Which Way Is Left In The 69th Assembly District?

I received this from the Jose Solorio for Assembly campaign a few days ago:

Business Leaders for Jose Solorio

Michael Ray    Jose Romo

Roger Faubel    Bob Goodrich

Dr. Sean Schick    Debbie Trabattoni

Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido
Anaheim Mayor Pro Tem Richard Chavez
Garden Grove Mayor Pro Tem Mark Rosen
Orange County Water District President Paul Anthony

Cordially invite you to attend a fundraising event to support

Santa Ana Councilman Jose Solorio for State Assembly

69th Assembly District

breakfast will be served

The Center Club
650 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa

$250 per person
Bronze Sponsor $500   
Silver Sponsor $1000
Gold Sponsor $2000      
Platinum Sponsor $3300

Please RSVP by Tuesday, May 23rd by calling Kimberlee Ward at (562) 787-5808 or emailing kimberlee@JoseSolorio.com

The Democratic contest in the 69th Assembly District is  intriguing to me as an outside GOP observer, because the candidates seem to be upending the classifications into which they'd conventionally be placed. Santa Ana Councilwoman Claudia Alvarez was the "business Democrat" during her narrow loss to Assemblyman Tom Umberg two years ago -- but according to Democratic insiders I've spoken with she's been veering to the left this primary.

For example, she has staked out a more liberal stance on the drivers licenses for illegal immigrants issue than primary rival and fellow Santa Ana Councilmember Jose Solorio.

The conventional depiction of Solorio, for that matter, has been as the "union Democrat" in this race -- as evidenced by his greater level of labor support vis-a-vis Alvarez and Armando De La Libertad (the withdrawal of the SEIU endorsement notwithstanding). For example, a union PAC with ludicrously long name -- Strengthening Our Lives Education, Community Action And Civic Participation, A Coalition Oof Labor Organizations -- spent $96,383 on voter contact for Solorio between May 8 -- May 20.

Now you have Solorio's business leaders breakfast. Solorio zigs from left to right and Alvarez zags from right to left -- while De La Libertad seems to zig all over the place trying to figure out where he stands on the major state issues.

I don't pretend to be an expert in internal OC Democratic politics, and tend to defer to the judgment and insight of my Democratic friends -- who tell me this has been a strange primary where the candidates have been all over the ideological map in search of an advanatge over their opponents.

Comments

[garth]

Weird isn't it. You are correct about Armando. Claudia and Jose just seem to be running where ever they can get support.

[Bladerunner]

Jubal---follow the money. Labor money heavy for Jose, business money even heavier for Claudia. All the rest is just smart politics by the candidates as dictated by their consultants--reach out, snag some do re mi and set yourself up to get even more of that cash post-primary when everyone will want to suck up to the Assemblymember for at least the next two years. Claudia will vote somewhat like Correa and Jose somewhat like Umberg. Not a huge statistical difference but Umberg more likely to vote with labor then Correa. But you can see how a small statistical difference on business votes between Daucher and Van Tran had the Party faithful claiming it was a battle for the sould of teh Republican Party.

Armando's money seems to be less institutional and he has intentionally avoided taking stands on controlversial issues to avoid making enemies. I suspect he doesn't need to study any more issues--its just a way to avoid making enemies. Should he pull an upset and win this thing his reluctance to discuss issues could prove to be a bonanza. Both business and labor might look at him as truly undecided and will pour the $$ in. The question is whether the he can squeeze in with a close 3 person race.