Bobby Britton

This is my journey as a candidate, for my campaign site, please go to: www.bobbybritton.com
15 July 2022. Today I went to the candidate forum hosted by Baste, a Republican political organization. The whole process was really more about showcasing the Republican candidates as evidenced by the Baste merchandise, ‘The Four Real Republican’ candidate signs, and the moderator being a known Republican activist. Those four are Pat Burns, Tony Strickland, Gracey van der Mark, and Casey McKeon. They did invite other candidates, I’m not sure if it went out to everyone. Some of the others were; Kenneth Inouye, a very distinguished and respectful fellow. Amory Hanson, a very smart and passionate fellow. Michael Vogler, a member of the California State Guard, a militia organization that is not federally recognized. He is a lawyer by trade. Some guy that was there as a proxy for another guy that no one understood why he was there. Another interesting fellow who was a self-proclaimed ‘gun toting antivaxxer hard right conservative’. Overall it was painful as there were 13 candidates and nearly zero time to ask more than a few questions. It started out poorly as well because when Kenneth was describing who he was, he mentioned that HB was a hotbed for skinheads several decades back, and fellow named Luke Dennis rudely said, ‘That’s a lie’. Kenneth replied it wasn’t, Luke said it was, and they went back and forth for a while. I took notes and thought that Casey performed the best; he was moderate, cogent, measured in his response, and knowledgeable about each subject. The other Republicans mostly parroted what he said. I attended as an observer as I had to withdraw my candidacy several weeks ago. The Army denied my request for an exception to policy to allow me to campaign while still active duty. Now I have to wait until 1 August to refile.
16 July 2022. Spent most of the morning filming my introductory video. Because I’m not actively campaigning the cost of this is on me. I found my videographer through a HB Facebook group page. I just asked if anyone knew of a videographer. He along with a few others replied, but he was the most congenial.  I did not realize trying to film was so difficult. We had to do a lot of takes because I kept messing up what I was saying. I now know that acting might not be a viable profession for me.
26 July 2022. I interviewed for the HB Police Officer’s Association endorsement. It was my first interview for an endorsement and I was a little nervous not knowing what to expect. Several people have told me that the POA endorsement is very important and helps win elections. I figured I at least had an advantage in that I was a service member and a Military Policeman at that. I was early and they were running late. When I entered I made a funny comment about making sure they were ready after a long day to set the mood. I got a few laughs and we went into introductions. From there it turned more into a diatribe on what the POA was looking for more than trying to understand who I was as a candidate. I was questioned about one of my answers on the form, regarding the purchase of Tesla’s for the PD. They seemed to take umbrage with my answer, which was they needed to be careful about the optics of buying a vehicle like that. We discussed it for a while, then from there one person from the POA took over the dialogue and he drove the rest of the meeting. I was only able to insert a few comments but for the most part he talked the entire time. Walking out of the meeting, well, interview per se, I felt like I was just given a block of instruction of what the HBPOA stood for and what they would expect in future council members.
1 August 2022. I filed today, very exciting. Now I have to find 20 signatures of registered voters in Huntington Beach to complete the process.
2 August. I posted on Social Media, honestly a little anti-climatic. I suppose I was thinking of bells ringing and people rolling down the street yelling ‘Bobby for Council!’.
3 August 2022. Got a call from the Democratic Party OC committee rep asking me to consider bowing out as there were two more dem candidates that filed and they had more money and name recognition than I did. I was upset as I had been assured since March that I would be supported by the Party to run in HB as there were only two other Dems running, Gina and Oscar. I declined to withdraw.
8 August 2022. Had my first meet and greet, hosted by an awesome politically active couple. I was asked some tough questions and I appreciate that. I was also able to get 17 of the required 20 signatures I needed to complete my packet.
11 August 2022. Met with the City Clerk’s office to review my packet. While waiting downstairs I happened to strike up a conversation with two folks who also were registered voters in HB, and they signed my nomination papers (I also signed). There is my 20! And I interviewed for the Democratic party endorsement.
