OC's Top 40 Influential Politicos
Posted by: Scott W. Graves | 03/03/2008 3:25 AM
By Matthew Cunningham
Who are Orange County's most influential people? That's a good question, and we decided to take a stab at answering it. Since Red County's primary focus is politics, we confined our tabulation to the realm of public affairs: broadly speaking, that intersection between politics and government where public policy is influenced, decided and altered.
We are calling our list the Red County Top 40. While it includes Orange County's top forty politicos, it is not offered as definitive. Since any such list is highly subjective, we endeavored to compile one that represents a solid crosssection of the various strata of individuals and organizations who make things happen politically in Orange County.
Also important to note, this list is not a ranking, but rather a grouping. We felt it presumptuous to rank the relative influence of individuals who represent very different segments of the political community. How does one rank the relative influences of a major donor, an elected official, political writer, and a leader of a powerful political action committee? We submit that you don't. All are important and powerful components within the political process.
Our initial list was a large one and was derived from hundreds of submissions to our online survey. Whittling it down to an admittedly arbitrary number of 40 wasn't easy. And we fully expect readers to disagree with whom we included and whom we omitted--but that just makes the ensuing discussing more vigorous.
We sorted, reviewed, and debated the nominees. With a master list in hand, we asked ourselves the following questions to help guide us through our selection process.
Without further adieu, we present Red County's inaugural OC Top 40.
Curt Pringle
Pringle is probably the single most influential elected official in Orange County. He is Mayor of OC's most dynamic large city, influential in county public policy as an Orange County Transportation Authority director, owner of an influential public affairs company--and head-and-shoulders above the elected official crowd in terms of vision and sheer political talent.
Scott Baugh
In 2004, Baugh had the daunting task of following Tom Fuentes' successful 20-year reign of Chairman of the Republican Party of Orange County. He's the only person in the OC who
could have pulled it off. He's liked and respected by the various factions of OC Republicanism, knows how to raise money and has overseen a voter registration drive that has revived GOP fortunes in central county. Wherever OC political influence is being brokered, there shall you find Baugh.
Lucy Dunn
The Orange County Business Council was a listless shell when Dunn returned to Orange County in 2006 to take over as CEO of the organized expression of OC's corporate/business community. Her dynamism and willingness to fight have revived the OCBC as a formidable force in public policy: for example, Dunn put OCBC front-and-center of the astonishingly successful campaign to renew the half-cent measure M transportation tax for 30 more years.
Paul Folino
Successful businessman, political activist, and philanthropist. Folino is a founding member of the New Majority and was a major financial backer of Governor Schwarzenegger. His leadership within the big donor community for both political and philanthropic endeavors is impressive.
Assemblyman Van Tran
In the era of term limits, state legislators rarely have the time or inclination to build political organizations. Not so, Van Tran. He has built a potent political operation of skilled district staff and allied local elected officials into the dominant force in the newly-awakened Vietnamese community--and by extension in central Orange County politics. That became startlingly evident in early 2007 when Tran's operation came within 3 votes of electing an unknown school district trustee to the County Board of Supervisors.
OC Register
Circulation is down, ad revenues shrinking and the daily edition is getting thinner--but The Reg is still most Orange Countians primary source of news and commentary. The paper's political/government coverage has improved markedly during the last couple of years, driven by competition from local political blogs like OC Blog that have grown in readership and influence. Political-ish Columnist Frank Mickadeit has carved out an influential niche and is a must-read for OC's opinion leader class.
Supervisor Bill Campbell
The former Assembly GOP leader is the current center of gravity on the Board of Supervisors. Although his support is no guarantee a policy initiative will garner the magic three votes, the judicious businessman/politician's ability to pull other supervisors along with him make it critical.
Wayne Quint
OC may be a red county, but it's home to several powerful government employee unions--the most aggressive of which is the Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs, headed by Wayne Quint. The AOCDS'seemingly bottomless well of campaign funds is a big, heavy club and Quint is not afraid to swing it hard--whether unsuccessfully against conservative Sup. John Moorlach election or successfully against the county firefighters union over how to divvy up public safety funds.
