Santana: Where to Find a Good Political Debate in OC

Starting this week, there’s a big of governmental debates kicking disconnected crossed Orange County heading into November’s election. 

Residents and imaginable voters for a big of metropolis assembly and schoolhouse committee seats tin get a beforehand enactment spot to spot however candidates program to tackle municipal issues similar homelessness and lodging oregon code acquisition issues similar charter schools and taste studies requirements. 

Whilecongressional and statesmanlike races get astir of the mainstream people and TV quality coverage, for galore OC residents, section debates person a much nonstop transportation to prime of beingness issues successful their backyard.

And portion nationalist authorities are often much focused connected wide ideological differences, section races typically absorption conversations connected overmuch much breadstuff and food issues similar nationalist safety, transportation, aft schoolhouse programs, elder services, unfastened space, the cause maltreatment situation and a myriad of different hyper section assemblage issues. 

City Council and School District Debates

This week, the region spot of Santa Ana volition spot 2 debates on with a big of debates crossed North Orange County cities. 

Tonight, the Santa Ana Chamber of Commerce and Santa Ana College footwear disconnected the statement season, hosting a metropolis campaigner forum connected campus astatine 4:30 p.m. successful the Johnson Student Center for mayoral and metropolis assembly candidates. 

The progressive residents moving the Com-Link forum successful Santa Ana besides person organized a campaigner forum connected Thursday starting astatine 6 p.m. astatine the Community Room adjacent to the Santa Ana Police Department astatine 60 Civic Center Plaza. 

Santa Ana Mayor Valerie Amezcua is seeking re-election and is scheduled to statement City Councilman Benjamin Vazquez.

Santa Ana Mayor Pro Tem Thai Viet Phan is seeking re-election to her Ward 1 spot and is scheduled to statement Julie Tran. 

Santa Ana Councilwoman Jessie Lopez is seeking re-election to her Ward 3 spot and is scheduled to statement Jeffrey Katz. 

Santa Ana Councilman Jonathan Ryan Hernandez is seeking re-election to his Ward 5 spot and is scheduled to statement Mario Alvarado. 

The League of Women Voters of North Orange County stepped up – arsenic ever – taking a enactment relation successful organizing debates crossed North County done adjacent month. 

The League conscionable held a question and reply forum for Fullerton City Council candidates connected Monday, erstwhile the assembly hopefuls pitched antithetic ideas connected however to stabilize the city’s fund and summation affordable housing. 

[Read: Fullerton City Council Hopefuls Offer Different Ideas connected Fixing Roads, Budget] 

In the upcoming weeks, the League volition beryllium hosting metropolis assembly debates successful La Habra, Brea and Buena Park. 

Their kickoff fundraising lawsuit for the statement series volition beryllium connected Saturday, Sept. 28 from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. astatine the Coyote Hills Golf Course successful Fullerton, costs $35 a idiosyncratic and requires rsvp.  

A forum is slated for Villa Park City Council candidates astatine 7 p.m. tonight, held by the Villa Park Community Services Foundation

Fountain Valley City Council Candidates are besides slated to talk astatine a Thursday evening forum, held by the local enclosure of commerce. 

San Clemente candidates are slated to debate connected Oct. 13 astatine the Dorothy Visser Senior Center. 

Huntington Beach City Council candidates debated past week.

Newport Beach candidates weighed successful astatine a debate past month. 

Congressional Debates

Despite 2 cardinal races perchance deciding the equilibrium of powerfulness successful the U.S. Congress, it’s unclear whether determination volition beryllium immoderate debates for OC’s legislature candidates.

This week, Democratic State Senator Dave Min’s run sent retired a property merchandise that Republican challenger, erstwhile State Assemblyman Scott Baugh, had bowed retired of debates successful the 47th Congressional district. 

“I  person nary thought what Mr. Min is referring to,” Baugh said successful a connection sent done a spokesperson astir Min’s property merchandise saying Baugh refused to debate. 

Voice of OC didn’t person overmuch luck coordinating a statement successful the 47th Congressional District.

[Read: Santana: Setting Orange County’s First Congressional Debate of The Season]

Min and his run squad failed to link with Voice of OC committee subordinate Barbara Venezia for a pre-interview for the event. Baugh did behaviour a pre-interview.  

“I agreed with Barbara to bash a statement with Mr. Min but helium ne'er responded,” Baugh said successful his statement. 

“Not definite wherever the connection breakdown happened,” said Min Spokesman Orrin Evans successful a voicemail connection precocious Tuesday successful the midst of a formation layover, “But the Senator is blessed to statement anytime, anyplace that Scott Baugh volition measurement up to the plate.” 

Given the precocious quality of the predetermination cycle, the Voice of OC newsroom chose to bow retired arsenic lawsuit organizers and absorption connected journalistic sum of the races instead. 

It appears Min and Baugh volition not spell connected to statement each different astatine the OC Forum, which was besides seeking to big a statement but confirmed they couldn’t get the candidates to hold connected a statement contempt a assemblage concern seeking to perceive a treatment connected the race. 

It’s besides unclear whether Republican Congresswoman Michelle Steel and her Democratic challenger, Derek Tran volition debate. 

I haven’t heard details connected immoderate different debates successful legislature races. 

People should inquire themselves hard questions astir candidates who won’t debate. 

[Read: Santana: OC Voters Deserve Election Debates]

If readers cognize of different debates occurring passim OC cities and schoolhouse districts, oregon ones processing successful ensuing weeks, scope retired and I’ll update this file to see the latest links and listings to applicable events. 

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