13 August 2022. Had my campaign kickoff. I put several hours of planning and preparation into it, plus enlisted some family and friends to set up. It went ok, I had hoped for 30 folks, less than half showed. But it was good discussions and we had pancakes for breakfast. Originally representatives from the Central Committee were going to show up and provide support, but that fell through, so in reality I’m on my own for now.
15 August 2022. Interviewed for the Orange County Labor Federation today, that was actually a fun interview. It was a huge room, with about 15 people in a u shaped panel and I sat at a little table in the middle. I had to answer multiple questions, but it was collaborative and an encouraging process.
17 August 2022. Went to a women’s wine party that is also a likeminded political group. I was a little intimidated, not knowing the audience or what to expect. A lone guy going into the proverbial lion’s den…ended up being a wonderful time and I got to meet a lot of great people. Of note a few candidates spoke to the group, including Oscar Rodriquez, a person I genuinely respect, not just as a candidate, but as a human. He’s humble, he cares about his City and it’s people, and he works very hard to better himself and the community. He does it out of compassion, not self-aggrandizement. Although he’s 25 years younger than me, I’ve already learned more from him that I will ever likely be able to teach him. That’s quality of character.
20 August 2022. My yard signs and business cards came in today. Now, as surreal as it is seeing my name on a sign, it also feels like this is a real campaign. I continually remind myself that while I have to promote myself in reality it’s not about me, it’s those I served, served with, and will serve if elected. I strive to be truly altruistic.
21 August 2022. A success and a disappointment today. The OC Huddle endorsed me, which to me is the bigger accomplishment, even if the DPOC had endorsed me. For an unknown, I was able to adequately brand myself to a group dedicated to promoting candidates of any party. They look for quality, not party, which I truly appreciate. The DPOC is more aligned with winning, which is why they didn’t go with me. I don’t have name recognition or money. Yet. The race just started 21 days ago for me….
23 August 2022. Walked with my rig to go protest Michelle Steel at Beach and Warner. Oh yeah, my rig…I took a backpack and shoved a flag pole in it, with my homemade Bobby For City Council and a free flowing American flag on top, so as I walk the flag billows out and it stands at about 7 feet tall. Kinda neat when I walk down the street with it. Most people stare, some honk, some wave, one guy asked for a picture. The best one yet is a guy asked if Bobby was a conservative. I said no, I’m a democrat and he asked ‘why would you do that?’. Seems Conservatives are bothered by patriotic democrats. I could be stereotyping on this one, but I feel like by taking the flag around I’m reappropriating it to represent everyone, not just one Party.
24 August 2022. No major events today. I had a meeting with my team to review our campaign strategy. I find it alarming just how much money it takes to do a normal campaign. And what’s odd is its mostly about reaching voters. I would think with social media it shouldn’t cost a whole lot, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. I think it’s crazy that some of the candidates have 90,000 in their coffers for this. I’m about .01 tenth of that. Gotta do some more walking.
25 August 2022. Went for a walk today around downtown and Main Street with my rig. People stare, some wave, no one seems interested in talking to me just yet. Well, other than the fellow who asked me why would I do that.
26 August 2022. A group on Facebook called Save Surf City posted a fairly decent piece on vote splitting. In it they demonized democrats as apparently we’re the antithesis to democracy and the reason why HB is so terrible, which isn’t so great, but…the article explains what happens when multiple candidates run, it splits the vote. I don’t think it’s a bad thing like they do. It means that Party favorites might not get elected, allowing new folks a chance to get into office. What I also found humorous is that they listed all the ‘unknowns’ and basically chastised them for running. I appreciate the free advertising. (I’m an unknown). I went for a walk with my rig today and as I was walking listening to music, head down, I realized that isn’t the best way to connect with people. So, I started waving. At first I thought this was futile because I received some blank stares, but as I kept waving I started seeing some smiles and a few waves back. I’m getting there.
