Some people change. I hope that Barbara Venezia has.
The ditzy, eccentric, Republican co-host of the cable-access show “At Home on the Range†is running for the Newport Beach City Council seat in the fourth district.
Since her days on cable-access (1992 – 1998), Venezia has worked to get unincorporated Santa Ana Heights areas annexed by Newport. She was also elected chairwoman of the Santa Ana Heights Project Advisory Committee, which represents residents on redevelopment agency projects.
Newport Beach candidates have until August to file their papers, but I do know that Venezia will be facing Leslie Daigle, the incumbent who was appointed in 2004.
Does the quirky redhead have a chance? According to the Daily Pilot, the November race for Newport Beach City Council is going to be an expensive one:
Daigle, an appointed incumbent, said recently that she’s raised more than $50,000. First-time candidate Jack Wu, a controller for a Corona del Mar design firm, plans to raise about $70,000, and he’s calling on friends in the GOP to help him.
I don’t know exactly how much money Venezia has raised, but I’m thinking that it’s probably less than 50 grand. I’m curious to see if the Newport Beach voters will be able to take Venezia seriously. Here’s a real quote from a press release on Venezia’s web site:
What will be the next big thing in political pitching? Newport Beach City Council Candidate and former TV personality, Barbara Venezia says “Campaign Couture†is an idea whose time has come…
“If you’ve seen ‘The OC’ on Fox, you get the impression that Newport Beach is the land of beautiful, anatomically correct women,†Venezia said with a smile. “Let’s just say we designed the shirt with that in mind.”
