Chris Cox’s nomination in June, 2005 to head the Security & Exchange Commission, launched the first in a series of special elections here in Orange County that continue to this day. Combined with the regularly scheduled
First, of course, was the special election primary and general elections to fill Cox’s congressional seat, which concluded in December of 2005.
Concurrent with that campaign was an bitter fight over a county initiative on the statewide special election ballot — an expensive battle between the firefighters and deputy sheriffs unions over how to divvy up Prop. 172 revenues (the deputies won).
That special was won by state Sen. John Campbell, which led to a special election to fill the 35th Senate District seat he was vacating. This was effectively won in the April 11, 2006 special election primary by then-Assemblyman Tom Harman, who barely edged out Dana Point Councilwoman Diane Harkey.
Shortly afterward, the battle royale had begun between Supervisor Lou Correa and Assemblywoman Lynn Daucher for the 34th Senate District. Correa’s narrow victory has sparked yet another special election — OC’s fourth in little more than a year — on February 6 to fill Correa’s 1st Supervisor District seat.
The leading contenders in this race are Santa Ana Councilman Carlos Bustamante (who’s hired John Lewis and Matt Holder as his consultants), Garden Grove Councilwoman Janet Nguyen (who’s campaign is being run by Dave Gilliard), Garden Grove School Trustee Trung Nguyen (who’s backed by Assemblyman Van Tran and whose campaign, rumor has it, will be run by JohnsonClarck Associates), and possibly Assemblyman Tom Umberg.
If that is the final field, there is a strong possibility, even likelihood, that Democrat Umberg will win. The truncated campaiugn schedule combined with the first-past-the-post rules creates about the only circumstances in which Umberg can win an election in OC.
The irony is the election of a Democrat to the OC Board of Supervisors would be made possible by a county initiative passed in 2002 in order to prevent a Democrat from being appointed to the Board of Supervisors.
Prior to the passage of Measure V in 2002, Board of Supervisor vacancies were filled by the Governor — who was Gray Davis at the time. Supervisor Todd Spitzer was going to vacate his seat in order to become an Assemblyman, which would presumably lead to Davis appointing a Democrat to replace Spitzer.
Hence the passage of Measure V the same year — making OC a charter county and requiring vacancies to be filled by special election rather than gubernatorial appointment.
Four years later, we have another board vacancy created by a supervisor ascending to the state legislature. Under the pre-Measure V rules, GOP Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger would presumably appoint a Republican to fill Correa’s seat.
Now, however, the special election requirement gives OC Democrats their only chance to keep the 1st SD in their hands. The law of unintended consequences in action (for the record, I voted for Measure V and still think it was a good idea).
Not that I’m complaining. All these special elections have been great fodder for my blog, Red County/OC Blog. It’ll almost be sad when they come to an end.