27 August 2022. Funny picture, but indicative of where I am today as a candidate.
28 August 2022. As a leader in the Army I grew accustomed to addressing large crowds, usually to disseminate information, often to rally the troops to motivate them and give them resolve to accomplish an important task. I would still be nervous. but it was more of an acknowledgement that I was nervous without thinking about it too much. Today was very intimidating for me, speaking in front of the largest political crowd I’ve spoken to so far. So nervous in fact I forgot just about everything I wanted to say and so what I did speak about was almost all off the cuff. And it’s hard to tell how it was received because I’m still learning how to gauge my new audiences. I went to a Meet and Greet for Jodie Mancuso, hosted by an amazing lady named Dom Jones. Yes, all you Republicans who are reading this are probably cringing, but, hear me out. Don’t worry so much about Party affiliation. That’s probably our biggest issue in this Nation right now. No one is allowed to look at anyone outside their Party. It’s modern day segregation and it’s not healthy. So, I found Jodie to be a very passionate lady focused on many issues we all are concerned about, but by far I’m most impressed by her advocacy for animals. Regarding Dom, she’s probably the most congenial, positive person I’ve ever met. She is without bias or prejudice. I dare anyone to have the courage or humility to be that way. Later that day I went to an ice cream store with my daughter and I just happened to be holding some of my business cards. The gentlemen behind me asked if I was running for city council, and I said yes. We spoke for a few minutes, and I gave him a card. I mention this because it is counter to what I keep thinking will happen, which is people are already negatively biased against anyone running for office. He seemed genuinely interested, and that is refreshing. I’m not running for City Council because I want to be rich, I’m running because I want to serve my community, so it’s nice to see others who are supportive.
30 August 2022. Yesterday when I went roller skating with my daughter in downtown and I put my business card on some of the street poles. Today I got an email from a fellow that wants to talk. Kinda neat, I think. My advertising campaign is working. Today I walked along Garfield and Florida, and I must have caught the perfect time to do it because I ended up talking to a few people who were locals. Briefly, but still getting out there to interact with folks. Also had a very good discussion with another candidate, Gina, who is a bit of a powerhouse in name recognition, funds, and knowledge of local issues. That meant a lot to me because in just my few months of politics I’ve seen just how insensitive and brutal folks can be for no apparent reason I can understand. She was genuine and called me as a mentor and friend. Very classy. In the very early days of our country politicians weren’t paid for their office, it was a civic duty. I’m sure there were kickbacks due to being in a position of influence/power, but I would like to think that serving your community was the first reason to run for an office you weren’t paid for. I state this because HB City Council is a part time position and while it’s compensated, the money made is not a lot for what the council does. So love or hate the members sitting there today, I think those folks negatively ranting about the council is doing them a disservice. Disagree with their policies, don’t attack them or their character. Each one I’ve talked to cares about the City.
31 August 2022. Today was interesting, I had two interviews for endorsements. First was the HB Fire, and that was actually a fun interview. While I’d love the endorsement, what I found most beneficial is talking to folks from the City who are engaged and can relate to me what they see as sustains and what needs improvement. Most of all, I love discussions where we can disagree without rancor. In any case, I feel I did ok but we addressed my biggest challenge; people don’t know who I am, and as one of five democrats running where the other four are Party endorsed, it’ll be a tough race for me. The Republicans are trying to run a smarter race by endorsing and supporting just four candidates so they don’t split the vote. Reality is though with 18 candidates, the vote is going to be split and it is hard to determine which four will be elected. Anywhooo…the other interview was very interesting and not at all what I expected. I applied to the Young Democrats of Orange County a few weeks ago. I got an email late this morning stating they were meeting tonight to hear candidates speak. I’m glad I checked my email! When I arrived it was a bit chaotic. There were about 35 people in a space made for less than 15. I had no idea who anyone was and I was definitely overdressed compared to everyone else, which I’m fine with. I was taught early on when applying for a job, dress like you really want to get it. The majority of the folks there were young, which made sense, but I did not know who anyone was. An interesting side note, one of the Dem Party executive members walked up to the gentlemen standing next to me and talked to him for a bit, said hi to the other fellow standing next to me, and then walked away without acknowledging me, even though I was clearly standing in front of him. As my daughter would say with a funny accent…’rude’. A young lady who identified herself with a title that I don’t remember then started the meeting describing how it was going to proceed. I still didn’t know who anyone was, so I asked, and she had the committee members stand up. Quite a few people stood up and it didn’t really help because everyone was lumped together in the same small space. And then we started. Candidates were given 2 minutes to speak, in front of everyone. This was the most enjoyable part because I was able to hear so many different great stories and see people trying to better their communities. I never once felt anyone running was there to build a path to Governor or the Senate. They all seemed to genuinely care about their local issues. When it came to me I already knew I was not in a safe place as I was one of the oldest folks there, no one knew who I was, and I was not party endorsed whereas the other two candidates from HB under review were. So, I told them a story about Napoleon’s Corporal. Legend has it that Napoleon would always have a young soldier in the tent with him when his generals would brief him on a plan. If the corporal didn’t understand it, they would redo the plan. Then I explained how as a leader in the army I always did that same thing, and I would continue to do it as an elected official. Young people often have better and more innovative ways of doing things than us older folks have. Tomorrow I’m going to a candidate forum where I’ll have the chance to speak for five minutes. That is a lot of time for a politician to talk, I admire their boldness.
