Former state senator Lou Correa was the overwhelming choice of Democrats in the 46th for the DPOC party endorsement at a poorly-attended meeting at the Teamster’s Hall in Orange Saturday morning; 32 votes were cast. Correa got 30. There were two votes for no endorsement and Garden Grove Mayor and CD-46 candidate Bao Nguyen didn’t land a single vote. All this in front of about 10 people. No speeches. No pomp. No frills.
So, what I think is against Nguyen’s better judgment, here is a fundraising note sent to supporters this morning that ties Correa to current Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, who endorsed Correa on Friday, as a *Republican?!?* This fantasy-stretch to make Loretta “right wing” stems from recent endorsements Sanchez has received from some Republicans — including Anaheim’s Curt Pringle and conservative talk show host Hugh Hewitt — in her bid for US Senate. Because many Republicans don’t want to blank this race do have a choice between two Democrats and just might choose to support Sanchez, the only candidate in that race with an established track record of working across the aisle.
Frankly, this is a dumb move. And one not easily forgotten.
Here’s Bao’s letter for supporters received this morning:
You should know that our district’s incumbent, the Republican-endorsed 10 term Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, has endorsed my opponent. What this means is that our campaign’s message is resonating with the working families of Orange County.
It means that the political establishment sees our campaign as a threat to the same old politics-as-usual in Washington that has left our community here in Orange County behind. That’s why dark money and special interests like real estate developers, political hacks, and insiders have rallied behind my opponent.
We’ve had incredible support from community leaders and volunteers who are sick and tired of being ignored, and that is why we need to come together to make sure that a grassroots candidate will represent us.
Today, I’m counting on you join us.
Just $10 makes a huge difference.
Can we count on your support?
In Solidarity,
Mayor of Garden Grove
Candidate for CA-46
This prompts one to look at those who are backing Bao’s candidacy. According to recent campaign finance documents, Bao has received 233 contributions from 171 contributors. Less than 25% of this money came from interests inside CD-46. Of the $152,861 raised, $114,146 is money from outside the district and from contributors with some interesting backgrounds.
- David Duong, owner of CA Waste Solutions (trash/disposal)1- $2,700
- Efrain Davalos, CA Fuels & Lubricants owner , $2,700 9/21/15 and $2,700 6/30/16 (Davalos owns a collections agency and two repossession companies)
- Tam Nguyen, ARCO/BP owner, $1,500 9/28/15
- Maryanne Carlson, Citibank Director / Senior Counsel, $250 9/30/15 (would Bernie approve?)
- Yechiel Kessler, UBS Wealth Management, $2,200, 4/22/16 (UBS recently pled guilty to a variety of financial crimes in the US and has been fined over $4 billion for tax fraud, currency manipulation, securities fraud and illegal financial trading with Iran and Libya).
- Vivian Pham, Wells Fargo Community Dev Officer, $325 9/25/15, 5/27/16
- Ryan Harlow, VP Sales, Merrill Lynch / BofA, $500 11/15/15
And there’s a number of contributions from Marijuana connected firms that’s not that necessary to share.
Given that Bao was the first notable OC Democratic-elected to come out for Senator Bernie Sanders (who still isn’t a Democrat BTW), one would think taking money from folks with ties to Big Banks would contradict Bao’s own railing against Real Estate interests. It underscores the fact candidates don’t have to accept donations from anyone who wants to give them money. But it’s tough to rail against establishment interests while accepting establishment money.
What a butthole
Is Bao running for Garden Grove mayor?
He should. He would have our full support for doing so. As it stands now, he may be out of office completely by the new year.
Lou Correa didn’t receive the pre-Primary CADEM Endorsement. The vote was split between Joe Dunn and Lou Correa 16/17. Please revisit your numbers for accurate accounts.
Lifelong Democrat Lou Correa Receives Near Unanimous Support Among CDP Delegates in His Bid for CA-46
SANTA ANA, CA — After receiving a series of high-powered endorsements from elected officials and labor groups, including Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez, UA Local 250: Steamfitters & Refrigeration and the CA Labor Federation, this weekend, former State Senator Lou Correa won the support of 30 out of the available 32 delegates at the California Democratic Endorsement Caucus, or 94% of the vote. The remaining two delegates chose not to endorse.
Dan tilting against minority Dems not aligned with his technocrats is always the funniest thing…
I am not certain, given his voting record, I would consider Bao a “Democrat”, instead like his hustler buddy Jose Moreno, he’s just an oppourtunist.
This is not lost on most, just the “crazy Greg” crowd.
Bao has yet to confirm who he voted for in the 2004 presidential race. $10 says it was W.
I wouldn’t take that bet, Dan. As “Big Ed” used to say, “You are correct, Sir!”
On his LinkedIn page, BN claims to have been an “Intern, The White House, Executive Order 13125. BN also omits any mention that George W. Bush was president at the time. https://www.linkedin.com/in/trusteebao
However, on his congressional campaign website, it appears that BN is trying to distance himself from W, claiming he “interned for the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, under Executive Order 13125 in Rockville, Maryland.” https://bao2016.com/about/
As Bao has acknowledged, he was a registered Republican.
Bao paid money to trick Republicans into voting for him (it worked) in his first-ever successful 2012 election.
Bao calls Loretta a “Republican-Endrosed” candidate (yet Bao endorsed her for Senate)
It appears that he treats Democrats with the same type of loyalty as he shows to his Vietnamese-Americans.
Bao also registered to vote as “Decline-To-State” for a number of years. (Was he trying to get on their list too?)
Bao TWICE registered to vote as a member of the Green Party. Do they even send out mail?
What a tool.
The race of both candidates was never mentioned in this post. And it’s not Germaine to the issue. But thanks for trying to make a point that wasn’t there.
No, the funniest thing is Gustavo Arellano still doing his tired old faux Mexican minstrel show.
Funny in a sad and pathetic way, that is.
Who cares about Bao or Gustavo whats his name, I’m a freaking airport commissioner and assistant water boy/coach for boys high school football. Gotta run fellas, I’ve got Fatheads to hang in the bedroom.
It’s remarkable how someone could move into the city just seven weeks ago and land a commission appointment. Is Riverside that desperate?
Check out Sean Mill’s Twitter feed. The guy is bitching about stalking when he invented it.
I blocked Sean on Facebook years ago. He has a Twitter feed? Who cares.
Sean ought to be more concerned that on July 6th, his wife said he lived in Santa Ana when he said he moved to Riverside in late June. Then he can explain why he never spent a night in his mother’s house the entire month of May.
With a few hundred ballots remaining to count and Peterson trailing by 1,650 votes, Nguyen on Tuesday swiftly moved into general election mode and launched an attack on veteran politician Lou Correa, who finished first. Ballots tallied on Election Day put Peterson in second place, 492 votes ahead of Nguyen. But with the mail, paper and provisional ballots tallied since, Nguyen caught up and then steadily padded his lead.