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November 2, 2004 Election

Democrats took a beating in the November 2004 election losing seats in both the Senate and House of Representatives as well as delivering a majority of the electorate to the incumbent President Bush.  For the first time in history a President was re-elected when his approval ratings were below 50%. 

Democrats need to do better at the national level, but as the Republicans have taught us too well in elections over the past ten years, winning nationally begins at the local level with an experienced farm team of local candidates with wide name recognition and a track record on the issues.

As Governor Howard Dean said "If you want to win, you have to fight, and you have to stand for something."  In Orange County we have been fighting and winning, sometimes in surprising races.  Successes this year included:

• Democrats were elected to the Irvine City Council including Mayor Beth Krom, and former mayor Larry Agran.

• Two Democrats were elected to the Costa Mesa City Council, Katrina Foley (the highest vote getter in the race), and former mayor Linda Dixon (second highest vote).

• The right wing religious fundamentalist strangle hold on the Westminster School Board was broken by the election of Democrat Sergio Contreras and the re-election of Jo-Ann Purcell.

• Democrat Loretta Sanchez was re-elected to Congress in the 47th Congressional District.

• Democrat Tom Umberg won the seat for the 69^th Assembly District (even while campaigning from his Army Reserve unit posted in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba).

• Lou Correa is the first Democrat elected County Supervisor (1^st District) in years.

• Democrat Lorri Galloway was the top vote getter for the Anaheim City Council.

• Democrat Sharon Quirk was elected to the Fullerton City Council.

• Democrat Rose Espinoza was elected to the La Habra City Council.

• Democrat Sharon Brown was elected to the La Habra School Board.

• Democrat Jane Egly was elected to the Laguna Beach City Council.

• Democrat Claudia Alvarez was elected to the Santa Ana City Council (Ward 5 ).

Actions by the local DFA members helped in many of these elections through direct campaign support as well as voter registration and get out the vote operations. 

We are already beginning to plan for the 2006 election, and if you are interested in becoming a candidate or making a difference in the election, then 2005 is the time to begin.  DFA-OC is already working on electing Jim Brandt to Congress in the 46th Congressional District (to replace "Surfer Dude" Dana Rohrabacher).

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