An update on what’s happening in the race to succeed termed-out 4th District Supervisor Doug Chaffee:
FRED JUNG LEAVES DEMOCRATIC PARTY
In mid-September of this year, Fullerton Mayor Fred Jung has re-registered as No Party Preference, quitting the Democratic Party he has called home since the Obama years.
Jung was a Republican prior to becoming a Democrat.
“I don’t feel aligned with the Democratic party,” Jung explained to OC Independent. He said the dominance of one-party rule in California has had ill-effects on governance and civil society.
“Anyone who lives here and sees how little is being done on issues like homelessness and housing affordability can see how one-party rule has harmed the state,” said Jung.
He pointed to U.S. Senate candidate Katie Porter’s infamous recent media interview as an example. In the interview, Porter was dismissive of the notion she needed any votes from the 40% of Californians who supported Donald trump in 224.
“You don’t accomplish many good things when you don’t compromise and won’t listen to the other side,” said Jung. “You need to see the other side as human beings.”
Jung’s move comes at a time when the Democrat Party’s public approval ratings nation-wide are at a historic low, and can be seen as symptomatic of the challenges the party faces in appealing to regular people given how it has affixed itself to esoteric identity politics..
ROSE ESPINOZA GOES BIG WITH A SELF-DONATION TO HER CAMPAIGN
This is La Habra Councilwoman Rose Espinoza’s fourth campaign for the OC Board of Supervisors, This is her fourth try for the 4th Supervisor District seat, having previously run in 2006, 2010 and 2018. Her past attempts have not been characterized by stellar fundraising, but this time around Espinoza is digging deep into her own pocket – loaning her campaign $150,000 on October 10.
For many years, Espinoza’s has worked as executive director of Rosie’s Garage, an afterschool tutoring program that she runs out of her home.
Espinoza is the only woman and Hispanic in a a race with one other (and until a few weeks ago, two other) Democrats. Connor Traut is the other Democrat in the race. If she really spends that money and mounts a serious campaign, Republican Tim Shaw stands to benefit the most.
READ: 4th Supervisor District Campaign Pits Tim Shaw Against 3 Democrats
LINCOLN CLUB ENDORSES JUNG
In a stark departure from its past practice, the Lincoln Club of Orange County has endorsed Fred Jung in the 4th Supervisor District — the first time in memory the Lincoln Club has endorsed anon-Republican for a major race.
The endorsement took place a few weeks after Jung changed his registration from Democrat to No Party Preference.
