In every election, there are gracious winners and bad winners; gracious losers and sore losers. And former State Assemblyman Chris Norby has a signed confession that he’s a sore loser in the letters to the editor section of today’s OC Register editorial pages.
Norby was the big winner in the June primary over Sharon Quirk-Silva; his campaign coasted over the summer while Quirk-Silva walked neighborhoods, did extensive polling, refined her message and registered new voters. In November, Norby lost in what was one of the biggest upsets in state and local elections. In a “Thank you” letter to the voters in the new AD-65, Norby reflects on the election and his record as the AD-72 assembly rep. Norby blames unions, the Democratic Party and OC Republicans “distracted” by the presidential race for his loss.
He writes:
Redistricting made re-election this year more difficult, and a tidal wave of money and negative mail narrowly ended my tenure. I’ve been in negative campaigns before, but this was the first one devoid of any exchange of ideas or give-and-take public forums. Voters and community groups never got to compare directly the candidates’ actual ideas, rather than just the formulaic hit mailers from PACs.
All this money showed the Democrats were dead serious about carrying this seat, while many O.C. Republican were distracted by the presidential race and statewide propositions. Their new two-thirds legislative majorities means payback to the public employee unions who financed their victories.
Perhaps Mr. Norby can look to the private sector for new employment opportunities instead of relying on the public dime as he has for so many years. The suggestion that voters and community groups never got to compare candidate’s ideas insults the voters. Both Norby and Quirk-Silva had well documented records to run on. Both were teachers (though Norby hasn’t worked a classroom in years), but which candidate struck a more powerful cord with those voters who value education?
Perhaps it was Norby’s track record of showing up late for meetings, saying something for the record, and leaving early (a trait that a number of elected officials in OC from both sides of the aisle share) that soured voters. Maybe it was his close association with the Pro-Tony Bushala crowd in Fullerton where Norby and Quirk-Silva were neck and neck when Norby crushed her in Fullerton in the primary. Maybe it was Norby’s proud role in killing redevelopment agencies which is now costing those Norby once represented in Fullerton $7.6 million, Orange $19.5 million, Anaheim $13.8 million, and Brea $7.9 million. The truth is Norby ran a lazy, bad campaign and caught incumbentitis, where he frankly expected to win.
Norby wraps his letter with:
For me, as some doors close, new ones open. People serve in different ways in different phases of their lives. I thank my constituents for allowing me to serve them and for my dedicated staff who did so much for their state and communities. We all gave it our best.
Norby’s “best” wasn’t good enough. If he’s interested in continued public service, there are a host of worthy charities out there to serve the public as Mr. Norby draws on his generous government pensions. Or perhaps he can get a job in the private sector; perhaps the Bushala Brothers are hiring?
I believe that I have an interesting take on Norby. While I am a liberal and politically have differing views on just about everything Chris stands for, I’m also a Brea Olinda graduate…and Mr. Norby was my American History teacher.
I’ve watched Norby on the Fullerton City Council and then onto the Board of Supervisors and the Assembly and I’ve agreed with most of the progressive pundit’s critique of the guy and his politics. It’s hard then to explain that Norby is certainly one of the best teachers I’ve had. In fact, I credit his passion with getting me excited about politics and in a way he can be credited for the creation of this blog.
I guess the lesson is that Republicans are people too.
I hope that 2013 brings The Liberal OC just as much success as previous years!
Yeah, except Norby is a Libertarian registered as a Republican. His greatest claim to fame is his ability to recite every cigarette jingle ad ever sung on TV or radio.
Norby is a false Libertarian as well. He is a career politician who, for some reason, the Republicans like. Republicans don’t seem to have a problem with their politicians feeding at the public trough, just regular government employees.
Thankfully, this loser, who did absolutely nothing and produced no meaningful legislation while in office, has been canned. It’s unfortunate that he may get the job as Clerk-Recorder due to his good buddy Moorlach. C-R isn’t much of an influential position but it will allow Norby to continue to draw a paycheck and full benefits, including a taxpayer funded pension.
Field Commander Scott Baugh the O. C. Republican Party Chairman is partially to blame for Chris Norby’s loss, and might have been ‘distracted’ by the Irvine and Costa Mesa City Council races. Field Commanders are suppose to know the terrain of the Assembly district, – the strengths and weaknesses of the enemy, – and especially a weekly report on Chris Norby’s defenses and ground game.
For political types with way too much free time there are two videos at http://www.ocgop.org for you to enjoy.
“OC Chairman Scott Baugh’s Speech to Costa Mesa Tea Party” (25 minutes)
“Chairman Scott Baugh’s Call to Action” (29 minutes)
Norby, like Bob Dornan, has no one to blame for his loss other than himself.
Having personally dealt with Norby on a few occasions, it’s important to understand he’s easily dismissive, rude and uninterested in any point of view not his.
His personal problems, public drunkenness and marital issues are well known. This invites no confidence in his ability to lead. He’s truly a loser that rode a particular political point-of-view to some minimal success (via OPM — other people’s money), but alienated many of his supporters along the way.
Had Mike Duvall not been caught in front of that microphone, Norby would have been history years ago. Dan’s right that he sat on his primary lead and arrogantly believed he had it in the bag — but he got beat by a smarter, more energetic opponent who attracted plenty of support to help her win (unlike the GOP that didn’t see the defeat coming).
I always wanted to like the guy and support his politics, but after a few snubs and, as Dan points out, late or non-arrivals to events where his support was needed, I’m through with him. Good luck to his family, but at his age, he’s finished in politics.
Never say never, OCO. It’s likely the Republican Party will find some position for him, assuming Moorlach doesn’t just hand him the clerk-recorder job. There has never been anything to like about Norby and he is not the only one that will snub a person he has no interest in. Todd Spitzer is famous for his opportunistic snubs. In fact, if you stand between him and someone he really wants to talk to, he will push you aside to get to him.
OCO: Moorlach can’t hand the C-R post to Norby. Norby needs three votes. He’ll get hs buddy Shawn Nelson, maybe Moorlach, but maybe not. Norby is a lawsuit waiting to happen. Given the issues the county had this year, the supes aren’t going to invite trouble by appointing Norby.