We’re live from the Orange County CRA endorsing convention in Buena Park.

2ND SUPERVISORIAL DISTRICT

First up is Second Supervisorial District. Apologies to Board of Equalization Member Michelle Steel and Assemblyman Allan Mansoor as a technical glitch delayed the start of my liveblogging, so we don’t have coverage of their opening speeches.

This one is a long ballot with seven units eligible to vote: Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, West Orange County, Stanton, Corona Del Mar, and Buena Park.

28 votes were cast for Michelle Steel.
9 votes were cast for Allan Mansoor.

STEEL ENDORSED.

45TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

Next up is the 45th Congressional District.

First to speak is Supervisor John Moorlach. He speaks about his tenure in CRA, including as a unit president and state assistant treasurer. He says he’s pro-life and pro-death penalty. He speaks about how he entered elected office to run against Democrat Robert Citron. He says all five Republicans who were members of the Board of Supervisors back then opposed his candidacy, so Moorlach is not afraid to stand up to the powers that be. He speaks about the OC bankruptcy. He speaks about his record reducing medical unfunded liability. He speaks about his ordinance that banned PLAs in County government (except when mandated by the federal government). He speaks about stopping County funding of Planned Parenthood. He spoke of his charter amendment requiring retroactive pension increases to be approved by voters. He speaks of his opposition to eminent domain. He speaks of his opposition to the Anaheim streetcar. He notes his endorsement by Tom McClintock.

Don Gilchrist asks how many CPAs will be in Congress if Moorlach wins. Moorlach takes the opportunity to note that he’s reduced the number of County employees. He says there are two CPAs, and he will increase it by 50%.

A delegate asks about medical marijuana. Moorlach says he is open to use of medical marijuana for legitimate medical purposes. He speaks of his vote for medical marijuana ID cards and of his late brother-in-law’s use of medical marijuana.

Greg Raths sent Bob Schuman to represent him due to Raths being at his sister-in-law’s funeral. Schuman says Raths is not a politician nor is he beholden to lobbyists. Raths served in the military. Schuman says Raths is the only Republican candidate who actually lives in CD-45. He says Raths was Assistant Chief of Staff for the White House Military Office. He says Raths wants to cut the size and scope of government to help businesses create jobs. He notes Raths’s wife teaches at UCI and their two daughters are teachers, and Raths supports local control by getting the federal government out of education. He says Raths supports increased vocational education. He says Raths wants to repeal Obamacare. Schuman says Obama is killing the American Dream, and he says Raths wants to get government out of people’s way to restore the American Dream.

A delegate asks if it’d be productive to have a vote to repeal Obamacare since there were already 34 failed votes.

Schuman says we need to elect more people who oppose Obamacare to

Senator Mimi Walters talks about her four children: three in college and one high school senior. She’s been married 25 years. She speaks of her activism. She speaks of being elected to the Laguna Niguel City Council while pregnant in 1996. She speaks of her tough race to be successfully elected to the Assembly and her race for the Senate. She speaks of her 100% rating from the CA Taxpayers Assn and the Pro-Life Council. She speaks of her “A” rating from both the CRA and the Howard Jarvis Taxpayers Association. She says she wants to cut taxes to spur consumer spending to help the economy. She says we need to pay off the national debt. She says we need the Keystone Pipeline and a strong national defense. She says that Obamacare needs to be repealed and reformed. She notes she’s been campaigning every single day since John Campbell retired. She notes endorsements from most of the CA Congressional delegation and various local endorsements.

Benita Gagne asks if Walters supports impeaching Obama.

Walters says it’s more important to pass issues by working with Democrats rather than making herself less relevant by trying to impeach Obama.

Jen Beall thanks Walters for her support in Capistrano Unified School District and asks her what she plans to do to fight Obamacare.

Walters says Republicans are working on a thoughtful plan that she was told about when she was in DC.

A delegate asks if she’s accepted any union money.