The Makarechians
Father-son duo Hadi and Paul Makarchian have amassed enormous wealth developing homes and luxury hotels like the marquis St. Regis Resort in Monarch Beach. Both are active in OC GOP politics: Hadi as a member of The New Majority, the uber-wealthy donor organization that has spread like kudzu from OC across California. Scion Paul Makarechian is a moving force behind GenNeXt, a group of wealthy thirty-something GOP business leaders.
The Irvine Company
It's not the malevolent, omnipresent force fixating the imaginations of the tin-foil crowd...but The Irvine Company radiates influence--whether emanating directly from reclusive owner Donald Bren or channeled through prominent wielders of influence such as Dan Young, Dan Miller or Paul Hernandez.
Peter Herzog
The long-time Lake Forest Councilman is emblematic of the breed of local elected officials who wield considerable influence beyond their jurisdictional borders in manner reminiscent of old Southern congressional barons: longevity in office. Herzog was first elected in 1994 and comfortably navigates the obscure but very influential web of regional government entities like the Transportation Corridor Agencies, SCAG, League of Cities, Local Agency Formation Commission, where so much public policy incubates.
Kristine Thalman
CEO of Building Industry Association of Orange County, the sharp end of building industry influence in political affairs. Vigorous and unafraid to lead the BIA into political battle.
Supervisor Chris Norby
The most libertarian county supervisor forms a conservative pivot bloc on the Board of Supes with colleague Moorlach. He's the board's most consistent vote for smaller government and carries great weight with conservative activists.
Denis Bilodeau
Elected to Orange County Water District in 2000 and re-elected in 2004. Elected to Orange City Council in 2006. Former OCTA Director. Willing to mix it up and able to shift levers of influence beyond his formal portfolio.
Nick Berardino
Long-time head of the Orange County Employees Association. A force in OC Democratic politics and a gentlemanly partisan who applies his union's political muscle judiciously.
Steve Sheldon
Seasoned political operative turned owner of successful lobbying firm, Sheldon was elected to the Orange County Water District Board in 2006. A prolific donor to local campaigns and veteran of hidden-hand lever pulling.
OC Firefighters Association
Led by President Joe Kerr and Political Director Tony Bedolla, the OCFA represents OC Fire Authority employees. As such, their influence extends from the 5th Floor to the various city halls where fire protection is handled by the Fire Authority.
Tom McKernan
The soft-spoken head of the Automobile Club of Southern California was a key backer of the successful 2006 campaign to renew the measure M transportation tax for 30 years. He's also chairman of The New Majority/Orange County, which has bankrolled the OC GOP's successful central OC registration drives.
Lincoln Club of Orange County
The Club is still the pre-eminent political organization in Orange County, willing to throw down with all comers to liberty and limited government.
Tom Mauk
The county CEO is responsible for the operation of county government--the most powerful man in county government after the elected supervisors.
Supervisor John Moorlach
A hero to OC conservatives and bête noire to the county employee unions, Moorlach energetically launches policy initiatives. Sometimes he brings along his board colleagues--as with the anti-retroactive pension spike lawsuit--and sometimes he doesn't--as with his ill conceived campaign finance reform.
John Lewis
A member of OC's legislative delegation for two decades, the former state Senator is arguably OC's top political consultant and strategist. He and consulting partner Mattt Holder ran the supervisor campaigns of Supervisors Bill Campbell and Chris Norby, as well as the spectacularly successful No on Measure D campaign in 2005.
Disneyland
The successful campaign to stop a SunCal residential development on the outskirts of the Resort District zone proved once again the Magic Kingdom is the 800-pound political gorilla of Anaheim. The company's certain-to-be-approved SOAR initiative will give it veto power over development
near the theme park.
Art Leahy
CEO of the Orange County Transportation Authority, which oversees nearly a billion annually in transportation planning and construction. Leahy rebounded from the death of the albatross centerline light rail program to the renewal of the multi-billion Measure M tax.
Gary Hunt
Former long-time executive vice president of The Irvine Company, left to found Irvine-based California Strategies public affairs consulting firm. Operates at the 30,000-feet level of political influence: beyond the sight of mere mortals but very real nonetheless.
Carolyn Cavecche
One of OC's leading local elected officials. Elected Mayor of Orange in 2006 after several years on the council, she served as Chairman of the Orange County Transportation Authority and is widely considered a leading candidate for the 3rd Supervisor District in 2012.
