefe (Far-Right influencer)
Rogan O’Handley (Far-Right influencer)
The Babylon Bee (Far-Right “satire” meme page)
Charlie Kirk (Far-Right influencer, founder of anti-LGBTQ Turning Point USA)
*** At this point, we were only a little ways into Lisa’s following list - it continued far beyond this point, but we feel you get the point.
Endorsed by:
Gracey Van Der Mark, HB Mayor
Pat Burns, HB Mayor Pro-Tem
Tony Strickland, HB Councilmember
Casey McKeon, HB Councilmember
Janet Nguyen, CA State Legislator (R)
Michael Gates, HB City Attorney
Scott Baugh, Candidate for Congress (R)
Tim Shaw, OC Board of Education Trustee
Diane Dixon, CA State Assemblywoman (R)
OC GOP
Huntington Beach Republican Women
OC Young Republicans
Calvary Chapel of Huntington Harbor
Jack Hibbs, Christian Nationalist Pastor, Founder of Real Impact
***These endorsements all come from people or organizations who have openly opposed LGBTQ+ equity.
Barnes is running on a slate with the other Calvary Chapel endorsed candidates;
Chad Williams, HB City Council candidate
Don Kennedy, HB City Council candidate
Butch Twining, HB City Council candidate
Keith Jorgensen, OVSD candidate
David Clifford, OVSD candidate
Pano Frousiakis, Municipal Water District candidate
News:
The Daily Pilot covered the HB City Clerk race here.
Follow the Money:
As of 9.21.2024, Barnes had raised $40,125.74 for her campaign.
Nearly $17,000 of that was of her own money.
HB Mayor Pro Tem Pat Burns donated $400.
Huntington Beach Republican Women PAC donated $1,047.64
Russell Neal, local anti-LGBTQ activist, donated $200.
City Clerk
Huntington Beach Union High School District
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Candidate for Huntington Beach Union High School District 3
Henry has been endorsed by the Orange Coast Huddle, a left-leaning political organization that donated a few hundred dollars to Pride at the Pier in early 2023 so we could afford the fabric for the Giant Pride Flag.
Susan has been on the HBUHSD board since 2000. Is a director and member of the California School Boards Association
Susan was interviewed by the California School Boards Association in 2017. The author asked about what inspired her to run for office back in 2000, and said “There had been a contentious textbook selection process for the adoption of a health class textbook. It had wound up in the boardroom and in the newspapers and had been sent back with orders to form a new committee and look for a new book. I served on the second committee and got quite an education on the politics of education policy. I witnessed firsthand the challenges and pressures outside groups can exert on districts. We had to settle for a textbook that, in my opinion, was second rate and a disservice to our students. I suppose that would be when I decided to run for school board.”
While the campaign committee to re-elect Susan Henry has not yet uploaded their campaign finance filings for the period between July and September, as of the end of June they had not raised any money - after 24 years in office, it’s possible that the campaign finances for an incumbent school board reelection campaign are relatively minor.
In June of 2023, extremist anti-LGBTQ+ activists descended upon a HBUHSD board meeting to push for a teacher at Edison High School to be fired after a video went viral of a student-created video news program being shown in her classroom that included references to Pride month and two women touching foreheads together in an emotionally intimate way. Trustee Henry and her colleagues did not punish this teacher in any way, despite angry chants from the attendees that the board should be fired for their inaction as well.
In a city as divided over LGBTQ+ issues as Huntington Beach, Susan Henry seems to steer clear of making her stance clear, but has not been antagonistic to the community in any way that we could tell.
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Huntington Beach Union High School District Area 3
Leeann Corral has not reported any campaign finances so we cannot advise who is financially supporting her campaign.
Leeann does not have a social media presence that we could find, but you can find her website here:
In her website, she focuses on:
Excellence in Leadership
Fiscal Responsibility
Focus on Educational Outcomes
Enabling a Collaborative Environment.
She lists her instagram account on her website, @Corral4cschboard, but it doesn’t link through so we cannot tell you who she follows on social media.
Endorsed by Reform California, a far right, anti-LGBTQ+ political organization
The OC Register asked Leeann a few questions. Among those, they asked, “California has a new law, set to go into effect in 2025, that prohibits districts from enforcing what’s been called parental notification policies, rules for school employees to contact parents if their child may be changing their gender identity. What do you see as the role of parents in education? Is there a limitation? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)”
Corral replied, “Parents play a crucial role in education by providing support, reinforcing learning at home and fostering a positive attitude towards school. They are partners with educators in creating a nurturing environment that enhances student development. The involvement of parents helps ensure that students are supported academically, socially, and emotionally.
With the new laws effective in 2025, which include provisions about notifying parents regarding their child’s potential gender identity changes, it is important to address these issues within a broader context. While these laws focus specifically on gender identity, the broader goal should be to promote comprehensive mental wellness and prepare students to thrive as healthy, happy learners and citizens.
A balanced approach should include open communication between schools and families on all aspects of a child’s well-being, ensuring that students receive the support they need across various areas of their development. By focusing on holistic support, schools can work together with parents to address students’ needs in a way that respects their individuality and fosters a positive educational experience”.
Fountain Valley School District
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Candidate for Fountain Valley USD
No apparent LGBTQ red flags
Tran doesn’t seem to have a Facebook Profile or Instagram, but here’s a post from the FVEA (Fountain Valley Education Assocation), endorsing him:
Tran has been a school administrator / assistant principal for 20 years
Nancy’s Picks (a conservative-leaning voter guide) recommends to vote for Tran’s opponent, Ashely Ramirez:
“Recommendation:
1.ASHLEY RAMIREZ (R)
2.No 2nd Recommendation”
https://www.nancyspicks.com/vote-picks
Tran has not reported any campaign donations so far.
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Candidate for Fountain Valley USD
No apparent LGBTQ red flags
Nancy’s Picks (a conservative-leaning voter guide) weakly recommends to vote for Ramirez:
“Recommendation:
1.ASHLEY RAMIREZ (R)
2.No 2nd Recommendation”
https://www.nancyspicks.com/vote-picks
Endorsed by Reform California, a far-right, anti-LGBTQ+ organization.
Worked in education for over 15 years.
https://www.ashley4fvsd.com/meet-ashley
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashnrami
Instagram (empty, but here’s her profile): https://www.instagram.com/ashley4fvsd/
Ramirez’s Campaign Page: https://www.ashley4fvsd.com/
Ramirez’s campaign has raised $4,177.50 so far this year. Much of that comes from an ‘Andre Ramirez’, who may be a spouse or a family member. We don’t recognize any of the other donors as conspicuous red flags.
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Candidate for Fountain Valley USD
No apparent LGBTQ red flags
Nancy’s Picks (a conservative-leaning voter guide) doesn’t mention Schultz at all.
Schultz doesn’t seem to have a Facebook or Instagram presence.
Schultz’s YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@steveschultz359
Schultz’s Campaign Video for the 2020 School Board Election:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOPRUau3hfI.
He says in the description of this video; ““I didn’t get into teaching because I loved school. I became a teacher to make school a more loving and enlightening place.” - Steve Schultz”
Current board member – Bio from FVSD’s Trustees Page:
“Steve Schultz is the first former student of FVSD to become a school board trustee and the youngest ever to be elected to this office. Mr. Schultz is an educator at Fountain Valley High School, where the students have twice voted him Teacher of the Year. The students also voted him Staff Member of the Month, and the Teachers of HBUHSD gave him the WHO Award for his leadership contributions to improving the entire Huntington Union High School District.
For eleven years, Steve Schultz wrote a monthly magazine column on leadership, education, and being a more loving neighbor published in Fountain Valley Living magazine. His writing has been used by police and fire departments to train their officers in churches, hospitals, businesses, and various organizations. His ideas on better ways to educate have been published nationally in Educational Leadership Magazine, the books A+ Teaching and Hey Leader: Wake Up and Hear the Feedback, and his essays have been published nationally ten times in Chicken Soup for the Soul book series. Mr. Schultz earned his bachelor’s degree from Cal State Long Beach and two teaching credentials, and he earned his Master’s degree in Leadership Administration Coaching from Concordia University.”
Steven Shultz has not reported any campaign donations to the OC Registrar of Voters for this election, but he also seems to have submitted its campaign finance filings late for the election for the election 4 years ago - so we can’t say whether or not he has not raised any money, or if he just hasn’t filed them on time again.
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Incumbent candidate for OVSD (at large elections)
Email: ginaclaytontarvin@gmail.com
Gina agreed to take the School Board Advocacy Pledge, saying, “I am honored to take the pledge!”
Campaign Website: https://www.ginaclaytontarvin.com/
On her “about me” page, she says, “During her 29-year career as a classroom teacher, union leader, and elected school board trustee, she has learned the importance of actively listening to and collaborating with parents, teachers, and staff to increase efficiency, resolve issues, and empower the people who work with our students everyday.”