2 September 2022. So, wrong date on the forum for Sunset Beach Community. It was moved to 22 September. I missed it because it was a form letter addressed to Jill. She seems to be my unintended nemesis because when she filed it significantly changed the directory of my campaign…and I don’t even know her. She basically booted me from receiving the DPOC endorsement, which means others have been following suit, to include the Orange County League of Conservation Voters. They just replied to my application saying they won’t endorse my campaign because it is not viable enough. Hmmmmm.
3 September 2022. There are two Gentlemen who remind me of the two Muppets that sat in the in the overhang, the two old guys who heckled everyone else. One is Gino Bruno, very conservative, and the other is Mark Bixby, very liberal. They both post on Facebook and sometimes they argue with each other. Neither is conciliatory, they are extremely wedded to their viewpoints and argue vociferously in support of that view. They are sadly indicative of a lot of what is plaguing this City; either you are a Republican and you can only vote what the Party tells you to vote for, no questions asked, or you are a Democrat and you can only vote what the Party tells you to vote for, with some very minimal and limited depth questions asked. And I might be able to ask questions only because I’m a Democrat running for office. And it depends on who I ask as well.
6 September 2022. Tonight was the first time I addressed the council, and there was a decent sized audience. I spoke, and my goal was to underscore the distinct partisan divide within the city. It definitely fell flat. I either got blank stares or avoided gazes. I still think the point was valid, but either my delivery was off or folks didn’t not understand my point. It’s tough sometimes trying to navigate all this. Here is the speech in its entirety. Hi, I’m Bobby Britton and I’m running for City Council along with the other 3,000 candidates. I deployed to Afghanistan in 2013 to a place called Tarin Kot, where the Taliban was formed and launched their campaign to enslave their nation in a harsh, hardline theocracy. When I was there I came to realize it wasn’t the Taliban that was actually causing most of the problems, it was the centuries old feuds between tribes. But the Afghans were smart, and they fostered the idea with all the coalition advisors that there were hordes of Taliban perpetrating the endless atrocities around the city. That wasn’t the case where I was. It was almost all tribal disputes. Instead of working together to resolve issues with the best case solution, they continually fought each other, vying for control of resources and the narrative. I’m admittedly new to Huntington Beach, however, my being new here gives me some insight into the local politics that I think most folks no longer see. And that is everyone is too busy trying to prove why they are right instead of working on what is right, as in collaborating to meet a common ground. I’ll use the charter amendment for the City Attorney as an example. I’ll ask two questions, one for each of the opposition sides, and let you fight it out in social media. For context, I’ll state the situation, in very simplistic terms. The City Attorney is an elected official, and currently in the charter advises the City Council. So, here are the two questions: This is for the Council. The charter amendment is designed to address a gap in accountability, i.e., which is the if the attorney does not want to support the council, there is no mechanism in place to hold the attorney accountable because the position answers to the people, not the council. The problem we face now is the amendment changes who the CA is accountable to without changing the process in which the position is filled, thereby creating a conflict of interest. Knowing the city is a Republican majority, and opposes the charter amendment, why didn’t the Council instead work to build a better consensus, then ask voters to appoint a City Attorney instead of electing one?   And for the opposition. If the CA works for the people, as the position is elected by them, then who does he work for during the week? He certainly hasn’t reached out to me to see what I want done. If the tables were turned and there was a Republican majority on the council with a Democrat as the elected City Attorney, you know that the council would want the City Attorney to be accountable to the council. So, the question to you, is why aren’t you willing to work to achieve a reasonable compromise that is supports a healthy government? Lastly, considering the sharp division between the two parties in our city, why do we have a non partisan election? Why don’t we have districts that run a partisan race so that candidates can truly focus on their area they reside in and provide better support to their constituents?