Dick Ackerman
Former Fullerton Councilman and state Assemblyman, state Senator since 2000 and head of Senate GOP Caucus. One fifth of the Big Five who negotiate the state budget. Genuine kingmaker in OC GOP politics.
Larry Agran
The political boss of Irvine, whether the Mayor is him or one of his council allies. Runs the city and the Great Park, the huge expanse of land that was formerly the El Toro Marine Corp Air Station. Exhibits a Rasputin-like ability to survive regular political assassination attempts by county Republicans.
Loretta Sanchez
After spending most of her political celebrity congressional career in the minority, Rep. Sanchez is feeling her majority status oats. Exhibit 1: helping repeal a law that stopped liberal state legislators from killing the 241 tollroad completion.
Larry Dodge
New Majority member and a major donor with close ties to the Governor Schwarzenegger, Dodge recently suggested he may withhold a $3 million check he intended to write to retire the debt of the California Republican Party. Anyone willing and able to retire the debt of the CA GOP has some influence within the party.
Matthew Cunningham
OC's vibrant political blogosphere started with the launching of the pioneering OC Blog in June 2004. Writing under the nom-du-blog "Jubal", Cunningham filled a void in local political coverage and established OC Blog as a very influential source of insider news and commentary.
John Campbell
Campbell has been a rising star since first running for Assembly in 2000. Since going to Congress in 2005, he's established himself as a leader in trying to re-anchor House Republicans in traditional principles of liberty, limited government and a strong defense. Plus, local Democrats get apoplectic
about him; a sure sign he's having an impact.
Ed Royce
Popular and well-respected U.S. congressman representing the 40th Congressional District, Royce has been in public office more than 25 years. As the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee's Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade Subcommittee, Royce frequently appears in the national media discussing some of the most important issues of the day.
Todd Spitzer
The former supervisor and current Assemblyman has his eyes on being District Attorney someday. While many political insiders remain wary of Spitzer's ambitiousness, he has built a cadre of loyal supporters and an electable reputation with voters as a tough-oncrime/government watchdog.
Pat Bates
The former Assemblywoman and councilmember is a South County veteran of the anti-airport wars. Elected Supervisor in 2006 by beating free-spending Cassie DeYoung in county's most expensive race ever. Respected in her district, and emerging on the Board of Supes as "The Vetter" whose due diligence can mean life or death to other Supes proposals.
Richard Dixon
Like his Lake Forest Council colleague Peter Herzog, Dixon is emblematic of the powerful influence entrenched incumbent council members, untouched by term limits, can exert on public policy by their active participation in the hidden government of special districts, commission and local government organizations like SCAG and the League of Cities.
Mike Schroeder
Like him or loathe him, Mike Schroeder is that rare political influential who's in because he enjoys it, not to make money or get a client's project approved. It also makes him virtually impossible to leverage--an underpinning of his capacity to influence OC politics.
Jon Fleischman
A leading conservative activist longer than most OC politicos can remember, Fleischman operates the FlashReport.org, an influential conservative website in California. Last year, he launched his own public affairs consultancy, and is a par excellence example of overt and hidden hand influence.
Lou Correa
The likeable Democrat State Senator from Santa Ana has built a semi-justified reputation as a maverick and is a leading contender to take Loretta Sanchez's Congressional seat when she moves on.
Tony Rackauckas
District Attorney since 1998, and by all indications will be so through 2014. His endorsement is everything in judicial races.
Who are Orange County's most influential people? That's a good question, and we decided to take a stab at answering it. Since Red County's primary focus is politics, we confined our tabulation to the realm of public affairs: broadly speaking, that intersection between politics and government where public policy is influenced, decided and altered.
We are calling our list the Red County Top 40. While it includes Orange County's top forty politicos, it is not offered as definitive. Since any such list is highly subjective, we endeavored to compile one that represents a solid crosssection of the various strata of individuals and organizations who make things happen politically in Orange County.
Also important to note, this list is not a ranking, but rather a grouping. We felt it presumptuous to rank the relative influence of individuals who represent very different segments of the political community. How does one rank the relative influences of a major donor, an elected official, political writer, and a leader of a powerful political action committee? We submit that you don't. All are important and powerful components within the political process.