Under her priorities, she includes:
“DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IN OVSD:
Serving as a trustee of the Ocean View School District, it’s been my honor to work for the people of Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley, Midway City, and Westminster. As a classroom teacher, I pride myself on being an excellent communicator, with the ability to prioritize listening over speaking while seeking to understand different perspectives. Synthesizing ideas to understand concerns leverages the expertise of others. As a conservative fiduciary of public tax dollars, I have balanced budgets for a decade, and this year recorded a record-breaking surplus. My track record shows that representation of our diverse community is a top priority. Being from a family of immigrants has shown me how truly fortunate I am to be part of the American Dream. Our district is a beautiful patchwork of many races, cultures, religions, and traditions. Over the past two centuries, our Constitution has protected our right to be different, and I have sworn an oath to protect this.”
Candidate Statement:
“Safe schools are a must for every student. The implementation of a comprehensive background check system, upgraded schools’ security fencing, and the installation of secure school entry and exit protocols demonstrate my unwavering commitment to safe schools. When our students feel safe, they can focus and develop academically, socially, and emotionally.”
Social Media:
On twitter, Gina posted her public comments opposing the city-wide Forced Outing Policy from the HB City Council. She said, “Protecting Huntington Beach’s children is my number one priority. As a teacher and board member, I will work without cease to make sure students are protected and that educators are not put in jeopardy to be prosecuted for doing their jobs. The City of HB must follow state law and let teachers teach and parents parent without interference. Protecting kids, always!”
She’s also said on social media, “Demonizing teachers is tired and old”.
On instagram, this candidate follows:
Regina Blankenhorn (HB City Clerk Candidate)
Dan Kalmick (HB City Councilmember)
Protect HB (this local political organization helped fund our participation in the 4th of July parade this year)
Orange Coast Huddle (this local political organization helped fund the creation of the Giant Pride Flag)
Several local school, municipal, and business accounts
Endorsed by:
Endorsed by Huntington Beach’s teachers unions, including OVTA, WOCUT, DEA, HBETA, and state-level teachers’ unions, including CTA and CFT. CTA in particular was a part of the coalition that worked to get AB 1955 passed.
Orange Coast Huddle
OC Dems
Women for American Values and Ethics (WAVE)
Also endorsed by a long list of elected officials with LGBTQ+ allyship track records.
Vincent Sarmiento, Orange County Supervisor
Katrina Foley, Orange County Supervisor
Cottie Petrie-Norris, CA State Assembly, District 74
Dan Kalmick, Huntington Beach City Councilmember
Natalie Moser, Huntington Beach City Councilmember
Rhonda Bolton, Huntington Beach City Councilmember
Carol Crane, Newport Mesa USD Trustee
Kris Erickson, Orange USD Trustee
Oscar Rodriguez, (fmr) Huntington Beach Planning Commissioner
***Oscar is the individual who initially suggested that Pride at the Pier apply to be a part of the Huntington Beach 4th of July parade in 2024.
News:
The OC Register asked Gina a few questions. Among these, they asked, “California has a new law, set to go into effect in 2025, that prohibits districts from enforcing what’s been called parental notification policies, rules for school employees to contact parents if their child may be changing their gender identity. What do you see as the role of parents in education? Is there a limitation? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)”
Gina replied, “As a mom, I know that parents are their child’s first teachers. Parents know what their children need and are their best advocates. The role of parents is an important one that can’t be underestimated or denied. As a parent of an Ocean View School District student, I feel welcome and respected by my student’s teachers and play a pivotal role in my child’s education. OVSD employees are powerful advocates for students under the California Education Code, protecting them every day.
At Ocean View School District, we pride ourselves on following our state’s laws and maintaining order to set a good example for the students in our charge. As a responsible fiduciary, my strongest belief is that teachers should be left to teach and parents to parent.”
A modernized Mesa View Middle School welcomes Ocean View district students for first day of school - OC Register
The LA Times covered a candidate forum Tarvin participated in - read it here.
The Voice of OC covered Gina’s public records lawsuit against the city attorney’s office to release the details of the Pacific Airshow settlement. The settlement that was released when her suit was successful has been a great source of controversy in the city. Read about it here.
Won the most recent election in March 2024 to be on the Democratic Central Committee for the 72nd Assembly District
In June of 2023, a teacher in a neighboring school district was targeted by anti-LGBTQ+ hate, and anti-Semitic and anti-LGBTQ+ flyers were littered around the neighborhood. Gina went on KTLA 5 to speak out against this, saying “Those flyers have no place in our community. Attacking marginalized people - and especially as someone who has Jewish family, I was really insulted. I think though, that um - this has been spurred on by other actions in our community, uh - specifically something that our Mayor Pro-Tem - “ (at the time) “Gracey Van Der Mark, did.” This was in reference to Van Der Mark sharing anti-LGBTQ rhetoric online and speaking out against the teacher who was targeted at a school board meeting. Clayton-Tarvin continued, “When (Van Der Mark) showed up at the school board meeting last night, and brought a rabid mob of folks to disrupt, and then magically this morning, there are flyers attacking, you know, marginalized people? It’s definitely connected”. Pride at the Pier staff were in attendance at the school board meeting being referenced here, and can affirm that there was a very large crowd of anti-LGBTQ+ individuals in attendance along with Mrs. Van Der Mark.
Follow the Money:
Gina’s campaign treasurer is Mark Bixby, who also runs the local political journalism platform, the Surf City Sentinel.
As of the 9.21.2024 reporting deadline, Gina had raised $41,928.15 in campaign funds.
$500 came from Cottie Petrie-Norris for Assembly 2024
A number of under $500 donations came from individuals in HB who have been actively involved in fighting anti-LGBTQ+ policies from the HB City Council.
$1000 came from Women in Leadership State PAC
$250 came from Lorraine Prinsky, a Coast Community College District trustee
$500 came from Building A Stronger California sponsored by Western States Regional Council of Carpenters
$300 came from Democratic Club of West Orange County
$1000 came from Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties' Community Action Fund
$1000 came from Women in Leadership Federal PAC
$1000 came from California Federation of Teachers
$100 came from Supporters of Public Education - Orange County
$1000 came from Avelino Valencia for State Assembly 2024
$300 came from someone within leadership for the Friends of the HB Library
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Candidate for Ocean View School District
Email: mrjorgey@gmail.com
Campaign Website: https://www.jorgensen4ovsd.com/
Keith talks on his campaign website about how he is a product of private schools, rather than public schools. He seems to suggest that his own children have not been enrolled in public schools - “Twenty years ago, when it came time for educating my children, I was not impressed with the public school offerings in Huntington Beach at the time, and have truly seen the social problems worsen. I have also seen enough in the news media and have heard firsthand from parents and children in my community, as to what is being taught”.
***He leads with a significant amount of familiar anti-LGBTQ+ dog whistles on his main page. The following text is from his campaign page, the emphasis is ours. ***
“I am a firm advocate for the necessity to change the protocol and immediacy of how parents are notified and wholly restore parental authority over one’s children, within the public school structure. Specifically, empowering parents’ voice and informed involvement, in regards to any discussion or counsel pertaining to the child’s gender identity and the full spectrum of curriculum taught within the educational system.
Also, very important to me is the need to prohibit the books that are considered to be sexually provocative, erotic, pornographic, or other indoctrinating agendas in literature and curriculum, including anti-semitic propaganda for children under the age of 18. These illicit and inappropriate materials mislead and confuse children and have no place in our schools.
I valiantly uphold an essential resurgence within the schools return to bring back traditional and age appropriate values to the classroom. Distractive and divisive agendas undermine the psychosocial, emotional and cognitive development of children in their learning atmosphere at school. I am a firm believer that our schools need to be a safe haven for all with zero-tolerance of both hateful speech that incites violence and bullying.
I faithfully seek to ensure that at school, our children’s minds are consistently instructed and unwaveringly navigated towards academic excellence and age appropriate, interpersonal enrichment and social maturation, without indoctrination. The window of time to inspire and educate children for the next generation is finite and invaluable.”
***Keith has been leaning hard into the narrative that there is pornography in OVSD schools - this has been repeatedly debunked. We will discuss that in more detail further down the guide.
Under his “platform” page on his campaign page:
Bring Back Traditional and Age Appropriate Values to The Classroom
Keep Our Children’s Minds Focused On Academic Excellence and Age Appropriate Social Development without Indoctrination
Real Estate Agent Profile: https://www.coldwellbankerhomes.com/ca/huntington-beach/agent/keith-jorgensen/aid_217414/
Candidate Statement:
“By upholding traditional values and prioritizing academic achievement, we can ensure that Ocean View schools return to centers of excellence and innovation.” Read it in full here.
Social Media:
Twitter: Not Found
On instagram, this candidate follows:
Sonja Shaw, EXTREME anti-LGBTQ CVUSD Trustee
Butch Twining, HB City Council Candidate
Michael Gates, HB City Attorney
Gracey Van Der Mark, HB Mayor
Don Kennedy, HB City Council Candidate
Lisa Lane Barnes, HB City Clerk Candidate
On his campaign instagram, he posted:
a campaign photo with HB City Council candidate Chad Williams and others from the “Trump flotilla” (his words).
