Why is Orange County Still Republican? (Oakland, Irvine: light rail, design, title)

[BlackShoe]

For those of you that reside in Assembly District 72,which covers a large part of Orange County,today is election day.This special election is required to replace Mike Duvall,forced to resign earlier this year.The two leading GOP candidates,Linda Ackerman and Chris Norby,have been waging a vicious campaign,with the mud flying fast and furious.District residents have been hit with numerous mailings and recorded telephone calls.The district has a Republican majority,and the GOP leading vote getter is expected to win a January runoff election against the Democratic and Green Party nominees.

[waltlantz]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

I'm not sure how much it has to do with those factors you cite. I live in the most affluent congressional district (VA-11) in the country in the county with the highest median income (Fairfax) and we normally vote Democratic. Orange County's not even in the top 20 on that list, by the way. Our U.S. and state Reps. are all Democrats and we went heavily for Obama. The only thing I can think of is that we're not particularly religious. I would challenge your assertion that higher income and more educated folks vote Republican. The Repub strongholds (besides Orange County) now are generally rural areas in the South and Midwest that aren't particularly affluent or well educated.

Im from Mt. Vernon. Yea Fairfax county is overall fairly democratic except for maybe Fairfax City itself. I am not sure why that is. One thing is probably due to the large minority population I suppose. There are also a fair amount of younger college aged individuals. Plus you have high relocation from other parts of the country who may bring their political persuasions with them.

It is true not all high rolling suburbs are the same. Some of the richest suburbs are in New Jersey and the San Fransisco Bay Area. New Jersey even in it's rich parts are quite liberal closer into New York you get (inverse reaction the farther away you get). Bay Area is pretty liberal all over from election results.

Also republicans have big footholds in rich southern SUBURBS. Look at Atlanta, Dallas and Houston for example. Part of that is due to religiion.

Orange County seems very buisness oriented particularly in Irvine and Anahiem so that is probably a big factor in it's GOP support. I can't speak on it's religious leanings as I have never lived there.

Historically, conservatives (Dem or Repub, now mostly repub) mainly held sway in suburbs as a reaction to things happening in the central city (ie Los Angeles). Orange County I think counts for that a little bit. Also some historian published a book saying that OC was mainly settled by midwesterners who contrasted with the more urban settlers of LA. They reacted strongly to racial turmoil, liberal economic policies and suspected communism.

[californio sur]

Orange county is slowly changing to Democratic like all California coastal counties. As the old people die off the county will go Democratic & the only place left for Republicans in California will be the Central Valley [i.e. Bakersfield].

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by BlackShoe

For those of you that reside in Assembly District 72,which covers a large part of Orange County,today is election day.This special election is required to replace Mike Duvall,forced to resign earlier this year.The two leading GOP candidates,Linda Ackerman and Chris Norby,have been waging a vicious campaign,with the mud flying fast and furious.District residents have been hit with numerous mailings and recorded telephone calls.The district has a Republican majority,and the GOP leading vote getter is expected to win a January runoff election against the Democratic and Green Party nominees.

Would you like to tell everyone why Mike was "forced" to resign? Says loads about conservative values.

[CAVA1990]

I'll save you the trouble. Here's the story from the OC Weekly:

In July--two days after Assembly Speaker Karen Bass and Republican leader Sam Blakeslee put Duvall on the Rules Committee that oversees member ethics--the second-term, conservative, Republican assemblyman sat in a public hearing and vividly described lewd details about his trysts with a female lobbyist whose clients had business before another committee on which
 Duvall sits.

Duvall, speaking to a relatively mum Republican colleague seated to his left, apparently had no idea his dais microphone became live beginning about a minute before the start of a cable-televised committee hearing. He was captured in the middle of recounting portions of an affair.

"She wears little eye-patch underwear," said Duvall, who is married with two children. "So, the other day she came here with her underwear, Thursday. And
 so, we had made love Wednesday--a lot!

The rest gets a bit sordid for this forum. Let's just say this was a real good example of Republican Family Values.

[californio sur]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

I'll save you the trouble. Here's the story from the OC Weekly:

In July--two days after Assembly Speaker Karen Bass and Republican leader Sam Blakeslee put Duvall on the Rules Committee that oversees member ethics--the second-term, conservative, Republican assemblyman sat in a public hearing and vividly described lewd details about his trysts with a female lobbyist whose clients had business before another committee on which
 Duvall sits.

Duvall, speaking to a relatively mum Republican colleague seated to his left, apparently had no idea his dais microphone became live beginning about a minute before the start of a cable-televised committee hearing. He was captured in the middle of recounting portions of an affair.

"She wears little eye-patch underwear," said Duvall, who is married with two children. "So, the other day she came here with her underwear, Thursday. And
 so, we had made love Wednesday--a lot!

The rest gets a bit sordid for this forum. Let's just say this was a real good example of Republican Family Values.

ain't it the truth. Hypocrites are the biggest joke that come out of Orange county and why Republicans are doomed here.

[BlackShoe]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

Would you like to tell everyone why Mike was "forced" to resign? Says loads about conservative values.

Would you like to tell everyone about Democrats caught in scandals?Says loads about liberal values.

[Ginagirl]

Originally Posted by californio sur

Orange county is slowly changing to Democratic like all California coastal counties. As the old people die off the county will go Democratic & the only place left for Republicans in California will be the Central Valley [i.e. Bakersfield].

OC had a slight hiccup on the last election, but they are definitely not going Democrat...
After ten months of a disastrous, incompetent president, A lot of former Democratic strongholds are seeing the light, and going the other direction... There is still time to save our country....

[BlackShoe]

Originally Posted by californio sur

ain't it the truth. Hypocrites are the biggest joke that come out of Orange county and why Republicans are doomed here.

You have a big shock coming in 2010 and 2012.OC is still a conservative Republican county.In the 2008 election,Orange,along with Del Norte,were the only coastal counties to vote McCain.With the widespread dissatisfaction with Obama among independants and moderate Democrats the GOP is anything but doomed,and most surely will be alive and very well in Orange County for the foreseeable future.In the 72nd assembly race Chris Norby will easily win the January runoff race for starters.All Republican congressmen will win relection in 2010,and Democrat Loretta Sanchez could lose her seat to a Republican.Senator Barbara Boxer is vulnerable.It is amusing for those of us on the right to watch the left proclaim the triumph of Marxism so very,very prematurely,and we will receive great satisfaction when the nation returns to sanity in 2010 and 2012.

[Rickers]

Originally Posted by californio sur

Orange county is slowly changing to Democratic like all California coastal counties. As the old people die off the county will go Democratic & the only place left for Republicans in California will be the Central Valley [i.e. Bakersfield].

This statement implies that people should live in enclaves surrounded with folks who share the same ideology.

I heard a saying once; "If you're under 30 and not a democrat, you have no heart.
If you're over 30 and not a republican, you have no brains" !