Balmages Will Lead County Democrats

Promising to “energize” Orange County Democrats, Michael Balmages was chosen Monday night as the party’s new county chairman.

Balmages, 42, is politically well-connected with state party officials and leaders, including Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley, whose gubernatorial campaigns Balmages managed in Orange County. Balmages was elected to a 2-year term by the 48-member Orange County Democratic Central Committee, composed of local party activists and elected officials, which met to elect new officers in Santa Ana.

Hazel Stover, a longtime county Central Committee member, unsuccessfully challenged Balmages, who succeeded retiring Chairman John Hanna.

Balmages said county Democrats have been made to feel “alone and isolated long enough.”

To elevate the party’s visibility and elect Democrats to state and congressional offices from Orange County, Balmages said he would make fund raising a priority. One of the key offices that will be targeted in the 1990 elections, he said, will be the 72nd Assembly District.

Pringle Captured Seat

Republican Curt Pringle of Garden Grove captured that seat last November, defeating Democrat Christian F. (Rick) Thierbach by fewer than 900 of the 66,000 votes cast.

At the same time, Balmages ran for his first elective office, losing to incumbent state Sen. John Seymour (R-Anaheim) in the 35th District.

Hanna served just one term, assuming the party chairmanship in 1986. Hanna cited the election of state Sen. Cecil N. Green (D-Norwalk) in the 33rd District, a portion of which is in Orange County, as one of the high points of his tenure. Green is the only Democrat among state assemblymen and senators in Orange County. Green captured the 33rd District in a May, 1987, special election and won reelection last November, an achievement that Hanna says was believed impossible by most political observers.

Hanna said the defeat of Thierbach last November in the 72nd Assembly District was “unquestionably the toughest blow.” Despite an aggressive voter registration push in that central Orange County Assembly district, Thierbach narrowly lost to Pringle.

Hanna also called the defection of Santa Ana Mayor Dan Young from the Democratic Party to the GOP a “tough personal as well as political loss.” At one time Hanna and Young, considered one of the county’s bright young stars, were roommates. Hanna, an attorney, said that had he spent more time with Young, “I might have been able to still the siren call of the Republican developers that pulled him away.”

Urged to Focus Message

To counter the Republicans’ strong base of support in the county, Hanna urged Democratic leaders to focus their message in the coming years, concentrating on economic, environmental and educational issues. He said the party must distinguish itself from the Republicans in order to attract new followers.

Along with Balmages, Democratic Central Committee members elected Marti Schrank party vice chairman. Schrank was opposed by Liz Nedza, a longtime Democratic activist.

Jan Gram, who ran unsuccessfully against state Sen. William Campbell (R-Hacienda Heights) in the 31st District, was elected party secretary. Reuben Martinez, a Santa Ana businessman, was chosen treasurer.