A photo from the stage of Calvary Chapel at Huntington Harbor, where lead Pastor Joe Pedick was endorsing him along with Lisa Lane Barnes, Chad Williams, and Don Kennedy.
During an August 31st sermon/ political event at Calvary Chapel at Huntington Harbor, pastors Joe Pedick and Jack Hibbs endorsed Keith and a number of other HB candidates. Watch here.
In a prayer over the candidates, Joe Pedick said, “...Lord, even as the message this morning, Lord, these are standing for what’s right, Lord, these are here to fight, they’re here to fight for you, God, and Lord we just pray that, Lord, you would allow them to have the whole armor of God as they go through this battle, and Lord, we pray that you give them wisdom, and Lord, we pray that you give them favor with the people as they vote. Lord, God, we pray that you would, Lord, speak to those that are going to vote for them.”
Keith is running in a slate with David Clifford. https://www.clifford4ovsd.com. He’s also campaigning alongside Chad Williams, Butch Twining, and Don Kennedy (HB City Council), Lisa Lane Barnes (HB City Clerk), and Pano Frousiakis (Municipal Water District of Orange County).
Jorgensen sent out a highly contentious campaign mailer - or rather, a PAC affiliated with Jorgensen sent it out. It used the narrative tool of pretending to be written by OVSD students, in crayon and with frequent misspellings, asking for help from voters. The mailer referenced “crazy woke peeple” (misspelling from the original). It went on to sensationally claim that students in OVSD are being taught “weird things about sex and private parts”. A number of members of the School District leadership, understandably concerned by these claims, put out clarifications debunking these inflammatory claims. OVSD, as a K-8 district, does have early puberty/ sex ed for middle schoolers, as is standard in public schools, and parents are given the opportunity to opt their children out of the program.
These mailers were paid for by the “Huntington Beach People’s Action Committee” as an in-kind donation to Jorgensen’s campaign. The mailers had an address on them that is connected with Ed Laird, well-known conservative kingmaker in Huntington Beach. However, the PAC itself is registered to a CPA in Fresno.
From what we can tell, this PAC expensed these mailers out to Tabula Rasa Enterprises, an LLC in San Francisco, who he’s attributed his campaign paraphernalia to. Many of the far-right campaigns in Huntington Beach over the last two years have paid Tabula Rasa for their signage and campaign literature. Tabula Rasa’s manager, according to their statement of information with the CA Secretary of State, is John Cancilla. John Cancilla is the CFO for Code Four, the company that operates the Pacific Airshow that there’s been so much scandal and controversy over the city’s settlement to.
Endorsed by:
Gracey Van Der Mark (HB Mayor)
Pat Burns (HB Mayor Pro Tem)
Michael Gates (HB City Attorney)
Jorge Valdes (OC Board of Education, anti-LGBTQ)
Mari Barke (OC Board of Education, anti-LGBTQ)
Ken L. Williams, Jr. (OC Board of Education, anti-LGBTQ)
Tim Shaw (OC Board of Education, anti-LGBTQ)
Lisa Sparkes, Ph.D. (OC Board of Education, anti-LGBTQ)
ORANGE COUNTY GOP
California Republican Assembly
Orange County Young Republicans
Reform CA
News:
The LA Times covered a candidate forum that Jorgensen participated in. They report, “He said his real estate background would help him on the board and also said he wanted to make sure the board follows the recent city mandate making Huntington Beach a “Parents’ Right to Know City,” which the conservative City Council majority implemented via an ordinance last month.”
The OC Register asked Jorgensen a few questions. Among these, they asked, “California has a new law, set to go into effect in 2025, that prohibits districts from enforcing what’s been called parental notification policies, rules for school employees to contact parents if their child may be changing their gender identity. What do you see as the role of parents in education? Is there a limitation? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)”
Jorgensen replied, “I am firmly opposed to AB 1955, believing it represents an overreach by Sacramento. Parents have a fundamental, God-given right to be fully informed about their child’s well-being until they reach adulthood. Just as children are restricted from voting, driving or consuming alcohol due to their maturity level, parents should not be excluded from critical information regarding their child’s transitioning or medical treatments.
Given that the City Council has declared Huntington Beach a “Parental Right to Know” city, I am committed to upholding this principle at the school board. Ensuring that parents are involved in significant decisions affecting their children’s health and education is essential. This approach fosters transparency and strengthens family involvement, allowing parents and teachers to provide the necessary support and guidance while strengthening the parent-teacher relationship. By aligning our school policies with the “Parental Right to Know” stance, we uphold parental rights and contribute to more informed, collaborative decision-making for the benefit of our students. This commitment will ensure that parents remain integral to their children’s educational and personal development, reinforcing our community’s values and standards.”
***FACT CHECK: AB 1955 does not prevent teachers from informing parents about a student’s gender identity, it prevents school boards from requiring teachers to do so against their will.
***FACT CHECK: Minors cannot receive gender affirming medical treatment without their parent or guardian’s consent in California.
***FACT CHECK: The HB City Council does not have jurisdiction over school boards, and the “Parental Right to Know” ordinance they passed will, without a shadow of doubt, be immediately challenged in court the moment any enforcement is attempted.
***FACT CHECK: Jorgensen is openly acknowledging in this statement that he intends to violate California law.
Follow the Money:
*See our discussion of the funders behind his campaign mailers and their ties to Code Four, further up.
Jorgensen had raised $17,325.00 for his own campaign directly as of 9.21.2024. This does not include money raised through the PAC that is supporting him and other candidates in HB.
$500 came from Huntington Beach Republican Women
$500 came from local anti-LGBTQ activist, Russell Neal.
$250 came from Joe Pedick, Calvary Chapel Lead Pastor
$500 came from the CEO of Stone Impact Media, a Christian Film Studio.
He expensed $1000 to Continuing the Republican Revolution, for campaign literature.
He expensed over $2000 to his wife Kini Jorgensen, for ‘campaign paraphernalia’.
Jorgensen is represented by Lysa Ray Campaign Services, which has also worked on the unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign for Travis Allen, who is considered to be "California's Trump." He has used the slogans "Take Back California" and "Make California Great Again" for his campaign. She also was the campaign treasurer for OC District Attorney Todd Spitzer, and was involved in a minor campaign finance controversy, where she took the blame for incorrectly filed financial information. And perhaps most importantly, Lysa Ray, who was compensated as a campaign strategist for this campaign, served as County Supervisor Andrew Do’s treasurer during the events that led to his current downfall and FBI investigation for financial corruption. Lysa Ray is representing anti-LGBTQ school board candidates up and down SoCal this election season. -
Candidate for Ocean View School District (at large)
Keri agreed to take the school board advocacy pledge, saying “Thank you so much for the invitation to take this pledge. Your pledge very much holds true to my beliefs, and I'd be proud to take this Advocacy Pledge!”
Contact: kerig4ovsd@gmail.com
Campaign Website: https://www.kerig4ovsd.com/
She lists under her priorities;
Champion Student & Teacher Success
Promote Transparency & Informed Decisions
Foster Community Engagement & Fiscal Responsibility
Candidate Statement: “My expectation is for every child to have access to a safe and nurturing learning environment where students can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally”. Read it in full here.
Social Media:
Twitter: None Found
On instagram, this candidate follows:
Gina Clayton-Tarvin (OVSD Trustee)
All of the other accounts she follows appear to be individual people unrelated to politics.
Endorsed by:
OC Huddle (This organization largely funded the creation of our Giant Pride Flag)
Keri has an endorsement page on her campaign website - it’s OVSD students who endorse her (photos shared with the permission of their parents). She doesn’t share organizations or political leaders who endorse her.
News:
The OC Register asked Keri a few questions. Among these, they asked, “California has a new law, set to go into effect in 2025, that prohibits districts from enforcing what’s been called parental notification policies, rules for school employees to contact parents if their child may be changing their gender identity. What do you see as the role of parents in education? Is there a limitation? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)”
Keri replied, “I believe that a strong parent voice and a genuine partnership between the district’s administrative team, staff, and parents are essential to ensuring a high-quality education for every student. As a teacher, I know parents play a critical role in their children’s education, providing guidance, support, and values that shape their development. The partnership between administration, teachers, and parents is non-negotiable, regardless of changing laws or political climates. By fostering open communication and mutual trust, we can create an educational environment that honors both the rights of parents and the individuality of each student”.
The LA Times reviewed a candidate forum that Gorsage participated in. Read about it here.
Follow the Money:
Keri does not appear to have filed any campaign finances reflecting donations. .
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Ocean View School District Candidate
Campaign Website: https://www.clifford4ovsd.com/
Clifford leads with, “Parents’ Rights – Transparency – Fiscal Responsibility – Student Achievement”
Under his platform page, he says, “Parents’ Rights: The family unit is under attack by the state of California. This is evident in bills like AB1955 that would prohibit local school districts from enforcing existing parental notification policies requiring disclosure about a student’s gender identity/expression. Under this new law, a gender-confused child can receive counseling and reading material from school district employees without any parental knowledge and be led to the conclusion they were born with the wrong gender. The state and its employees have absolutely no right to keep secrets from families and parents, regardless of the issue. Parents, not the state, are responsible for raising children. I will make it a priority to have age-appropriate learning material in classrooms and advocate for parents’ rights.”