Our initial list was a large one and was derived from hundreds of submissions to our online survey. Whittling it down to an admittedly arbitrary number of 40 wasn't easy. And we fully expect readers to disagree with whom we included and whom we omitted--but that just makes the ensuing discussing more vigorous.
We sorted, reviewed, and debated the nominees. With a master list in hand, we asked ourselves the following questions to help guide us through our selection process.
1. Are they influential not only in their respective communities, or the Board or Council on which they serve, but are not so outside that limited universe?
2. Can their endorsement move voters?
3. Do they provide leadership beyond the strict scope of their responsibility? Do they lead with the policies they advocate and/or succeed in achieving them?
4. Does their influence extend beyond their agency or company?
5. If this person called, would you get right back to them?
6. Do others look to these people for leadership, advice, opinions on policy issues or political campaigns?
7. Do they help shape public discourse or set the terms of public debate?
8. Are they leaders themselves?
Without further adieu, we present Red County's inaugural OC Top 40.
Curt Pringle
Pringle is probably the single most influential elected official in Orange County. He is Mayor of OC's most dynamic large city, influential in county public policy as an Orange County Transportation Authority director, owner of an influential public affairs company--and head-and-shoulders above the elected official crowd in terms of vision and sheer political talent.
Scott Baugh
In 2004, Baugh had the daunting task of following Tom Fuentes' successful 20-year reign of Chairman of the Republican Party of Orange County. He's the only person in the OC who
could have pulled it off. He's liked and respected by the various factions of OC Republicanism, knows how to raise money and has overseen a voter registration drive that has revived GOP fortunes in central county. Wherever OC political influence is being brokered, there shall you find Baugh.
Lucy Dunn
The Orange County Business Council was a listless shell when Dunn returned to Orange County in 2006 to take over as CEO of the organized expression of OC's corporate/business community. Her dynamism and willingness to fight have revived the OCBC as a formidable force in public policy: for example, Dunn put OCBC front-and-center of the astonishingly successful campaign to renew the half-cent measure M transportation tax for 30 more years.
Paul Folino
Successful businessman, political activist, and philanthropist. Folino is a founding member of the New Majority and was a major financial backer of Governor Schwarzenegger. His leadership within the big donor community for both political and philanthropic endeavors is impressive.
Assemblyman Van Tran
In the era of term limits, state legislators rarely have the time or inclination to build political organizations. Not so, Van Tran. He has built a potent political operation of skilled district staff and allied local elected officials into the dominant force in the newly-awakened Vietnamese community--and by extension in central Orange County politics. That became startlingly evident in early 2007 when Tran's operation came within 3 votes of electing an unknown school district trustee to the County Board of Supervisors.
OC Register
Circulation is down, ad revenues shrinking and the daily edition is getting thinner--but The Reg is still most Orange Countians primary source of news and commentary. The paper's political/government coverage has improved markedly during the last couple of years, driven by competition from local political blogs like OC Blog that have grown in readership and influence. Political-ish Columnist Frank Mickadeit has carved out an influential niche and is a must-read for OC's opinion leader class.
Supervisor Bill Campbell
The former Assembly GOP leader is the current center of gravity on the Board of Supervisors. Although his support is no guarantee a policy initiative will garner the magic three votes, the judicious businessman/politician's ability to pull other supervisors along with him make it critical.
Wayne Quint
OC may be a red county, but it's home to several powerful government employee unions--the most aggressive of which is the Association of Orange County Deputy Sheriffs, headed by Wayne Quint. The AOCDS'seemingly bottomless well of campaign funds is a big, heavy club and Quint is not afraid to swing it hard--whether unsuccessfully against conservative Sup. John Moorlach election or successfully against the county firefighters union over how to divvy up public safety funds.
The Makarechians
Father-son duo Hadi and Paul Makarchian have amassed enormous wealth developing homes and luxury hotels like the marquis St. Regis Resort in Monarch Beach. Both are active in OC GOP politics: Hadi as a member of The New Majority, the uber-wealthy donor organization that has spread like kudzu from OC across California. Scion Paul Makarechian is a moving force behind GenNeXt, a group of wealthy thirty-something GOP business leaders.
The Irvine Company
It's not the malevolent, omnipresent force fixating the imaginations of the tin-foil crowd...but The Irvine Company radiates influence--whether emanating directly from reclusive owner Donald Bren or channeled through prominent wielders of influence such as Dan Young, Dan Miller or Paul Hernandez.
