Orange County Congressional Race Is Tale Of Two Cities

Here are the morning’s top stories on Wednesday, October 23, 2024…

• Orange County is once again poised to help decide control of Congress this November. The 47th district is one of the swing seats up for grabs. And college education levels are dividing voters in the district’s two largest cities. 
• America, Mexico and Los Angeles have all lost an athletic and cultural icon with the death of former L.A. Dodgers player Fernando Valenzuela at the age of 63.
• Embattled Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do has resigned from his position and agreed to plead guilty to a conspiracy to steal millions of taxpayer dollars, funds that were intended to feed seniors.

This Heated Orange County Congressional Race Could Determine Control of the House

California’s 47th Congressional District in Orange County, a race between Democrat Dave Min and Republican Scott Baugh, is once again expected to play a key role in deciding control of Congress.

The district, which includes the cities of Irvine and Huntington Beach, embodies the shift of socially liberal, suburban voters away from the Republican Party since the election of Donald Trump. However, streaks of conservatism remain in the electorate, and Democrats will seek victory here without the star power of the district’s incumbent congresswoman, Rep. Katie Porter.

In the 2022 election in which Porter defeated Baugh, there was a clear split — Democrats won big in Irvine — and Huntington Beach was solidly Republican. The divide between the two cities could be part of a larger trend in Orange County — the so-called “diploma divide.” “So what we’re seeing happening here in Orange County is the real divide of left to right, Democrat to Republican is college education versus non-college education,” said Jon Gould, dean of the School of Social Ecology at UC Irvine — where he closely tracks voter behavior in the OC. While over 70% of Irvine residents have college degrees, in Huntington Beach it’s less than half.

Fernando Valenzuela Dies At 63

Fernando Valenzuela has died at the age of 63. Valenzuela made a mark as one of the most popular Dodgers of all-time, drawing in Mexican and Mexican American fans who celebrated the pitching star as a transformative figure in Major League Baseball.

“We profoundly mourn the passing of Fernando,” said Stan Kasten, the L.A. Dodgers president and chief executive in a statement announcing Valenzuela’s death. Kasten called Valenzuela: “One of the most influential Dodgers ever.”

In 1981, Valenzuela became the Dodgers’ opening day starter as a rookie after Jerry Reuss was injured 24 hours before his scheduled start. He shut out the Houston Astros 2-0 and began the season 8-0 with five shutouts and an ERA of 0.50. He became the first player to win a Cy Young and Rookie of the Year in the same season.

His performances created the delirium known as “Fernandomania” among Dodgers fans. The ABBA hit “Fernando” would play as he warmed up on the mound.

O.C. Supervisor Andrew Do Resigns, Will Plead Guilty To Bribery Conspiracy Charge

Andrew Do has resigned as Orange County supervisor and agreed to plead guilty to a conspiracy to steal millions of dollars meant to feed needy seniors, following a months-long LAist investigation and federal probe.

The criminal charges and plea deal were announced Tuesday morning by U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada at a news conference in downtown Santa Ana. Out of $9.3 million in taxpayer dollars that were supposed to feed people, only 15% went to people in need, Estrada said. “Mr. Do and his co-conspirators stole money from the poor,” said Estrada, who called the conspiracy “Robin Hood in reverse.”

Starting last November, LAist reporting uncovered millions of taxpayer dollars then-Supervisor Do directed to his daughter’s nonprofit without disclosing the family relationship, and that have gone unaccounted for.

In all, LAist’s investigation reported Andrew Do directed more than $13 million to the group using a process outside of public view, which was not illegal at the time. (Those laws are now changing, under recently signed legislation introduced in response to LAist’s reporting on Do’s awarding of the funds.)