Candidate Statement:
“My goal is for the district to get back to the basics and focus on math, science, reading, writing, and history.” Read the statement in full here.
Social Media:
Twitter: Not Found
On Facebook, Clifford posted this, sensationalizing AB 1955 as ‘a direct threat to families’.
On instagram, this candidate follows:
Sonja Shaw (EXTREMIST Anti-LGBTQ+ CVUSD Trustee)
Bill Essayli (Originator of Forced Outing Policies in CA)
Barbie George (CA Chair of Moms for America)
Mari Barke (CPC leadership)
Julie Hammill (anti-LGBTQ+ activist)
Frank Rodriguez (fmr. Local chair of Gays Against Groomers, in the Ex-Gay movement)
Valentina Bankhead (Anti-LGBTQ+ activist)
Liberty Justice Center (Far-Right Law Firm)
Lisa Lane Barnes (HB City Clerk Candidate)
Don Kennedy (HB City Council Candidate)
Marissa Jackson (HB City Council Candidate)
Keith Jorgensen (OVSD Candidate)
Clifford is tightly associated with the California Policy Center. The CPC is a far-right think tank based in Tustin, CA. Founded in 2010, its leaders have become very involved in Orange County Politics. The openly stated goals of the CPC are to oppose teachers’ unions, the teaching of racial and ethnic curriculum in schools, and LGBTQ+ equity in schools, as well as shift public funds out of public schools and into the strengthening of charter schools across California. They have been deeply involved in the progression of forced outing policies, the rebranding of LGBTQ+ inclusive curriculum as ‘not age-appropriate’, and the efforts to limit sex ed curriculum as ‘pornographic material’.
One of his endorsements comes from Mari Barke, who is the Director of CPC’s California Local Elected Officials. (She’s also a member of the Orange County Board of Education).
He posted on Facebook a selfie with Corey DeAngelis. Corey is the author of “The Parent Revolution: Rescuing Your Kids from the Radicals Ruining Our Schools.” He’s also a board member of the California Policy Center.
He also posted an article from CPC regarding OVSD performance, calling them a “non-partisan educational non-profit”, which is stretching the truth rather far at the very least.
During an August 31st sermon/ political event at Calvary Chapel at Huntington Harbor, pastors Joe Pedick and Jack Hibbs endorsed Keith and a number of other HB candidates. Watch here.
In a prayer over the candidates, Joe Pedick said, “...Lord, even as the message this morning, Lord, these are standing for what’s right, Lord, these are here to fight, they’re here to fight for you, God, and Lord we just pray that, Lord, you would allow them to have the whole armor of God as they go through this battle, and Lord, we pray that you give them wisdom, and Lord, we pray that you give them favor with the people as they vote. Lord, God, we pray that you would, Lord, speak to those that are going to vote for them.”
David is running in a slate with Keith Jorgensen. https://www.jorgensen4ovsd.com/ . He’s also campaigning alongside Chad Williams, Butch Twining, and Don Kennedy (HB City Council), Lisa Lane Barnes (HB City Clerk), and Pano Frousiakis (Municipal Water District of Orange County).
Clifford sent out a highly contentious campaign mailer - or rather, a PAC affiliated with his slate companion Jorgensen sent it out. The mailer encourages voters to vote for the Clifford/Jorgensen slate. It used the narrative tool of pretending to be written by OVSD students, in crayon and with frequent misspellings, asking for help from voters. The mailer referenced “crazy woke peeple” (misspelling from the original). It went on to sensationally claim that students in OVSD are being taught “weird things about sex and private parts”. A number of members of the School District leadership, understandably concerned by these claims, put out clarifications debunking these inflammatory claims. OVSD, as a K-8 district, does have early puberty/ sex ed for middle schoolers, as is standard in public schools, and parents are given the opportunity to opt their children out of the program.
These mailers were paid for by the “Huntington Beach People’s Action Committee” as an in-kind donation to Keith Jorgensen’s campaign. The mailers had an address on them that is connected with Ed Laird, well-known conservative kingmaker in Huntington Beach. However, the PAC itself is registered to a CPA in Fresno.
From what we can tell, this PAC expensed these mailers out to Tabula Rasa Enterprises, an LLC in San Francisco, who he’s attributed his campaign paraphernalia to. Many of the far-right campaigns in Huntington Beach over the last two years have paid Tabula Rasa for their signage and campaign literature. Tabula Rasa’s manager, according to their statement of information with the CA Secretary of State, is John Cancilla. John Cancilla is the CFO for Code Four, the company that operates the Pacific Airshow that there’s been so much scandal and controversy over the city’s settlement to.
Endorsed by:
Mari Barke, OC Board of Education and leadership within California Policy Center
Ken Williams, OC Board of Education
Jorge Valdes, OC Board of Education
Tim Shaw, OC Board of Education
Morgan Westmoreland, OVSD Trustee
We covered Morgan’s open letter opposing AB 1955 earlier this year.
Norm Westwell, OVSD Trustee
Gracey Van Der Mark, HB Mayor
Tony Strickland, HB Councilmember
Pat Burns, HB Mayor Pro Tem
Casey McKeon, HB Councilmember
Michael Gates, HB City Attorney
OC GOP
CA Republican Assembly
News:
The LA Times covered a candidate forum that Clifford participated in.
The OC Register asked Clifford a few questions. Among those, they asked, ‘California has a new law, set to go into effect in 2025, that prohibits districts from enforcing what’s been called parental notification policies, rules for school employees to contact parents if their child may be changing their gender identity. What do you see as the role of parents in education? Is there a limitation? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)”
Clifford replied, “Parents’ rights are the foundation for a successful school district/parent relationship. School districts have a responsibility to communicate all aspects of children’s lives to parents/guardians. I oppose AB 1955 because parents are responsible for their children, not the state, and under no circumstance should the state subvert the parent-child bond.
This new law will create confusion because it contradicts already-established OVSD Board bylaws requiring parental consent, notification, and access to records. AB 1955 is yet another example of government overreach coming out of Sacramento. How can the district ensure it is abiding by its own bylaws?
Many families are moving their children out of the public school system due to AB 1955. In addition to the obvious damage the law will cause, it also exacerbates the declining enrollment problem. This law will decrease district funding and lead to more school closures.”
***FACT CHECK: AB 1955 does not contradict OVSD board policy.
Follow the Money:
*See our discussion of the funders behind his campaign mailers and their ties to Code Four, further up.
As of 9.21.2024, Clifford had raised $16,984.00 for his campaign directly. This does not take into account money raised by PACs who are supporting him.
$500 came from Huntington Beach Republican Women
$250 came from Joseph Pedick, Calvary Chapel Pastor
$400 came from Russell Neal, local anti-LGBTQ+ activist
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Ocean View School District Candidate
John is also running for U.S. Congress
John is simultaneously running for Congress in the 42nd district, which previously did not overlap with Orange County, but now it does - there’s been a redistricting after the 2021 Census.
Campaign Website: Briscoe does not have an OVSD campaign website, but does have his Congressional campaign website. We’ll be referencing that here.
He’s running for Congress with the tagline, “Bringing Common Sense Back To The 42nd”.
His issues page covers the following;
“PAYCHECK”
“Your paycheck is too damned small!
– No more $7.00 gas & $6.00 eggs –
– No more 30% ++ price increases –
– STOP the Spending –”
“CRIME”
“Crime in our communities is too high!
– Homeless camping stopped –
– DO NOT defund police –
– ADD police, fill all open jobs –”
“BORDER”
“The Border is too OPEN
– 18 million illegal alien invasion –
– Taking jobs from residents –
– Lowering pay & wages –”
“BORDER”
“FAMILY”
OVSD Candidate Statement:
“No New Taxes. Basta! In God We Trust, Our National Motto on every coin. John Briscoe is your neighbor. John Briscoe is already a seasoned local elected official. Trustee Briscoe is a tireless
advocate of local control. In God We Trust, He's One of U.S.”. Read the full statement at the link above.
In his candidate statement, Briscoe provides some insight into his priorities, listing,
Hiring truant officers
Strengthening local home school programs
Building an OVSD dedicated charter school program
No new taxes
Social Media:
On twitter, this candidate follows:
Kanan Durham (Pride at the Pier Executive Director)
Mark Bixby (local politics journalist in HB)
Katrina Foley (OC Supervisor)
Kevin Kiley (anti-LGBTQ+ Congressman)
A large number of the accounts Briscoe follows have “#MAGA” in their bios.
On instagram, this candidate follows:
Chief Leadership (civic leadership training)
Gina Clayton Tarvin (OVSD Trustee)
Charlie Kirk (anti-LGBTQ extremist and Founder of Turning Point USA)
Kayleigh McEnany (Fox News Commentator)
Young America’s Foundation (far-right youth activist group associated with Ben Shapiro and Michael Knowles - Knowles, who has openly called for an ‘eradication’ of transgender Americans).