Walters says she has not accepted any union money from the $700,000 she raised and notes neither of her opponents has more than $50,000.

In the 45th Congressional District, Rancho Santa Margarita, Saddleback, Anaheim, Tustin, and Orange/Villa Park are voting.

There is no endorsement after the first round because no candidate has reached 2/3. The vote totals are not announced.

There are 12 votes for Moorlach, 13 votes for Walters, and no votes for Raths.

Walters says she is the true conservative with a proven record. She says she has an A+ CRA rating. She says she has stood up to Democrats in the Legislature. She says she is endorsed by Congressmen Ed Royce, Darrell Issa, Doug La Malfa, and Duncan Hunter.

Moorlach says the County was forced to implement Obamacare. He says he successfully opposed a federal grant to advertise Obamacare’s anti-obesity efforts. Moorlach says he will be a hardworking accountant who will fight to cut the budget and taxes. He says he fought against the 405 toll road as a double tax.

There is now a tie, with 12 votes each for Moorlach and Walters.

Moorlach speaks of Orange County’s improved credit rating and the nation’s poor credit. He says his pollster did President Ronald Reagan’s pollster. Moorlach says the polling shows he is ahead of Walters. He says he will ramp up fundraising. He says he will be a great Congressman. He says CRA should put one of its own members in Congress.

Walters speaks of her ratings. She says she “badly wants” the CRA endorsement. She says she is the only candidate who has to go to Sacramento during the week making it difficult for her to campaign in the district. She says she tried to reach out to the delegates that she doesn’t know really well. She says she has been a grassroots volunteer for 20 years.

Walters received 14 votes, Moorlach received 9 votes.

NO ENDORSEMENT IN CD-45.

74TH ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

Huntington Beach Mayor Matt Harper speaks about his activism since the Doris Allen recall. He speaks about his efforts to defeat school bonds, taxes, the beach fire ring ban, and the 405 toll lanes.

A delegate asks about amnesty and about the Lincoln Club’s immigration plan.

Harper says he opposes both.

Newport Beach Councilman Keith Curry did not fill out the CRA questionnaire. He notes he’s been to CRA conventions since 1974, one year before Harper ewas born. Curry speaks of his work with Paul Gann to pass the Gann Limit. He speaks of working for the Reagan Administration. He speaks of joining a private company that he eventually co-owned and grew to 400 employees. He speaks of his work at Concordia University with Christian students. He speaks of his passage of pension reform in Newport Beach, including an award from the OC Taxpayers Association for the City. He speaks of his work getting a Ronald Reagan statue erected. He speaks of protecting Prop 13 and opposing the split role. He speaks of opposing tax increases and supporting tax cuts. He speaks of opposing AB 109 prison realignment. He speaks of supporting local control for beach fire rings.

Former Newport Beach Councilman Dick Nichols asks about the Newport Beach budget being balanced via pension accounting gimmicks.

Curry says the state changed the CalPERS assumption rate, but Newport Beach still has a balanced budget regardless of the CalPERS moving target.

A delegate asks about amnesty and about the Lincoln Club immigration plan.

Curry says he’s a longtime Lincoln Club member, he opposes amnesty, and he supports immigration reform.

For the 74th Assembly District, the CRA units voting are Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Saddleback, and Corona Del Mar.

There were 14 votes for Matt Harper, and 3 votes for Keith Curry.

HARPER ENDORSED.

36TH SENATE DISTRICT

Supervisor Pat Bates says she’s probably Orange County’s longest serving elected official, but she shouldn’t be considered a career politican. She was a social worker helping people get a hand up, not a hand out. She speaks of her husband’s business and their battles against government regulation. She speaks of needing to break the Democrats’ supermajority. She speaks of the need for Sacramento politicians to be in touch with their districts. She speaks of her conservative activism. She speaks of founding Laguna Niguel. She speaks of supporting CCWs. She speaks of opposing the “nanny government” social host ordinance. She speaks of being supported by conservative organizations over the years. She says she is currently unopposed but doubts she will be unopposed by the end of filing.

