Chula Vista Republicans United
Posted by: South Bayster | 04/15/2008 10:39 AM
Last night the Republican Party endorsed a host of Chula Vista candidates and measures, including: Greg Cox for Supervisor, Russ Hall for Chula Vista City Council, Scott Vinson for Chula Vista City Council, Jerry Rindone for County Board of Education, and NO on Measure E.
The most interesting endorsement is that of local business owner Scott Vinson for City Council over the current councilman Steve Castaneda, who is currently on trial and some believe likely to be convicted. While Castaneda is in fact a registered Republican, I hear his recent endorsement by the labor council and a hard push against him by Republican Chula Vista Mayor Cheyrll Cox probably cost him the ability to block Vinson's endorsement.
One way to look at Chula Vista is that it is a small town in the throes of becoming a big city. In years past lines between Republicans and Democrats were much more blurred. Think of the politicians of the era of blurry partisan ties: John Moot, Greg Cox, Shirley Horton, and Steve Peace. All had or have real ties in both political parties. In fact, the lines were less about partisan affiliation and more about insiders - generally white and long term residents - and outsiders - generally latino and new residents.
For a few years the 'outsiders' were really moving into running the city, but they blew it with an ongoing series of corruption problems that drove remaining white outsiders into the insider camp. Both sides became more "red or blue" until you have what you have today: a largely white and surburban Republican camp and a smaller latino and urban Democrat camp. Without the development of thousands of homes east of the 805 the city would probably be governed entirely by the latino Democrats, but with the growth came thousands of new Republican voters. It would not surprise me after the June or November election to see a council with a 4-1 Republican majority.
azdrsovy uvjrdqaxg vqrm nvtqul lzvoinar pctf qiwl [URL]http://www.tsgfvzew.gmdctxr.com[/URL] xwjki ksgewl...
The problem with Eastlake is that many of those homes are now in forclosure. Overgrown front lawns and the occasional owner who vandalizes his house before he loose it to the bank have lowered the comps in that region. Hence people who took advantage of the refy boom 5 years ago with ARM's are now finding those adjusting rates, along with the higher cost of living unsustainable. They can't refy into a better deal because the value of there home will be apraised lower than what they paid for. Hence fewer and fewer white and hispanic republicans are living in eastlake. With regard to Steve Casteneda. I wonder why Dan Hom didn't give it another shot considering the influx of Asians into that region.
If Steve has to resign, Dan Hom would be a great appointment.
Observer is right about eastern chula vista... but its actually bad here in the west too.
Responses to the posting:
(1) I've found that uniting the RPSD and uniting Republican voters are two completely separate things. Just because the members of the Cox/Pieri slate were all endorsed does not mean that CV Republicans are going to buy it (hint: they probably won't; especially the Hispanics)...but when the party tries to push these candidates upon CV Republicans, I'll be interested to see who funds all that member comm.
(2) Cox pushing a member (and hence a whole element of Republicans in CV) out of the party out does not constitute uniting. It constitutes purging; and narrowing the base of the party in CV.
(3) How are the "insiders" winning? Sure they got Cox, but they concurrently lost to Ramirez (that's 1-1 in City-wide elections in 2006). Furthermore, either Republican candidate would probably have beaten Padilla.
(4) You may believe that Castaneda is going to be found guilty, but if Gerry Braun's article today is in the least bit accurate, all of the offices likely to be vacated by the results of this trial exist North of the 94.
(5) Though the insider-outsider dichotomy that S. Bayster describes is mostly accurate, it downplays race as a driving factor of CV politics. Specifically, it discounts the possibility that the reason hispanics are "outsiders" is because they are hispanic. Whether or not this is true is irrelevant to the fact that it is a widely held belief among CV hispanics. If Castaneda is acquitted, expect to see the fallout of what will be perceived as a malicious attempt to remove a Hispanic from office and replace him with a white. This effect will be felt along racial, not partisan lines.
(6) The other problem with this dichotomy is that is falsely presumes that the insider-outsider, Dem-Rep, and white-Hispanic divisions fall upon the same lines. This disingenuously lumps Rudy Ramirez with Steve Padilla/Patty Chavez. And while all of use good little Republicans want those Dems replace by Reps just the same, the reality is that Ramirez is very different from Padilla/Chavez (especially on fiscal matters). S. Bayster's dichotomy also falsely lumps Castaneda with Ramirez (and hence Padilla/Chavez) despite his consistently Republican voting record. Now Castaneda certainly could not be lumped in with Cox/McCann, but with his voting record, it is equally false to consider him one with the past and present City Dems.
I've noticed a lot of politicians putting their signs out this past week or so and wanted to point out one sign that stood in my mind. The candidate for Chula Vista city council - Scott Vinson - is the only person who said "Thank you" for your support ON HIS SIGNS. It's refreshing to see a politician who publicly shows his respect for others. They all want out votes and never say anything after they get them.
Cheryl Cox is a an old, corrupt, white fatty who's done nothing. Shirley Horton has really got to stop sending me crap in the mail and Republicans make lousy lays! LONG LIVE BLUE CALIFORNIA AND LONG LIVE OBAMA '08!