Endorsed by:
***We searched for specifically OVSD endorsements. None found, but he may have some we didn’t see - since he doesn’t have campaign websites or social media specifically for his OVSD race, it’s hard to be certain.
News:
The OC Register asked John a few questions. Among those, they asked, California has a new law, set to go into effect in 2025, that prohibits districts from enforcing what’s been called parental notification policies, rules for school employees to contact parents if their child may be changing their gender identity. What do you see as the role of parents in education? Is there a limitation? (Please limit your answer to 200 words or less.)”
John answered, “California state government leadership is insane. Parents have the primary responsibility for raising their children per U.S. Supreme Court rulings, including withholding medical treatment to the point of child death. Withholding vital information about child sexual dysphoria is horrible. It assumes parents will abuse their children upon finding out any gender dysphoria information. Child abuse by parents is illegal. If the insane state leadership is trying to preclude parents from providing their own child counseling and therapy, then this is just plain wrong”.
The Daily Pilot covered a candidate forum for the OVSD race. Read it here.
Follow the Money:
We did not find any campaign finance filings for Briscoe specific to the OVSD race. It appears that he is focusing his fundraising efforts on his Congressional race.
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Coming Soon
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Coming Soon
Huntington Beach City School District
Ocean View School District
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Candidate for Coast College Community District Area 2
Campaign Website:
https://joedovinh.com/ (this is Dovinh’s website for his city council candidacy)
“I have taught community college and understand the needs of students and educators. I come from a family of educators, on my side and my wife’s side.
…
You can count on me to take advocacy positions on public policies and legislation that protects and promotes our students and local colleges.”
Social Media:
Instagram: none found
Endorsed by:
Nancy’s Picks (conservative-leaning) gave Dovinh this tepid half-endorsement:
“JOE DOVINH is also a DEM, and currently serves on Garden Grove City Council, elected in 2022, and married to former Garden Grove City Councilmember, Dina NGUYEN. (If I lived in Dist 2, I’d probably vote DOVINH, to block PHU NGUYEN)”
News:
“Here Are Garden Grove Candidates’ Views on Housing, Homelessness, and Resort”
Dovinh was the only candidate in his district to respond to the questionnaire. He’s in favor of transparency, government accountability, building more affordable housing, and helping the homeless.
https://www.orangejuiceblog.com/2010/04/meet-joe-dovinh-phus-democratic-challenger/
“I’ve always been a Democrat. I’ve never registered as a Republican.”
Follow the Money:
Dovinh appears to have taken no donations for the 2024 election cycle.
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Candidate for Coast College Community District Area 2
Tagline: “EMPOWERING OUR FUTURE, TODAY”
“For nearly 30 years, I have been actively involved in the education field, from serving as a student leader to parent advocate, and now as Trustee on the Fountain Valley School District Governing Board.
…
As a Governing Board Member, I will provide fiscal oversight and transparency, prioritize removing any barrier to student achievement, and work to ensure that our colleges remain
accessible and affordable to all. Every student deserves an opportunity to succeed!”
Social Media:
Instagram: None Found
Twitter: None Found
Endorsed by:
Katrina Foley
Orange Juice Blog (liberal-leaning)
Nancy’s Picks’ anti-endorsement: “Please DO NOT VOTE for PHU NGUYEN. My research show him to be “Ultra-Liberal”, endorsed by Democrat Party of OC, local teachers Union (Coast Fed of Educators), and a whole slew of liberal “D” elected officials, including ultra-liberal, Katrina Foley. He currently one of the liberal members on the FOUNTAIN VALLEY SCHOOL BOARD.“
News:
None Found
Follow the Money:
https://public.netfile.com/pub2/?AID=coc
No listing for Nguyen there.
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Candidate for Coast College Community District Area 2
Linda is, essentially, a ghost. It was very difficult to find any information on her - she doesn’t seem to be running a very active campaign.
Campaign Website:
None Found
Candidate Statement:
NONE FOUND
Social Media:
Facebook: None Found
Instagram: None Found
Twitter: None Found
Endorsed by:
None Found
News:
According to this, Zamora was a Democrat when she ran for Garden Grove School Board: https://ocpolitical.com/2012/10/30/republican-democrat-independent-the-partisan-affiliations-of-everyone-running-everything-in-orange-county/
None Found
Coast Community College District
Orange County Board of Supervisors, 1st District
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Candidate for County Supervisor in District 1. To replace Andrew Do, who is terming out.
Janet Nguyen is currently a State Senator.
Find her here:
Voted NO on AB 1955, The SAFETY ACT that prevents school boards from enforcing forced outing policies.
Other notable votes include:
As a Legislator:
Has a score of 17/100 from Equality CA
Has a score of 25/100 from Planned Parenthood
Has a score of 20/100 from the ACLU
https://couragescore.org/representative/janet-nguyen/
Janet has significant support from Proud Boys. Known Proud Boy Baked Alaska is friends with her.
Nguyen’s tendency to call her legislative peers “communists” and start fights over it have led to her being removed from the debate floor by Capitol security. When questioned on free speech allowance in California, she said that the ‘communist flag’ (referring to the flag of the communist Vietnamese government that many Vietnamese-Americans residents of Orange County emigrated to escape from) is comparable to KKK imagery.
While she was County Supervisor back in 2012, she “fled” the dias when community members brought forth a request for the County Board to recognize Harvey Milk Day.
The LA Times described of the event:
“One of the supervisors, Janet Nguyen, walked from the board room shortly after the activists began their presentation. Last year, Nguyen also left the meeting as the activists spoke.”
On her official Senator instagram page, Nguyen posted the transphobic conspiracy theory about Olympic boxer and cisgender woman Imane Khelif, saying, “When a female boxer’s #Olympic dreams go up in flames after fighting a biological man, something needs to be done. #IStandWithCarini”. As a reminder, Khelif is a cisgender woman, and is currently pursuing a major lawsuit against the influential people who pushed the conspiracy theory, including Elon Musk and JK Rowling.
She joined anti-LGBTQ+ extremist politician Gracey Van Der Mark in the Annual HB July 4th weekend Bike Ride, posting the selfie on her instagram page.
Endorsed by:
OC GOP
CA GOP
Lincoln Club of Orange County
Orange County Young Republicans
Concerned Parents of California PAC, who say on their website “We will influence school board and other elections by promoting candidates and incumbents who strongly support a parent’s right to choose what they believe is best for their own children”.California Parents Union, whose website lists among their priorities; “Empowering Members to Stand Up for Parental Rights, Indoctrination Awareness and Solutions, Medical Autonomy Issues and Solutions”
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Candidate for OC Board of Supervisors - District 1
Campaign Website: https://www.francesmarquezforsupervisor.com/
Tagline: “Standing Up for Orange County's Taxpayers”
“She's running for Orange County Supervisor to bring much-needed accountability and oversight to county government and ensure a high quality delivery of services to the communities that need them most.
As a Cypress City Councilmember, Frances Marquez has built a reputation as a watchdog for taxpayers, demanding transparency before voting on spending even in the face of intimidation.”
You can find her Candidate Statement here. In it, she says, “As your County Supervisor, I will expand opportunities for working families by:
Creating good-paying jobs and addressing rising housing costs
Preventing homelessness by expanding access to mental health
and supportive services
Investing in public safety and reducing crime
Protecting reproductive rights and abortion access”
Social Media:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/francesmarquezforoc
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/marquezfrances13/
https://www.instagram.com/francesmarquezforcypress/
https://www.instagram.com/francesmarquezoc
Twitter:
On instagram, she follows:
@lavenderdemsOC - Lavender Democrats OC
@ppactionCA - Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California
@genzforharriswalz
Endorsed by:
Planned Parenthood
SEIU-UHW
Moms Demand Action
OC Huddle, who donated the funds for Pride at the Pier to create the Giant Pride Flag
OC Dems
News:
“My parents raised six children without health care coverage, paying out of pocket to make sure we maintained our health. No family should have to face this challenge. Moreover, ensuring access to quality preventative care like mental health and substance use treatment stops cycles of homelessness and criminality which will benefit our communities at large.”
Interesting context of harassment lawsuits and contention during Marquez’s time on the Cypress City Council:
“Cypress councilwoman files lawsuit against censures” - Los Angeles Times
Follow the Money:
SEIU donated $1500
Sierra Club PAC donated $1000
45th District, House of Representatives
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Incumbent
House of Representatives 45th District
Summary: Mixed statements about LGBTQ+ support (flip-flops), on record voting against multiple LGBTQ+ bills
Receiving money from Musk: https://www.ocregister.com/2024/09/17/elon-musks-pac-is-spending-money-to-boost-rep-michelle-steel-in-ca-45/
General contact email: info@michellesteelca.com
General phone number: 714-202-6173
Campaign manager: Eric Dutra, LinkedIn
Previous positions:
2020 - 2022 CA-48
2015 - 2021 OC Board of Supervisors, District 2 & Chairwoman
2007 - 2015 California State Board of Equalization
Overview:
Michelle Steel’s most prominent campaign platform is around lowering taxes for Californians. However, in 2022, she voted against the Inflation Reduction Act during her congressional tenure, thereby voting against lowering prices on prescription drugs, health insurance, and everyday energy costs. This is a core example of Michelle Steel’s long history of flip-flopping her public comments on issues and her voting record. After her 2014 comment at a Tea Party event went viral in 2020, she issued a statement, saying her anti gay-marraige comments were “made in jest.” Over the next four years, she would go on to vote in opposition of LGBTQ rights via voting in support for Parents’ Bill of Rights and Life at Conception Act, and against Respect for Marriage Act, Equality Act, among many more. Her recent stance in support of IVF and selective pro-life stand in opposition to her voting record that restrict reproductive rights.