10 September 2022. These last few days have been a bit frustrating for me. I felt like I took a step back with the speech I gave on Tuesday and I did not connect with anyone the rest of the week. Today was a better day, I was able to participate in a very fun meet and greet. The hostess had several candidates in the front row and it was modeled after speed dating, where she would ask a question and we had to answer quickly and succinctly. I enjoyed it. I also had a chance to speak at length with Carol Rohr, which was very educational. The way seniors and veterans are losing their homes to what seems to be corporate greed is unacceptable. I pledged to advocate for her and the rest of the 17 mobile home parks. Campaigning is not what I thought it would be, and nothing like what is portrayed on TV. It can be exhausting, frustrating, and most of all educational. Even if I don’t win I am now a much more informed citizen and voter for my City.
14 September 2022. I attended a meeting at the Sea Aira Mobile Home Park tonight to listen to the residents work through the problems with out of control rent increases and the frustrations they are facing getting city council and community support. As I stood there, I came to the realization that I as a candidate am not as knowledgeable about all the issues in the City as I should be. Further, I’ve basically stumbled to where I am to day with some tenacity and a lot of luck. My fund raising has stalled and I’m already committed to a lot of money for my consultant, let alone to all the money he says I need for the digital marketing blitz I need to do. So, I decided to let him go, forgo the digital marketing, and lean on OC Huddle’s endorsement while I continue with my mostly DIY approach. Talking to people, walking with my sign, and showing up at as many events as I can. Sans speaking at the CC meeting again. Of note, like other candidates, this is a part time campaign while life continues. I’ve been looking for a job and starting a business, plus family and going through the trials of retiring from the Army. So, it’s been busy. It’s a good primer for what it’d be like to be on the Council.
19 September 2022. Had an endorsement interview this morning, and each time I have an interview now it’s like school kids teasing me for something. One of the questions always asked is how much money do I have and how is my fund raising going, which translates what is the likelihood of me being elected because no one wants to endorse a loser. The only PAC so far that went with character over money has been OC Huddle, which I appreciate. Meanwhile, I had a FB messenger conversation with a gentlemen named Gino Bruno. His first question to me was a good one that I actually took a couple of weeks to learn about before answering, and that was the charter amendment changes. I agree with two, but don’t support the City Attorney change because it isn’t the right solution to the problem. The CA should work for the City Council, which means the CA should be appointed, not elected. The amendment changes the CA to work for the CC, which is smart, but doesn’t change the process to get a CA, which the majority in HB opposes. Anyhow, his next question was to ask me what I disagree with Gina and Oscar, which I found to be a real jackass question. He wanted ‘dirt’ to spout about and I wasn’t having any of it. I told him they are my friends and if he had asked me how I differ from all 17 candidates, I would have answered that. Instead it became petty and that ended the conversation. And I have come to the realization that door knocking is not my thing. I don’t like it and I have not had a good experience with it. People look at me like I’m selling vacuums and are just short of slamming the door in my face. Meanwhile, I can start putting signs out in town, which I will do today and tomorrow, probably over the next few days. I could have started at 1201 this morning, but choose to sleep instead. I’m too old to do crazy things like that anymore.
21 September 2022. Tonight was interesting. 16 candidates participated in a forum hosted by the Chamber of Commerce, and held at the Senior Center. Considering the number of candidates it went smoothly and everyone respected the one minute time limit to answer questions. All the questions were about business, I think I did fairly well, especially considering that many of the candidates are business owners themselves and have a lot more experience than I do. Tomorrow is another debate in Sunset Beach.