Peter Herzog
The long-time Lake Forest Councilman is emblematic of the breed of local elected officials who wield considerable influence beyond their jurisdictional borders in manner reminiscent of old Southern congressional barons: longevity in office. Herzog was first elected in 1994 and comfortably navigates the obscure but very influential web of regional government entities like the Transportation Corridor Agencies, SCAG, League of Cities, Local Agency Formation Commission, where so much public policy incubates.
Kristine Thalman
CEO of Building Industry Association of Orange County, the sharp end of building industry influence in political affairs. Vigorous and unafraid to lead the BIA into political battle.
Supervisor Chris Norby
The most libertarian county supervisor forms a conservative pivot bloc on the Board of Supes with colleague Moorlach. He's the board's most consistent vote for smaller government and carries great weight with conservative activists.
Denis Bilodeau
Elected to Orange County Water District in 2000 and re-elected in 2004. Elected to Orange City Council in 2006. Former OCTA Director. Willing to mix it up and able to shift levers of influence beyond his formal portfolio.
Nick Berardino
Long-time head of the Orange County Employees Association. A force in OC Democratic politics and a gentlemanly partisan who applies his union's political muscle judiciously.
Steve Sheldon
Seasoned political operative turned owner of successful lobbying firm, Sheldon was elected to the Orange County Water District Board in 2006. A prolific donor to local campaigns and veteran of hidden-hand lever pulling.
OC Firefighters Association
Led by President Joe Kerr and Political Director Tony Bedolla, the OCFA represents OC Fire Authority employees. As such, their influence extends from the 5th Floor to the various city halls where fire protection is handled by the Fire Authority.
Tom McKernan
The soft-spoken head of the Automobile Club of Southern California was a key backer of the successful 2006 campaign to renew the measure M transportation tax for 30 years. He's also chairman of The New Majority/Orange County, which has bankrolled the OC GOP's successful central OC registration drives.
Lincoln Club of Orange County
The Club is still the pre-eminent political organization in Orange County, willing to throw down with all comers to liberty and limited government.
Tom Mauk
The county CEO is responsible for the operation of county government--the most powerful man in county government after the elected supervisors.
Supervisor John Moorlach
A hero to OC conservatives and bête noire to the county employee unions, Moorlach energetically launches policy initiatives. Sometimes he brings along his board colleagues--as with the anti-retroactive pension spike lawsuit--and sometimes he doesn't--as with his ill conceived campaign finance reform.
John Lewis
A member of OC's legislative delegation for two decades, the former state Senator is arguably OC's top political consultant and strategist. He and consulting partner Mattt Holder ran the supervisor campaigns of Supervisors Bill Campbell and Chris Norby, as well as the spectacularly successful No on Measure D campaign in 2005.
Disneyland
The successful campaign to stop a SunCal residential development on the outskirts of the Resort District zone proved once again the Magic Kingdom is the 800-pound political gorilla of Anaheim. The company's certain-to-be-approved SOAR initiative will give it veto power over development
near the theme park.
Art Leahy
CEO of the Orange County Transportation Authority, which oversees nearly a billion annually in transportation planning and construction. Leahy rebounded from the death of the albatross centerline light rail program to the renewal of the multi-billion Measure M tax.
Gary Hunt
Former long-time executive vice president of The Irvine Company, left to found Irvine-based California Strategies public affairs consulting firm. Operates at the 30,000-feet level of political influence: beyond the sight of mere mortals but very real nonetheless.
Carolyn Cavecche
One of OC's leading local elected officials. Elected Mayor of Orange in 2006 after several years on the council, she served as Chairman of the Orange County Transportation Authority and is widely considered a leading candidate for the 3rd Supervisor District in 2012.
Dick Ackerman
Former Fullerton Councilman and state Assemblyman, state Senator since 2000 and head of Senate GOP Caucus. One fifth of the Big Five who negotiate the state budget. Genuine kingmaker in OC GOP politics.
Larry Agran
The political boss of Irvine, whether the Mayor is him or one of his council allies. Runs the city and the Great Park, the huge expanse of land that was formerly the El Toro Marine Corp Air Station. Exhibits a Rasputin-like ability to survive regular political assassination attempts by county Republicans.
