Labor leader Ada Briceno was elected chair of the Democratic Party of Orange County by acclamation at last night’s election meeting. Rounding out the leadership team, Florice Hoffman was re-elected as treasurer, Luis Aleman was re-elected as secretary.
The vice chairs races were more competitive with Annie Wright winning as South County Vice chair and Victor Valladares elected to West Vice chair. Beatriz Valencia was elected Central Vice chair when Michelle Duman withdrew after making a speech calling for more inclusion from the entire Central Committee in the party’s mission. Jeff Letourneau was re-elected as North Vice Chair.
It was a packed house with great energy that shows how far the party has come. It’s a diverse board and one Orange County Democrats should be proud of.
Photos from Lou Delgado are coming this afternoon.
Here’s the party’s announcement:
Democratic Party of Orange County elects new leaders; Labor leader Ada Briceño takes helm as Chair
January 14, 2019, Orange, Calif. — The Democratic Party of Orange County (DPOC) today announced its Central Committee Members elected a new leadership team to helm Orange County Democrats through the 2020 Presidential campaign cycle.
The new leadership team includes Ada Briceño as Chair, Jeff LeTourneau as Northern Region Vice Chair, Beatrice “Betty” Valencia as Central Region Vice Chair, Victor Valladares as Western Region Vice Chair, Annie Wright as Southern Region Vice Chair, Florice Hoffman as Treasurer and Luis Aleman as Secretary.
Leadership bios are available here. Election photos are available here (Photo credit: Michael Sean Wright).
Newly elected Chair Ada Briceño is the first Latina to lead DPOC in more than two decades. She released the following statement:
“I ran for Chair of the Democratic Party of Orange County because it’s the most exciting time to be a Democrat and a labor leader. It is an honor to stand on the shoulders of past successes led by Chair Fran Sdao, and I look forward to working closely with our entire Democratic community.
“My work has been fueled by the extraordinary activism in our communities. My mission is to bring people together, facilitate dialogue, and share the fundamental belief that all of us deserve fair representation and opportunities. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the woman’s right to vote. As a woman of color, I’m proud to see all the work we have done, and recognize all the work still left to do.”
Outgoing Chair Fran Sdao released the following statement of support for the new leadership:
“It has been an honor to serve as Chair. I look forward to working with our new leaders during this transition, and to our exciting future ahead.”
###
About The Democratic Party of Orange County
The Democratic Party of Orange County (DPOC) is the official organization for Democrats California’s third-largest (and America’s sixth-largest) county of 3.2 million residents. DPOC is quickly closing a narrow 1-point voter margin gap to become the dominant political organization in a metropolitan coastal region that was once famously known as a conservative stronghold. To volunteer or donate to elect Democrats in Orange County, visit DPOC at www.ocdemocrats.org or call (714) 634-DEMS.