22 September 2022. Tonight the candidates had five minutes to talk to a small group of folks from Sunset Beach, a small strip of land between the ocean and Huntington Harbor, along PCH. Population about 970, and their Mayor is Diamond, a small dog who did not seem happy to be there. The two candidates for City Attorney attacked each other and it was rather uncomfortable. I spoke second, and I said I agreed with a comment that Gracey van der Mark made about public safety being the most important thing a government is supposed to provide. That did not sit well with some folks and I was counseled about it the next day, because Gracey is a holocaust denier and has ties to white extremist groups. Fair enough. Meanwhile, I didn’t take the entire five minutes for a couple of reasons. One, the actual attendance of folks from that community was maybe 20. The rest were all the same usual suspects that supported their particular candidate, and the majority of those folks were there for the ‘Four Real Republicans’. Two, I knew it was going to be a long night, so I wanted to be short and impactful to those that hadn’t heard me yet. I let them know I was aware of their main challenge, which is homeless folks parking in the public parking area all night, and with that all the attendant problems with a group of homeless people. Last, I wanted to underscore my subtle narrative that political party doesn’t matter as much as character and the willingness to collaborate. And that got me the chastising.
24 September 2022. I tried canvassing a few times in my apartment building, and the people here are not interested, AT ALL. I get it, I don’t like people knocking on my door either, one of the reasons I like living in an apartment building. Limited access. The other resistance I’m getting are people don’t want to talk to a democrat, even though I’m knocking on democrat doors. People are just fed up with elections or politicians, or I just have the largest group of grumpy people on the planet in my building. Meanwhile, I’ve been putting my signs out around town and I’m taking a great deal of pleasure in putting my sign above Pat Burns, just because I think it’s funny. I’ve talked to him a few times now since that first forum in July, and he and I have shared life experiences and similar leanings about things in general. I know, I know, he’s a Republican, so I can’t talk to him, he’s the enemy.
3 October 2022. While I’m trying to run a campaign I’m also looking for a job, which in of itself is a full time and very frustrating job. I’ve had quite a few second and even some third interviews, but I’m just missing the mark somewhere. I did get an offer to be an instructor for JROTC at Magnolia HS (I was their second choice, and got the offer after the other fellow moved on). However, it’ll be a month before I can start because of paperwork. So, I’m still looking, just in case. As for the campaign, if it wasn’t for OC Huddle, I don’t think anyone in the City would know I exist, even with all the hand shaking I’m doing. I just came to the realization that most of the prominent candidates running have already run before, so they had street cred and resources. Now I know. I still think despite the lack of money, or ‘viable campaign’ that Mark Bixby stated, or name recognition, that I’ll do ok. Probably more from the fact that OC Huddle has pushed my name out and because there are 8 Republicans running, so there is bound to be vote splitting. Should be interesting. And I’m a pragmatic realist who has promised transparency on my campaign. If you’re actually reading this then I hope that is clear. Here is a summation of my campaign so far: – I’ve applied for 9 endorsements to various organizations, received one, from OC Huddle. – I’m down to $500 of campaign money and I still owe 1,800 – I have not been able to set up any meet and greets. I have one more lead, who wants to meet with me next week.  – I’ve put up my signs all over town, a couple of folks have mentioned to me that they’ve seen them.  – I’ve been walking with my sign nearly every day, and folks have said they’ve seen me around town.  – I received a campaign contribution yesterday from someone I’ve never heard of or contacted.  – I’m number two on the ballot.  – OC Huddle has me on all their printed guides and on their website. 
8 October 2022. This town is definitely Conservative. Even the donor list I have apparently has a few folks that have switched to being Republican. I met a lady yesterday while I was walking with my sign and she said ‘I love what you’re doing but I have to vote for the ‘Four’. I asked her if she lived in the mobile home park she was pulling out of, and she said yes. I asked her why the ‘Four’ didn’t reply to the survey that was sent out to all the candidates. She didn’t know about it and was herself curious as to why they didn’t complete it.
13 October 2022. Yesterday I was labeled as Bobby ‘No Way’ Britton and asked why I was running for office on a Republican FB Group Chat. I tried to reply but they deleted my post and booted me from the site. Guess they don’t want to actually hear what the opposition has to say. Check out the screen shot I took as I had a hunch they would block me.