Loretta Sanchez
After spending most of her political celebrity congressional career in the minority, Rep. Sanchez is feeling her majority status oats. Exhibit 1: helping repeal a law that stopped liberal state legislators from killing the 241 tollroad completion.
Larry Dodge
New Majority member and a major donor with close ties to the Governor Schwarzenegger, Dodge recently suggested he may withhold a $3 million check he intended to write to retire the debt of the California Republican Party. Anyone willing and able to retire the debt of the CA GOP has some influence within the party.
Matthew Cunningham
OC's vibrant political blogosphere started with the launching of the pioneering OC Blog in June 2004. Writing under the nom-du-blog "Jubal", Cunningham filled a void in local political coverage and established OC Blog as a very influential source of insider news and commentary.
John Campbell
Campbell has been a rising star since first running for Assembly in 2000. Since going to Congress in 2005, he's established himself as a leader in trying to re-anchor House Republicans in traditional principles of liberty, limited government and a strong defense. Plus, local Democrats get apoplectic
about him; a sure sign he's having an impact.
Ed Royce
Popular and well-respected U.S. congressman representing the 40th Congressional District, Royce has been in public office more than 25 years. As the ranking member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee's Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade Subcommittee, Royce frequently appears in the national media discussing some of the most important issues of the day.
Todd Spitzer
The former supervisor and current Assemblyman has his eyes on being District Attorney someday. While many political insiders remain wary of Spitzer's ambitiousness, he has built a cadre of loyal supporters and an electable reputation with voters as a tough-oncrime/government watchdog.
Pat Bates
The former Assemblywoman and councilmember is a South County veteran of the anti-airport wars. Elected Supervisor in 2006 by beating free-spending Cassie DeYoung in county's most expensive race ever. Respected in her district, and emerging on the Board of Supes as "The Vetter" whose due diligence can mean life or death to other Supes proposals.
Richard Dixon
Like his Lake Forest Council colleague Peter Herzog, Dixon is emblematic of the powerful influence entrenched incumbent council members, untouched by term limits, can exert on public policy by their active participation in the hidden government of special districts, commission and local government organizations like SCAG and the League of Cities.
Mike Schroeder
Like him or loathe him, Mike Schroeder is that rare political influential who's in because he enjoys it, not to make money or get a client's project approved. It also makes him virtually impossible to leverage--an underpinning of his capacity to influence OC politics.
Jon Fleischman
A leading conservative activist longer than most OC politicos can remember, Fleischman operates the FlashReport.org, an influential conservative website in California. Last year, he launched his own public affairs consultancy, and is a par excellence example of overt and hidden hand influence.
Lou Correa
The likeable Democrat State Senator from Santa Ana has built a semi-justified reputation as a maverick and is a leading contender to take Loretta Sanchez's Congressional seat when she moves on.
Tony Rackauckas
District Attorney since 1998, and by all indications will be so through 2014. His endorsement is everything in judicial races.
CATEGORY:
Magazine (Winter 2008)
*Something old, something new...something borrowed
and something BLUE! Oh boy, you got the "Usual Suspects" all rounded up, branded and hog tied. All
we can say is: Who are they going to support for
President - really?
We love Curt Pringle with all his warts.....he is
the perfect rep for the party in Orange County. Scott
is Scott....and what can you say? Adding our good and
caring Supervisor Bill Campbell into the mix was indeed
a nice touch.
Our favorite politician in Orange County however is
the beloved Chuck Devore. He make Public Service
look really attractive to the younger generations...
that believe "honest politicians can happen!"
For those Partisans that want to see a clear and
defining look at the Hillary....check out one of our
latest shows with Lt. Col. Buzz Patterson: "A Clinton
Legacy!" on our website: www.cuttingedge-atalkshow.com
Ding Hao fellow Conservatives not CINO's by the way..
but true Conservatives! Who are we going to vote for
in 2008?
Maybe I'm just prejudiced; but I'm guessing that the Assembly Republican Caucus Chairman, Bob Huff, who is the elected representative for all or portions of the Orange County cites of Anaheim, La Habra, Orange, Villa Park and Yorba Linda to the CA State Assembly, might be squeezed into this list, oh, maybe, somewhere above a blog writer or two. :)