Craig Alexander asks about the Board of Supervisors vote on Planned Parenthood funding.

Bates thanks Craig for his help in her efforts with Moorlach to stop the Planned Parenthood funding. She speaks of working with Moorlach to turn down the Obamacare grant for food pyramids. She speaks of her disabled relative who lost health insurance for a month because of Obamacare.

Chandra Chell asks about Joel Anderson’s bill to protect the 4th Amendment.

Bates says she’s supportive of Anderson’s efforts.

BATES ENDORSED BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT.

5TH SUPERVISORIAL DISTRICT

Laguna Niguel Councilman Robert Ming speaks of being in the trenches with conservative activists. He speaks of changes coming to the Board of Supervisors, with Bates and Moorlach terming out and Janet Nguyen running for the 34th Senate District. He speaks of his themes of integrity, fiscal responsibility, and leadership. Laguna Niguel keeps its promises to voters. Laguna Niguel has no debt rating because it has no debt. He speaks about the County’s labor contract negotiations. He speaks of his business experience negotiating contracts. He speaks of founding the ACC-OC to leave the leftward League of Cities. He speaks of creating the Pension Reform Committee as ACC-OC’s first committee. He speaks of his endorsements by numerous conservative officials. He notes that neither of his opponents have sought the endorsement.

MING ENDORSED BY UNANIMOUS CONSENT.

73RD ASSEMBLY DISTRICT

Rancho Santa Margarita Councilman Jesse Petrilla sent a representative because he is with his National Guard unit. Petrilla says he is a strong voice for fiscal conservatism and social conservatism. He declined the City Council health and retirement benefits. He speaks of being attacked for charges from his troubled youth of charges he beat. He speaks of serving in the military in Afghanistan, of being a husband, and of being a father.

Rancho Santa Margarita Mayor Tony Beall asks about Petrilla’s 2001 felony convictions and about his untruthfulness in 2014 about the incident and that he didn’t beat the charges because he was sent to jail and the charges were expunged not beaten and that he is still required by the Court to disclose the convictions.

The spokeswoman says 30-year-old Petrilla has done a 180 since he was 17 years old when these incidents occurred. She points to second chances for Jim Rogan, Darrell Issa, and Tony Rackauckas.

Dana Point Councilman Bill Brough speaks of his service in the United States Army as a paratrooper on active duty. He speaks of his work in Congressman Chris Cox’s office and of his work in the White House. He speaks of fighting the establishment when he was elected to the Dana Point Council, including his efforts to stop a Dana Point plastic bag ordinance. He speaks of the Dana Point Town Center plan where new public-private partnerships are building six projects after years of stagnation. He speaks of his record on pension reform. He speaks of ending hand outs. He homeschools his son. He pulled himself up by his bootstraps. He says AD-73 is the second-safest Republican seat in the Assembly and should be occupied by someone who will help elect more Republicans.

Former Laguna Niguel Councilman Paul Glaab says all the AD-73 candidates are friends running for something not against each other. Glaab says he’s Catholic, pro-life, and a lifelong Republican. Glaab says Walters, Bates, and Ming all stole his thunder since they all spoke about the record in Laguna Niguel. He notes Laguna Niguel is one of the best run cities in America. He says he is pro-gun and pro-2nd Amendment. He says government needs to be reined in. He says it is important to be pro-business. Glaab calls CRA an “association.”

For the 73rd Assembly District, the units voting are Rancho Santa Margarita, Saddleback, and South Orange County.

There were 12 votes for Brough, 3 votes for Petrilla, and no votes for Glaab.

BROUGH ENDORSED.

Convention adjourns to March 22.

TODAY’S ENDORSEMENTS

Supe-5: Ming (Unanimously)
SD-36: Bates (Unanimously)

Supe-2: Steel
AD-73: Brough
AD-74: Harper

CD-45: No endorsement