17 October 2022. I was invited to a meeting at the Huntington Landmark Senior Center. I wasn’t really prepared for the size of the crowd, and I was one of the five democrat city council candidates. I didn’t feel comfortable touting myself when I’m not Party endorsed when the rest were, so I kept my comments brief and highlighted the attributes of the others. Despite that, I still had some folks come up to me afterwards saying they were going to vote for me. Hmmmm, maybe less talking is equal to more voting?
19 October 2022. So that post above about being booted from a group chat, it’s spiraled a bit due to a gentlemen named Don Kennedy, who is rather vicious to anyone who doesn’t adhere to his beliefs, to include me. He’s called me a coward and liar, yet the man has never met me and refuses to talk to me other than from behind his keyboard. Sadly that is how a lot of our society is now. It’s easy and safe to lash out from the safety of online without actually looking someone in the face and having a meaningful discussion. I don’t mind his point of view, in fact, I appreciate working with the opposition because it helps build a better solution. What I don’t appreciate is the name calling and adamant refusal to collaborate.
26 October 2022. The best part about campaigning so far is meeting great people and having meaningful discussions. Today Ashely Williamson, a wonderful young lady, set up a meet and greet for me. I thought it was a great event as it was small and we as a group just chatted through items as if we were friends, not a political hate group. I might not win this election but it’s events like this that will help me in the future.
27 October 2022. So, the candidate debate I had asked for months ago at Goldenwest College? They had it yesterday and didn’t invite me. That is not cool, at all. Someone at that organization needs to explain to me why that happened.
2 November 2022. Sent this email to all the HB City Candidates this morning:
Thank you to those that helped me. As this was my first political foray it was rather intimidating and the learning curve was steep. A few of you were willing to put aside that this is a competition for limited seats and help me understand the process as well as provide insight into issues within the City. As for the City, that was and is my number one focus, to lend my support to sustaining HB’s health and welfare. There are definitely some decidedly different opinions between us as to how that should happen, and that’s fine. That should be considered an advantage, provided we can work through those differences to achieve shared goals. I’m a little taken aback at some of the very negative campaigning, but, as I am currently scandal free and as of yet an unknown, none were directed at me. And I vow to never attack others. I will question policies and procedures, but I won’t attack a person. As a career military officer I often had to work for someone I didn’t respect or I disagreed with their methods, but, because I’m a professional they never knew it. I would do my duties to the best of my ability and support those in charge as if I selected them myself. I offer the same to those four that are elected next week; if you need genuine altruistic assistance to support the City, you can call on me. As long as what you’re doing is legal, ethical, and morally acceptable, I will support the Council regardless of its political leaning. But, to be fair, if I don’t agree with you or your policies, I will vote for someone else in the following election. To all of you I wish you well next week. Cheers. 
11 November 2022. Well, most of the ballots are in, so it doesn’t look like I won a seat. I might just ask the 9 candidates that received more votes than me to just withdraw so I can move up into the top four. In reality the Fab Four won because the City was tired of a tone deaf Council. The Democratic majority on the Council tried to force their agenda in a Republican majority City. This loss to the Right isn’t a surprise, at least not to me. I talked to more Conservatives on the campaign trail than I did to Democrats, simply because I encountered more on my walks around town. I did warn everyone on the Dem party, but my opinion didn’t carry much weight as I was the new guy. I will use my loss to refine my strategy and prepare the next race. It likely won’t be for City Council, as least not me running as a Democrat for CC. The three incumbents up for re-election in two years are all Democrats, so I doubt the DPOC will support anyone else, and I’d just run into the same problem I had this election. I’m considering being an Independent because honestly I’m really tired of the acrimony based on Parties. Way too many people will only vote based on party affiliation instead of the merits of the candidate. I’ve always just been barely a Democrat, and not quite a Republican. I’m that close to center line, which is incredibly difficult to market when everyone is so polarized. I asked Pat Burns to meet with me because I respect him and his campaign points. I don’t agree with everything, but I’d like to present myself as an unbiased candidate for a City commission seat. We’ll see. I’ll be back on sometime in the future and I’ll keep a running tab of my next election campaign.
