OC GOP Chair Will O’Neill is in a state of denial. When the most Republican of OC Cities needs a rallying social media post from the MAGA Party chair, it’s trouble. Trouble like 2006 and 2008 and 2018. That blue wave is on the horizon and Republican voters are divided.
ONeill issued this statement on Facebook Wednesday:
This post is for Newport Beach residents.
In November, you’re going to choose who you want on your City Council and you will also have a terrible ballot proposition to vote down.
The city’s budget is running surpluses without a single tax increase anywhere to be seen. The increased investment over the past years in basics like infrastructure and safety have consistently increased property tax revenues, which has allowed the current council to re-invest in expanding police and fire operations. The roads are great, the projects are coming in on time, and homelessness is barely an issue for discussion. And debt/liabilities are way down.
In sum, we’re in a good spot as a city with the constant aspiration to improve. Which is exactly where we should expect Newport Beach to be.
I have endorsed Joe Stapleton, Erik Weigand, Lauren Kleiman, and Robyn Grant for re-election.
After everything we have done in local politics to ensure that we’re not bringing LA into OC, I’m shocked specifically by the campaign being run by Andy Gerken against Lauren Kleiman.
Kudos to Gerken on his professional career as a well-liked surgeon. But his political side? It’s a train wreck.
On his own campaign site, he’s touting endorsements from Long Beach Congressman Robert Garcia, assassination-celebrating Assembly candidate Chris Kluwe, and failed lefty state senate candidate Chris Duncan.
What about these guys made Gerken decide to seek and advertise their support?
Was it when Garcia supported LA District Attorney George Gascon for re-election after Gascon’s policies led to the murder of a woman in Newport Beach? Was it when Garcia went on CNN and proclaimed that “what the American public want is for us to bring actual weapons to this bar fight”?
Was it when Chris Kluwe celebrated Charlie Kirk’s assassination? Or when Kluwe was arrested at a Huntington Beach City Council meeting? Or when Kluwe told the New York Times that “Democratic socialism has worked in America”? Or when Kluwe made a joke about child molestation while in the NFL?
No LA in OC, and certainly not in NB.
Resources:
- Yahoo News “ https://www.yahoo.com/…/nfl-bad-boy-chris-kluwe…
- Update – https://www.facebook.com/RealWillONeill/posts/pfbid0DiLbFqRnEBNqgorBbHzbNHBv3pJVWLpPh74T2upxR2FDH8aKCGaQpCjwzjmvajUgl
- Update – https://www.facebook.com/RealWillONeill/posts/pfbid02fXiardLdWUaTg7HYzvXjefT3kzQYfDkTL4dCQFpH5jB6ezu2js6WyZBuWTDRecTXl
- Update – https://www.facebook.com/RealWillONeill/posts/pfbid0YR1khy6UdfNUdPMxUYQwd9aLmuf27nuvEUR9fgv9zZGBtctb4nn5nQBy2an82Ddol
- Update – https://www.facebook.com/RealWillONeill/posts/pfbid02xEX8HFxFEfKJoHtzCmbZXNCzQQLSg4A5qmp75FvL2XijgJ1gUzNpvEmcUU7Tn87Zl
- Garcia – https://www.facebook.com/RealWillONeill/posts/pfbid035JGzZfieUvjaAWVXfK1fEYZRCivSynsYRAwdHHYXCXQfJXMR7xBkYE4r1HTxwk46l
Calling on our pals in Newport Beach — Democrats and Republicans alike; how much does Will need to worry here?
Well in this case, Gerken is the fiscal conservative in the race. Kleiman has increased city spending by $139 million or 36% since taking office. Last year, the operating budget increased at twice the rate of inflation. She also increased police spending by $11 million last year with a 16% increase in police compensation. Maybe that is why she is leading the effort to block voters from considering initiatives for transparency, term limits and district elections. Then there was the taxpayer funded video of her as Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz replete with ruby slippers. She is the kind of candidate the Republicans would have opposed just a few years ago.
Given his complete incompetence in recruiting viable candidates to run for Congress, I’m not surprised O”Neill is focused on city council races. Dr. Gerken is a great candidate and he’s attracting support from both Democrats and Republicans. Our city council is looking more like Huntington Beach evert day, wasting taxpayer dollars are stupid lawsuits.