Mayor’s Race Is Focus, but 6 Run for Council

Six candidates are running for three open City Council seats on Nov. 3 in a race that could be overshadowed by a volatile mayoral campaign.

“The mayoral race is the key race,” Santa Ana political activist Sean Mill said. “Everybody’s interested to see what’s going to come of that.”

In that race, Councilman Ted R. Moreno, recently indicted on political corruption charges, is challenging incumbent Mayor Miguel A. Pulido Jr. Moreno has denied wrongdoing and said he will continue his campaign to unseat Pulido.

The race for City Council seats in three wards has remained low-key so far.

Lisa Bist is running unopposed in Ward 2. She supports downtown revitalization and infrastructure improvements.

A newcomer to politics but not to the city, Claudia C. Alvarez is challenging Patricia A. McGuigan, a city official with 16 years experience, in Ward 6.

Alvarez believes experience in this race is irrelevant.

“It’s like a Catch 22,” she said. “You can’t get a job without experience, and you can’t get the experience without the job. I represent the face of Santa Ana.”

McGuigan has been the councilwoman in Ward 6 for four years. “I am proud that the promises I made to the citizens and taxpayers . . . are coming true,” she said in her candidate statement.

Jose J. Fernandez, Alberta Dolores Christy and Zeke Hernandez are running for an open seat in Ward 4.

Fernandez said he wants to develop more youth programs and streamline the city budget. Although he concedes he has limited experience in city politics, Fernandez is undaunted.

“I have the ground-level experience the community needs,” he said.

Christy supports downtown revitalization. She believes residents are familiar with the candidates and said “that will lead people to vote and get the city government they deserve.”

Hernandez believes the city needs more financial support for the police and fire departments. He disagrees that the City Council race will be overshadowed by the mayoral campaign.

“Certainly we get people with credentials who matter,” he said.

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Santa Ana Selections

Here are the six candidates running for three ward seats on the Santa Ana City Council in the Nov. 3 election:

Lisa Bist

Occupation: Project manager

Background: Former cable advisory board member; environment and transportation advisory committee member; Leadership Santa Ana; Wilshire Square Neighborhood Assn. co-chair

Issues: Neighborhood preservation; downtown revitalization and Artists Village; infrastructure improvements

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WARD 6

Claudia C. Alvarez

Age: 29

Occupation: Attorney

Background: Hispanic Bar Assn. vice president; Community Service Programs board member; Latino Advocates for Education member; vice president of Kinder Caminata, a program to encourage children to seek higher education; Mexican American National Women’s Assn. member; former mentor for Puente mentor program; member of Programa Shortstop, a juvenile diversion program

Issues: Cut crime; encourage economic development; more education programs

Patricia A. McGuigan

Age: 64

Occupation: Incumbent/homemaker

Background: Sixteen years as councilwoman

Issues: Continued crime reduction; economic development; jobs through education

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WARD 4

Alberta Dolores Christy

Age: 53

Occupation: Business banking officer

Background: Former chair ComLink, coalition of neighborhood associations; founder, Valley Adams Neighborhood Assn.; chair, local Board 157 for Selective Service; Kiwanis of Santa Ana

Issues: More community-based policing; improve streets and infrastructure; downtown revitalization

Jose J. Fernandez

Age: 31

Occupation: Tool business owner

Background: Former member, Santa Ana Boys Club; former Santa Ana high school basketball coach

Issues: Develop more youth programs; streamline city budget; improve infrastructure

Zeke Hernandez

Age: 52

Occupation: Association president/businessman

Background: U.S. Army in Vietnam; Santa Ana Human Relations Commission of Santa Ana LULAC; former president, Santa Ana Downtown Business Assn.; former member, State Law Enforcement Task Force; former vice chairman, Housing Advisory Board; former board member, Orange County Community Development Council; member, Orange County Citizens for Prevention of Gun Violence

Issues: Balance city budget; more support for police and fire; supports funding for parks and recreation and creating more youth and senior programs

Source: Individual candidates; Researched by JASON KANDEL / For The Times