During her time as Chairwoman of OC Board of Supervisors, she routinely shut down efforts at transparency and building trust between the County and its constituents.
Endorsements
California Pro-Life Council
AIPAC
Maggie’s List
National Rifle Association
VIEW PAC
Tea Party
OC Sheriff Don Barnes
Affiliations & Support for
Dan Crenshaw, TX-02 -- anti-LGBTQ, “culture wars”
Young Kim, CA-40
Rob Simms, Convergence firm
Hemmer Reports, Fox News
Tucker Carlson
Voting Record: Congressional
No:
Respect for Marriage Act, 2022
LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act, 2022
Global Respect Act, 2022
CROWN Act (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair Act, 2021)
For the People Act, 2021
Equality Act, 2021
Right to Contraception, 2022
Ensuring Access to Abortion Act, 2022
Women’s Health Protection Act, 2021
Paycheck Fairness Act, 2021
Inflation Reduction Act, 2022
Affordable Insulin Now Act, 2022
Yes
Parents Bill of Rights -- anti-LGBTQ bill (cosponsor)
LGBTQ Business Equal Credit Enforcement and Investment Act
Life at Conception Act, 2021 (co-sponsor, later withdrawn) -- grant legal personhood to fertilized eggs
Voting Record: Supervisorial
2020, approve law enforcement appreciation events on the heels of BLM protests
2017, sole dissenting vote in funding for the County’s Human Relations Commission
2017, voted to block release of report detailing an increase in hate crime and grant county supervisors the ability to directly control the commission’s staff
Public Comments:
Tea Party meeting, 2014: Steel claims she withdrew her daughter from UC Santa Cruz after she began expressing interest in voting for Obama and supporting gay marriage
2018: Public release regarding anti-sanctuary cities and states
Contributions
BP industries -- oil and gas
AIPAC
UpFront Inc
Top industry: retired, at nearly $1M this cycle
Ahmanson family, via Fieldstead & Company -- Ahmanson family has a history of funding anti-LGBTQ candidates and measures. Ahmanson Family Source 1, Source 2, Source 3
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House of Representatives 45th District
Summary: Limited 1st person pro-LGBTQ+ content, Multiple 3rd party pro-LGBTQ+ affiliations/endorsements
General contact email: info@derektranforcongress.com
General contact number: 714-261-9738
Campaign manager: Jacob Barr. LinkedIn
Deputy campaign manager: Rachel Winningham. LinkedIn
Committee email address: jay@bluewavepolitics.com
Bio
Consumer Rights attorney and managing attorney at Feher Law, who focus on employment and personal injury law. Credits military with so much learning; joined at 18. “Beginning of service path.” Army reserves, active duty in 2003 Iraqi conflict, based in the US.
Overview:
Derek Tran’s platform has three main points:
Abortion and women’s rights
Investing in American workers and their families. Consumer rights. Inflation Reduction Act.
Common sense gun reform
Beyond a single post on Harvey Milk day (linked below), there is no explicit commentary on LGBTQ+ allyship. There is secondary support, via some of his endorsements and canvassing support. Combing through public comments also rendered no explicit pro-LGBTQ commentary.
Explicit LGBTQ+ related:
IG Harvey Milk Day -- “we can never forget his sacrifice and must continue to build upon his legacy of advocacy against hate and discrimination”
No pride posts
Judy Chu campaign recently canvassed for Derek Tran. Judy Chu CA-CD 28 has a pro-LGBTQ voting record, including Yes on Equality Act (HR5)
Adam Schiff supporting campaign. Schiff is vice-chair of Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus
Participated in event with Lavender Dems OC, April General Meeting. No content or follow-up found. Derek Tran does not follow them on social media.
Endorsements:
Stonewall Democrats
Equality CA
Brady PAC
CA Federation of Teachers
Human Rights Campaign PAC
J-Street PAC
Planned Parenthood Action Fund
Reproductive Freedom For All
CADEM AAPI Caucus
Public comments:
Ed Branding podcast. When talking about why run now, he says the district has not received representation. Cites that there has never been a Vietnamese representative from this district, which holds a large Vietnamese population. Also in this episode talked very positively about his experience in the military, including a regret of not serving full 20-year term. Learned about camaraderie. His why across all his experiences is a duty to serve.
Chamber of Commerce talk -- bipartisanship. Reduction in insulin costs, to benefit working class folks. Interested in diplomacy on the world stage, infrastructure investment, attention to veteran mental health. Housing crisis tied to mental health crisis, primary to affordable housing. Investing in social service providers. 100% pro choice
Political Affiliations:
Social media accounts he follows:
PORAC -- Peace Officers Research Assoc. Of CA. Largest association representing CA law enforcement agencies.
Reproductive Freedom For All
Stonewall Dems
47th District, House of Representatives
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Candidate
CA Congressional Rep, 47th District
Candidate Statement:
https://ocvote.gov/fileadmin/user_upload/elections/GEN2024/cs/1160-1.pdf
Email: Info@Davemin.com
Political Party: Democrat
Major platform: environmental (addressing climate crisis)
ACLU score: 100%
Equality CA score: 100%
Planned Parenthood score: 100%
Endorsements:
https://davemin.com/endorsements
CA Democratic Party
Equality CA
Stonewall Democratic Club
Wave4All
OCYD
National Union of Healthcare Workers
Teamsters
@Sendavemin
Recognizes major holidays, including Pride month and Juneteenth.
Voting Record:
AB1078 prohibits book bans - voted yes
AB1955 prohibits school districts from mandating parental notification of student pronouns - voted yes
Min spoke out against the exclusionary Pride Flag ban that was passed by the Huntington Beach city council majority, saying, “The Pride Flag is such an important symbol of inclusion and diversity, and of celebrating our lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender friends and neighbors. At a time when hate and discrimination against the LGBTQ community—and other marginalized groups—is at alarming levels, including in Surf City, it is more important than ever that our elected leaders make clear that all are welcome and cherished.
Voting to end the flying of the Pride Flag during Pride Month would send the wrong message—a message of intolerance and division—to the many residents of Huntington Beach, and to the millions of tourists who come to Surf City each year. I urge the City of Huntington Beach to rise to this occasion and boldly affirm its commitment to equality and diversity, where everyone feels safe, appreciated, and valued.”
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Candidate
CA Congressional Rep, 47th District
Candidate Statement:
https://ocvote.gov/fileadmin/user_upload/elections/GEN2024/cs/1160-2.pdf
Email: info@baughforcongress.com
Political Party: Republican
Major platform: securing the border, balancing the budget
ACLU score:
Equality CA score:
Planned Parenthood score: 0%
Endorsements:
https://baughforcongress.com/endorsements/
CA Republican Party
Lincoln Club of OC
National Rifle Association
Speaker Mike Johnson
Reform CA
CA College Republicans
Recommended by:
https://www.nancyspicks.com/vote-picks
Affiliations:
Founder and Trustee: Pacifica Christian High School
Campaigned at a church with Advocates for Faith and Freedom X/Twitter
@baughforcongress
Waving American flags
Respect for Marriage Act - “Fundamentally I believe marriage is between a man and a woman,”
Women’s Health Protection Act - “I would never support that. I believe life begins at conception.”
Assault Weapons Ban - “You’re not going to solve the gun violence issue in this country by taking away constitutional rights of law-abiding Americans.”
37th District, CA State Senate
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Candidate for CA State Senate 37th District
Summary: Clear supportive public stance on LGBTQ+ issues, 2024 Happy Pride Month post on FB and pro “Yes” votes on LGBTQ+ issues
Website: https://newmanforsenate.com/ and https://sd29.senate.ca.gov/
Contact Methods:
No email, only contact page forms for submission
FB: https://www.facebook.com/joshnewmanoc/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/newman4senate/
X: https://x.com/i/flow/login?redirect_after_login=%2FJoshNewmanOC
Voting record:
06/13/2024, Bill No. AB 1955, Prohibits School Districts From Mandating Parental Notification of Student Pronouns. Voted Yes
09/14/2023, Bill No. SB 407, Requires the Department of Social Services Amend the Foster Care Vetting Process to Ensure LGBTQ+ Youth are Not Placed in Hostile Homes. Voted Yes
09/06/2023, Blil No. AB 957, Establishes Gender Identity Acknowledgement as a Parental Custody Requirement. Voted Yes
05/31/2023, Bill No. SB 760, Requires there be All-Gender Restrooms in Every School. Voted Yes
Josh introduced SB 907 to the legislature, which would have increased direct voter representation on the currently notoriously anti-LGBTQ+ OC Board of Education. It would have done this by shifting the number of trustees from 5 to 7, and changing the elections from the primary season, at which there’s a reliably low voter turnout, to the general election, when more people, especially those who tend to vote for pro-LGBTQ+ candidates, come out to vote. SB 907 was vetoed by Governor Gavin Newsom towards the end of September, 2024.
