Team Irvine Unity Ticket?

The following press release came in yesterday afternoon at 5PM (a terrible time to release news considered positive):

Today, four local Democratic campaigns announced the formation of a unity slate called “Team Irvine” in the upcoming November 2020 elections for California State Assembly District 68, Irvine Mayor, and two open seats on the Irvine City Council. 

The four campaigns comprising “Team Irvine” are Melissa Fox for California Assembly District 68, Farrah N. Khan for Irvine Mayor, and Tammy Kim and Lauren Johnson-Norris for Irvine City Council. Currently, Melissa Fox and Farrah N. Khan are Irvine City Councilmembers, and Tammy Kim and Lauren Johnson-Norris are Irvine Commissioners.

The group also released the following joint statement with their announcement:

“As Orange County Democrats, we know the hard work that goes into Democrats elected. The past few years have seen incredible gains, including electing an entirely Democratic congressional delegation, turning Orange County blue with registered voters, and nominating more women and people of color to run for the California Assembly and Senate. We cannot let that energy fade in November. We must ensure that our Blue Wave reaches every local office, including Irvine. That’s why we are setting the bar for other Democrats and joining forces with one goal in mind — ensuring that we elect Democrats to office in Irvine and across Orange County. We need each other to win.”

Learn more about the candidates at their websites below:

Melissa Fox for California Assembly: https://www.votemelissafox.com

Farrah N. Khan for Irvine Mayor: www.farrahforirvine.com

Tammy Kim for Irvine City Council: www.tammykim.com

Lauren Johnson-Norris for Irvine City Council: www.laurenforirvine.com

Color me skeptical. Council members Farrah Khan and Melissa Fox haven’t had the best of working relationships in the past two years on the council.  Online trolls by Fox fans go after Khan regularly.  It’s never Fox herself but surrogates who do nothing by attack Khan on her behalf.

With the passage of a gay Pride Resolution in Irvine and now the vote to fly the Pride Flag, Khan did credit Fox, and council members Mike Carroll and Anthony Kuo for their votes.  Yet to see any sort of gratitude message from the Fox camp towards Khan.

This Unity ticket is designed to capture the early endorsements for the DPOC for key races in Irvine.  The deadline for early endorsements and the city’s deadline to file candidacy are at odds.  I’m aware of two or three more possible Democratic city council candidates I’d much rather support, but they are still putting together their platforms. I’d rather the DPOC wait on early endorsements for city council but move ahead with Farrah Khan’s endorsement at light speed.

The Khan candidacy is going to be difficult for the Party to address, given that DPOC North Vice Chair Jeff LeTourneau led an effort to remove Khan for her role in appointing then NPP candidate Mike Carroll to council.  This after he attacked her on the dais last June and the police escorted Khan to her car.  The photo of Khan and Carroll’s public coffee in advance of a vote to appoint was taken by council candidate Lauren Johnson-Norris who a reference about “how the sausage gets made.”  As recently as early June 2020, LeTourneau was encouraging Irvine Democrats to abandon Khan “in droves” in a Facebook post for her “failure” to second a June 9 request from Fox to add the Pride flag to the agenda (and ignoring the fact that no one brought this issue up since last June).

Now there’s a unity ticket.  And everyone is going to play nice in the sandbox.

Sure.

Whatever you say.

I’ll believe it when I see it.

Sources tell me the anti-Khan gadflies in the party are going to endorse this unity ticket, not because the support Khan but because they support the consultants representing Fox and Johnson-Norris. And those who aren’t fans of Fox or Johnson-Norris, because they were on the wrong side of the Measure B fight but now support a Vet’s cemetery at ARDA, are going to do the same.

Who knew the flavor of bile was so appealing?

I’ll buy into this “Unity” ticket when I start seeing some social media posts that demonstrate actual unity, mutual respect and praise from the Khan camp and the Fox camp.  And I really want to see how the Party responds to the elephant in the room about Khan.

Burying the hatchet is an admirable goal as long as its not in someone’s head.