There is some lamenting this week after the election that Lynn Schott’s third place finish signaled a blown opportunity for the disorganized Republicans to someone take over the city council majority in Irvine. Hogwash. Mayor Sukhee Kang was overwhelming re-elected with one of the largest margins in a competitive mayoral race and council member Larry Agran was the top finisher in the council election, besting Jeff Lalloway by nearly 1,000 votes.
If anything, Schott benefited from the late support by outgoing council member Christina Shea and lame duck council member Steve Choi. Lalloway raised a significant amount of money and benefitted from those who submitted absentee ballots early, long before Shea fired him from the planning comission. Adam Probolsky, a Lalloway friend, denied a popular rumor he’d be returning to city hall as a commissioner for Lalloway.
But in this Voice of OC story, I’m a little shocked by this statement by Probolsky: “Most people don’t know what a Shiva Farivar or a Yunus Aksoy is,” Probolsky said. With Schott, he added, “I [the Irvine voter] know what I’m getting. I know she’s probably a white lady — I gravitate towards what I know.”
In a city known for it’s diversity and which celebrates the manner in which Korean-Americans, Chinese-Americans, African-Americans, Persian Americans, and all creeds interact and work together, I’m actually offended by Probolsky’s characterization of “I gravitate towards what I know.” Yep, Adam knows tea party Republicans. Kang’s election flies fully in the face of Probosky’s statements and frankly, Probolsky’s ought to clarify his remarks and apologize for them.
So what kind of council member will Jeff Lalloway be? Christina Shea in wingtips; with the backing of the Lincoln Club. The big question is will he work with Choi or not. But the Republicans only held their ground in Irvine. They never had a chance to actually take over.
But a quick note to Choi: would you be upset if I show up at a Irvine Republican Club function with a photoshopped image of Rep. John Boehner’s head on Stalin’s body? Because, to quote you from last December, “as a small businessman, Boehner’s policies would imact me negatively.”
Just asking….
Dan,
I am not going to apologize for my political analysis- my understanding and recognition of the fact that some voters are racist, xenophobic and or just want to vote for someone they know. I have a strong record on fighting racism in politics. Do not confuse analysis for hate speak. I simply pointing out for instance that Aksoy earned a limited number of votes both because he did little to campaign directly to voters AND because most voters didn’t know if he was man or women, of Mexican heritage or from Sudam, Muslim or Christian (he is from Turkey). Voters like to know what they are getting. For better or worse. We are still a society that askes “Where are you from?” “Where do you worship?” “Are you like me?”
Adam, certainly no one who has seen you in action would expect an apology about anything you do. Yes, there are still racist and gender biased voters and candidates out there. But then you and Lalloway know all about that first hand don’t you? The telephone poll you orchestrated against Lynn Schott and Shiva Farivar were gender specific and asked some pretty pointed questions aimed at turning voters against them. I might add that both of these women, even on opposite ends of the spectrum are honorable citizens trying to do something positive for their community. Just what do you do for your community Adam, except shoot off your big mouth?
Then comes your comment about the “white woman” and your true philosophy comes out like a bad smell. While Dan and I agree on some things and disagree on others, this is one I am 100% with him on. The inexcusable actions of yourself and Jeff Lalloway in this election may have resulted in a win, but it is a win without honor. Frankly, both of you need to be disciplined by the Republican Party for your actions. Guess that won’t happen as long as your buddy Scott Baugh is in power? However, one never knows what the future might bring. The Law of Karma, passes none of us by and in the end, “what goes around comes around.” You too will get your just due one day.
I’m sure a number of Republicans think exactly the way you do Adam; but I think your analysis is wrong. I offer two examples: Todd Gallinger and Sukhee Kang. Todd is White. Blonde. Brown eyes. Muslim. Played youth soccer in Irvine. Grew up here and very much “a white guy.” he was called a terrorist by your side in the 2008 election. Sukhee is Korean American; an immigrant and his re-election by a wide margin also disproves your theory. Your glib comments about voting for a white lady detract from your record on fighting racism in politics. Perhaps you should choose your words more carefully because I was offended reading them
How about this Dan. Polling shows that Asians prefer voting for Asians, Latinos for Latinos, women for women and…gasp…white people for white people (incidently white voters are less loyal to other white voters than other races are).
And you know too well it’s all about how you ask the question. I’m suspect on your polling methods since you tried to push that poll out that Nanny-gate didn’t negatively impact Meg Whitman when the sampling including a majority of Democrats. But I’ll give you this — Korean Americans voted for both Sukhee Kang and Steven Choi in the same election even though political speaking they are night and day. Choi’s loss in the primary proves he cannot win unless Kang is on the ballot. But that all said, explain how Allan Mansoor won over Phu Nguyen in a district dominated by Vietnamese?
Good question Dan. Vietnamese do not make up a majority in the district. Mansoon took most non-Asian voters and a sizable number of white Dems.
and yet they sent Van Tran to office six years prior; fascinating. So did all those white Dems vote for Van Tran?
They did. Van out GOPed my friend Mark Leyes at the time.
I have to laugh whenever Adam Probolsky talks about his polling. See http://www.calbuzz.com/2010/10/capweek-kudo-whores-v-klutzes-lou-channels-meg/
Arthur — Adam tried sending us the same poll; I asked for the sampling difference between Dems and Reeps and it was a big difference. I wasn’t buying the two point lead. But does this make Adam a bad pollster? It’s all in how you ask the question, or so I’m told.
I’ve spoken with several professional women who used day care and nannies to provide child care and most agreed Whitman flunked the Nannygate test by throwing her nanny under the bus. When you take someone like that into your home, they become part of your family.
The voters showed the validity behind the numbers; so much for that poll that showed Van Tran and Loretta Sanchez were tied just after the debate.