Ratings:
Equality California, 100%, 2021
Reproductive Freedom for All (California), 85%, 2023
LEAP Forward, 95%, 2021
National Association of Social Workers - California, 93%, 2021
Top Contributors
CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC PARTY
$446,135.01
STATE BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL OF CALIFORNIA
$21,800.00
LOS ANGELES / ORANGE COUNTIES BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION TRADES COUNCIL
$21,800.00
ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS
$21,800.00
CALIFORNIA NURSES ASSOCIATION / NATIONAL NURSES ORGANIZING CMTE
$21,800.00
PEACE OFFICERS RESEARCH ASSOCIATION OF CALIFORNIA
$21,100.00
CALIFORNIA FACULTY ASSOCIATION
$18,400.00
SMART JUSTICE CALIFORNIA
$17,800.00
LOS ANGELES POLICE PROTECTIVE LEAGUE
$15,300.00
CALIFORNIA ASSOCIATION OF HIGHWAY PATROLMEN
$15,200.00
STATIONARY ENGINEERS LOCAL 39
$14,600.00
CALIFORNIA NEW CAR DEALERS ASSOCIATION
$13,500.00
DOMESTIC WORKERS LOCAL 3930
$12,900.00
SOCAL PIPE TRADES DISTRICT COUNCIL 16
$12,200.00
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Candidate for CA State Senate 37th District
Summary: No clear public stance on LGBTQ+ issues, mostly silent w/ 2 examples of no votes on LGBTQ+ issues
Website: https://www.stevenchoi.org/?fbclid=IwAR2Mh9H81fpC7dCrRLKvwLaHWdY-AS1I-Op_YbfM2WdcfeucqOUIzrIJ4gw
Contact Methods:
FB: https://www.facebook.com/drstevenchoi
IG: https://www.instagram.com/reploucorrea/
X: 1 Account suspended https://x.com/DrStevenChoi?fbclid=IwY2xjawEefYhleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHWT0wWqX4g69jNkQcGuh42f6KmgVWTi7c9YKwKQVt3ZsDPuYD9A1mhrriw_aem_-mI-BW6JTqmtisX16qrPcA
and 1 Account doesn’t exist: https://x.com/choi4assembly/
Steven Choi, Ph.D. (@AsmStevenChoi68) · XX (Twitter)https://twitter.com/AsmStevenChoi68
Voting record:
08/30/2020, Bill No. SB 132, Authorizes Incarcerated Transgendered Individuals to be Housed by Gender Identity. Voted No
05/28/2019, Bill No. AB 493, Specifies Biennial LGBTQ Teacher Training be Encouraged. Did Not Vote
09/13/2017, Bill No. SB 179, Recognizes Nonbinary as an Official Legal Gender. Voted No
Ratings:
Equality California, 40%, 2021
Equality California, 25%, 2020
Equality California, 47%, 2018
Equality California, 10%, 2017
ACLU of California, 17%, 2020
LEAP Forward, 29%, 2021
Top Contributors
ALTRIA CLIENT SERVICES $14,500.00
MASEEH, FARIBORZ $9,800.00
JAMES GALLAGHER CAMPAIGN CMTE $9,800.00
KIM, SEUNG $9,800.00
VINCE FONG FOR ASSEMBLY 2022 $9,800.00
REYNOLDS AMERICAN $9,600.00
RD OLSON DEVELOPMENT $9,600.00
FRESENIUS KIDNEY CARE FRESENIUS MEDICAL CARE HOLDINGS INC $8,900.00
CALIFORNIA BANKERS ASSOCIATION $7,000.00
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION $6,400.00
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Sunset Beach Sanitary District
Municipal Water District of Orange County
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Municipal Water District of Orange County
District 4
Campaign Website: https://karlforwater.com/
“Using Water Efficiently Should Be Our Way Of Life!”
“I hope to extend my 40+ years of service to the water industry for the benefit of all Orange County water users. As lead engineer for 37 years at MWDOC, I worked successfully with every
water provider in Orange County.”
Social Media:
Personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001578676455
Political Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karlforwater
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/karl_seckel/
Twitter: NONE FOUND
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karl-seckel-b299731b2/
On instagram, this candidate follows:
Karl Seckel (this Costa Mesa city council candidate took our Advocacy Pledge)
Jeff Harlan (Costa Mesa city council candidate)
Katrina Foley (OC Supervisor)
Several other Southern California water district accounts
OC Huddle (this local organization helped fund our Giant Pride Flag)
Robert McVicker, Director, Municipal Water District of Orange County
Megan Yoo Schneider, Director Municipal Water District of Orange County
Joan Finnegan, Former Director Municipal Water District of Orange County
Larry Dick, Director Municipal Water District of Orange County
Al Nederhood, Director, Municipal Water District of Orange County
Randall Crane, Director, Municipal Water District of Orange County
Sat Tamaribuchi, Former Director Municipal Water District of Orange County
Susan Hinman, Former Director, Municipal Water District of Orange County
Scott Goldman, Director, South Coast Water District
Doug Erdman, Director, South Coast Water District
Bill Green, Director, South Coast Water District
Rick Erkeneff, Director, South Coast Water District
Dennis Erdman, Director, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, former Director, South Coast Water District
Fred Jung, Fullerton Council Member, Director Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Stephen Faessel, Anaheim Council Member, Director Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Michael Gaskins, Director, El Toro Water District
Mark Monin, Director, El Toro Water District
Fred Adjarian, Director, El Toro Water District
Betty Olson, Director, Santa Margarita Water District
Saundra Jacobs, Director, Santa Margarita Water District
Chuck Gibson, Director, Santa Margarita Water District
Stephen Dopudja, Director Trabuco Canyon Water District
Ed Mandich, Director, Trabuco Canyon Water District
Glenn Acosta, Director, Trabuco Canyon Water District
Doug Reinhart, Director, Irvine Ranch Water District
Steve LaMar, Director, Irvine Ranch Water District
John Withers, Director, Irvine Ranch Water District
Peer Swan, Director, Irvine Ranch Water District
Jim Atkinson, Director, Director, Mesa Water
Marice H. Depasquale, Director, Mesa Water
Bill Moorehead, Director, Moulton Niguel Water District
Sherry Wanninger, Director, Moulton Niguel Water District
Adam Ereth, candidate for City of Costa Mesa Council Division 1
Chuck Gibson, Director, Santa Margarita Water District
Saundra Jacobs, Director, Santa Margarita Water District
Betty Olson, Director, Santa Margarita Water District
Laura Freese, Director, Santa Margarita Water District
Mike Scheafer, Director, Costa Mesa Sanitary District
Bob Ooten, Director, Costa Mesa Sanitary District
John Stephens, Mayor, Costa Mesa
Arlis Reynolds, Council Member, Costa Mesa
Manuel Chavez, Council Member, Costa Mesa
Jeff Harlan, Council Member, Costa Mesa
Dan Kalmick, Council Member, Huntington Beach
Natalie Moeser, Council Member, Huntington Beach
Rhonda Bolton, Council Member, Huntington Beach
Nathan Steele, Council Member, Seal Beach
Joe Kalmick, Council Member, Seal Beach
Thomas Moore, Council Member, Seal Beach
Oscar Rodriguez, Planning Commissioner, Huntington Beach
Geoff West, Bubbling Cauldron
News:
Seckel does not seem to have replied to the LAist’s candidate questionnaire https://laist.com/news/politics/2024-election-california-general-water-agencies
Follow the Money:
NO DONATIONS LISTED
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Municipal Water District of Orange County
District 4
Campaign Website: http://www.panoforhb.com/
“Vote for Pano Frousiakis for a fresh perspective and dedicated leadership in water management!” Read it in full at the link above.
Social Media:
Personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100070422492953
Political Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PanoForHB
Political Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/panoformwdoc/
Personal Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/panofrousiakis/
Political Twitter: https://x.com/panoforhb
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pano-f/
On Instagram, this candidate follows:
Informed Parents of CA - (extremist anti-LGBTQ group, very active)
OC GOP -
Michael Gates - HB City Attorney
Chad Williams (anti-LGBTQ candidate for HB City Council)
On Twitter, this candidate follows:
OC Independent (far right journalism in OC)
Dan Kalmick - https://x.com/DanKalmick
Rhonda Bolton - https://x.com/RhondaMBolton
Kevin McCarthy - https://x.com/SpeakerMcCarthy
Ron DeSantis - https://x.com/GovRonDeSantis
Palmer Luckey - https://x.com/PalmerLuckey
HBParent (extreme anti-LGBTQ twitter account run by HB local)
His campaign social media posts include:
Photo of Frousiakis shaking hands and smiling with Former Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy:
Photo of Frousiakis shaking hands with an unknown man in front of a huge “Take America Back” Trump flag:
Photo of Froukiakis’s truck, which he calls the “Panomobile,” festooned with copies of his own campaign sign alongside a prominently placed Trump 2024 campaign sign
In May 2023, he responded to HB Councilwoman Moser’s agenda item in public comment. For full context, the HB City Council has an invocation before every meeting. There used to be a process with the HB interfaith community wherein different faiths would be represented via a rotating invocation speaker from within the established interfaith council, and there was no favor shown to any single faith practice. When the current council majority was elected at the end of 2022, they did away with this practice, and for the last two years only Christianity has been reflected in the invocation. Councilwoman Moser, in an attempt to ensure the council was not giving unfair credence to any one faith, put forth an agenda item suggesting that there instead be a moment of silence, rather than a dedication to a single faith.