4 February 2023. Although I didn’t win I haven’t left, just been taking a break. I sent this email to the Mayor and City Council Members: Mayor, Council Members, During the campaign I had the opportunity to speak to many residents, as I know you did. Some highlights from those conversations for your consideration.  Divide the City into districts with partisan candidates. This will help provide better focus for the voters and the candidates on the topics in their particular area. For example, I live in Bella Terra with its own set of concerns (like the apartments being crammed into the Burlington Coat Factory), contrasted with the Edison Park concerns 5 miles away at the other end of the City.  High Density Housing. The majority of folks I spoke to are opposed to more apartments, but many are also concerned with the penalties and/or retribution from Governor Newsome if we don’t comply. The real crux of the problem is we don’t have the infrastructure to support more apartment buildings. Again, using Bella Terra as an example, Edinger/Beach is a mess, and we just built an In And Out there. Going to Costco to get gas is almost a full contact sport. How is it going to support 400 more apartments? There are methods that can legally delay building without incorporating reprisals until Mr. Gates can build an effective case. HB was built on indigenous land and then the oil boom hit. Between the two, historical preservation and/or EPA concerns, there might be enough sufficient reasons not to do immediate builds until Mr. Gates can potentially sort it out with Sacramento.  Partisan retribution. While a Democrat I was vocal to my Party about how the previous council was often tone deaf and appeared to push an agenda that did not consider the City is a Republican majority. Now that the pendulum has swung back to Red, I ask that in your machinations you don’t penalize the minority party out of spite. That is a significant issue with our Nation right now, our politics are too binary with too much animosity. You have an opportunity to appeal to your base while still incorporating the minority residents.  First Responders. Most folks I spoke to were happy with our Police/Fire/Marine Safety. Those in the know however were frustrated with the attrition due to other cities paying higher salaries. When I spoke to the POA, there appeared to be a disconnect between their agenda, the PD, and residents in goals.  Not so much for Fire. I recommend an independent panel to look into all aspects and provide you a report with recommendations.  Mobile Home rent control. This is a major concern for the 17 parks that rent their space. It is a little concerning that none of the four members recently elected seemed to be interested in this topic. The request is fairly simple, please set rent stabilization to allow those residents the chance to continue to own their homes. Mobile Homes are not apartments, there are some significant differences. Many of those homes house seniors.  Homeless population. This isn’t just an HB problem, it’s regional. Jailing folks overnight and releasing them the next day isn’t a solution, nor is moving them to another city. There are plenty of folks roving around nearby that will just fill in voids. We need to partner with our neighboring cities to build a regional plan. And the County needs to help. My recommendation is to take those that are a threat to themselves or others and put them in the underutilized State hospital in Costa Mesa. Triage them and if they can be released, great. If not, then we figure out a long-term care plan so they don’t hurt themselves or others. I agree with you that the problems associated with people who shower naked at the beach, leave drug paraphernalia in our parks, build shanty towns with no sanitation accountability, and threaten our residents aren’t acceptable.  Human trafficking. I heard a few times that there is trafficking in HB.  I spoke to Chief Parra and he said he would look into it. While I find it unlikely there is an actual human trafficking presence here, I do think it’s important for it to be considered since it was mentioned to me by different individuals at different times while I was campaigning. 

15 July 2023. I’m supporting Dom Jones for Congress. Her Democrat contenders, JW doesn’t live this district, and DM was arrested for drunk driving. But, Ada Briceño still supports them despite that because she is more focused on quantity, not quality. She had the audacity to tell me I need to run a better campaign next time when it was the DPOC that bailed on me and then all the Dems completely lost the election in Huntington Beach. That was it for me, I left the Dem party and I’m an independent now. I don’t much agree with the methods of the new city council, I feel they are just a repeat of the last one, hyper focused on pushing their own personal agenda without really listening to the constituents. Some of their ideas have merit but they are polarized too much, and instead of dialogue it’s just do what I say. This includes the back door deal for the air show. That’s sketchy and as taxpayers, we have a right to know what the settlement really states. The next race will likely again be interesting.