Pano spoke on this matter, saying “I’m really troubled by this new agenda item that’s come out (...) that is seeking to fundamentally remove our invocation from our meeting, and is a time-old tradition of our city council, and to replace it with a moment of silence. Well, there’s a couple things I want to go over here. First of all, the tradition that we’ve had in our community of having an invocation - that’s really emblematic of the unity that our community has. When it comes to all the different faith backgrounds, when it comes to all the different, um speakers, and different religious figures who have come before here - it’s not just been Christians, it’s been many different faith backgrounds. And so, for us to have an item on the agenda that’s been proposed by a member on this council that very soon, most likely, is going to be trying to seek your votes for the next election - it undermines the very unity that it represents in our community. Which is for us to respect each others’ faiths and convictions. It’s not possible to be able to just say, hey, we’re just going to have you pray in your room, and that’s all you need - I mean, that’s a really dangerous form of logic right there. Because you can say, oh, you can have all the constitutional rights you want in your bedroom - well, thank you so much for giving me the right to have rights in my bedroom, I really do appreciate that, but we need to be able to have the rights to be able to express ourselves, and our faiths, in a public forum. And a moment of silence just isn’t going to do that. (...) And so really the question I have to pose to Councilwoman Moser regarding this item is, is it really about inclusivity? Your item? You know, it seems to me to be a guise of neutrality that’s really covering a form of discrimination, which is the discrimination against our people of faith. Because many residents in our community have told me, especially of the Christian faith, but of all faith backgrounds, have said, we’re concerned that our rights are being trampled on and that we’re not being heard, based on this agenda item. So, given that information, I just want to say that we as a community should be upholding the traditions that unite us. And so remember - with progress, progress is not about discarding our values. Progress is about upholding the values that allow us to best serve our community.”
Endorsed by:
Nancy’s Picks (conservative-leaning):
https://www.nancyspicks.com/vote-picks
Scott Baugh
OCGOP
Patriots for Freedom PAC
http://www.panoforhb.com/endorsements.html
“I am proud to also have the endorsement of the Republican Party of Orange County, Lincoln Club, California Republican Assembly, and Reform California.”
https://onyourballot.vote411.org/m/candidate-detail.do?id=69334974#c69334974
News:
In a July 2021 OC Register article, Pano was photographed sitting next to Gracey Van Der Mark, prior to her 2022 election to the council, at a city council meeting. He reacts in a negatively shocked expression at then Mayor-Pro-Tem Delgleize stating that she would support the appointment of Rhonda Bolton to City Council to replace Tito Ortiz, who stepped down. In the photo, he wears a shirt emblazoned with a ‘Gracey for City Council’ message; Van Der Mark had also interviewed for the role and was hoping for the appointment.
According to this Calmatters article, Pano founded the local group, HB Patriots. The website defines the group as “HB Patriots is a 501c4 political organization dedicated to uniting Conservatives in Huntington Beach, CA. Our focus is on endorsing local candidates and actively participating in the city's politics. As a networking organization, we bring together individuals who share a common vision of promoting conservative values and principles. Join us and be part of a community that works towards a common goal of advancing conservatism in Huntington Beach”.
The article references Pano, saying, “Though he’s happy with the overall direction of the council, Frousiakis concedes that “the past few months have been getting a little bit off-track.” He established a political organization this year, the HB Patriots, and is running again for city council in 2024 with a message about getting back to local quality-of-life issues. “Unfortunately, I feel that our residents get sidelined as a result of that. I feel sidelined as a resident,” he said. “The other issues that are being talked about, that’s why I vote for president.”
Follow the Money:
Aug 2024 - $3000 from Paula Prizio, Chairwoman of Next Gen, the youth program of the Republican Party of Orange County
July 2024 - $500 from Ledsam Contracting Incorporated
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Municipal Water District of Orange County
District 6
“I am passionate and committed to the proportional and equitable distribution of water to our diverse economic and cultural communities, always considering the environmental benefits and risks.“
“I will advocate for: Transparency in planning for climate change challenges of reliable water supply imports. Fair distribution and sustainable supply of safe and clean water for all of Orange County.” Read the statement in full at the link above.
Social Media:
Facebook: NONE FOUND
Instagram: NONE FOUND
Twitter: NONE FOUND
On instagram, this candidate follows:
N/A
Josh Newman
Dave Min
Iranian American Democrats of California -
Orange County Young Democrats -
Planned Parenthood Action Fund of Orange and San Bernardino Counties -
Women for American Values and Ethics (WAVE) -
News:
Gomez did not reply to the LAist candidate questionnaire.
Follow the Money:
Jul 2024 - $500 from Canyon Democrats
Sep 2024 - $500 from Cottie-Petrie Norris for Assembly 2024
Sep 2024 - $500 from Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties
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Municipal Water District of Orange County
District 6
Campaign Website: NONE FOUND
Personal Website: https://www.pramodkunju.com/
“As an advocate for small businesses, start-ups, and disadvantaged communities, Pramod understands the importance of ensuring that all voices are heard and represented.”
Read the full statement in full at the link above.
Social Media:
Personal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pramodkunju
Professional Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AIGuru/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dataguru123/
Personal Twitter: https://x.com/pramodkunju
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pramodkunju/
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@datascienceandartificialin1452
On instagram, this candidate follows:
Kamala Harris - https://www.instagram.com/kamalaharris/
Tulsi Gabbard - https://www.instagram.com/tulsigabbard/
Irvine Neighbors - https://www.instagram.com/irvineneighbors/
Endorsed by:
None Found
News:
None Found
Pramod did not reply to the LAist candidate questionnaire https://laist.com/news/politics/voter-game-plan-2024-general-election-orange-county
Follow the Money:
NO DONATIONS LISTED
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Municipal Water District of Orange County
District 6
Campaign Website: NONE FOUND,but you can view his bio here.
“I am a staunch advocate for transparency in public records and have tirelessly fought against conflicts of interest in the water community. I will continue to oppose special interests in Orange County that seek to shift costs to you.” You can read the statement in full at the link above.
Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jeff4WaterBoard2016/
Instagram: NONE FOUND
Twitter: NONE FOUND
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jmthomas2/
On instagram, this candidate follows:
N/A
***However, on his facebook page he does follow Austin Lumbard, the Mayor of Tustin. You can see Lumbard’s affiliations on his instagram page, here.
Endorsed by:
OC GOP
Nancy’s Picks (conservative-leaning):
https://www.orangejuiceblog.com/2024/09/all-the-candidates-on-the-ballot-this-fall-in-the-oc/
Orange Juice Blog (liberal-leaning):
https://www.orangejuiceblog.com/2024/09/all-the-candidates-on-the-ballot-this-fall-in-the-oc/
News:
“Election: Water District Candidates Discuss the Issues” - SAN CLEMENTE TIMES
“Advocating for transparency with public records and fighting conflicts of interest in the water community have been priorities since I first took office. I will continue the battle against special interests in Orange County who are seeking to shift costs to others.”
Follow the Money:
NO DONATIONS LISTED, but he made numerous loans to his own campaign
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Coming Soon
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Candidate OUSD district 4
Candidate, Orange County Water District District 2
(Also, while we’re not covering this race - he’s running for U.S. President).
Not much is known about him; he is a perennial candidate who shows up on ballots most election cycles.
No ballot statement for the OUSD or the OCWD races.
His rhetoric is far right sprinkled with a handful of left rhetoric. He is in favor of forced birthing policy and claims ‘Kamala supports abortions that kill babies’. Says ‘she is married to a Zionist Jew’. We are choosing not to promote these views by linking directly to his social media, but it can be found if you search for it.
When the attempt to recall Newsom took place he put his name into the hat for Governor. His old governor website says: “FUTURE POLITICAL GOAL: Democratic Political Party Nomination for President of the United States of America as a historical vote to be the First Latino President in the advancement of Racial Equity & Inclusion 2024.”
Old website link: https://mandocaliforniagovernor.godaddysites.com
Twitter: https://x.com/presidentmando?s=21&t=1Ai3J8LtXSBdMk_fRbpEew
No public stance on the LBGTQ+ community, although he seems to lean into alt-right ideologies regarding several other demographics and issues.
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Coming Soon
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Coming Soon
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Coming Soon
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Coming Soon
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Coming Soon
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Coming Soon