Edhat StaffBy Anna Marie Gott
The Democratic Central Committee (DCC) and Santa Barbara’s County Democratic Party (CDP) began their party endorsement process very early this year. Both organizations chose to endorse Cathy Murillo for Mayor of Santa Barbara. Undecided voters should be aware that the premature DCC and CDP endorsements, among others, were not based on the merits of the candidates but instead were an attempt to play Kingmaker or in this case Queenmaker.
To give everyone some perspective on the timing of the endorsements, voters should note that Murillo was the only announced candidate when the DCC voted in March. When the CDP made its announcement there were only two announced candidates and one had only announced the week before. Unfortunately, those endorsements were a naked attempt to discourage worthy candidates such as Bendy White from entering the race.
With the endorsements secured, other Democrats and organizations fell in line behind Murillo. This committed the Democratic establishment to a candidate who has shown she can’t secure support from moderate Democrats and is unable to build bridges with fellow City Council Members after 6 years in office. Murillo, as Nick Welsh from the Independent noted last week, “has had little success translating her fearless advocacy into compromise and consensus building.”
These organizations effectively shut out the majority of the electorate, and for me it’s a reminder of last years race between Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton. We now know that the Democratic National Committee (DNC) was completely under Clinton’s thumb in a secrete takeover of the DNC that happened 15 months before Clinton became the nominee. This allowed Clinton to rig the Democratic nomination process before a single vote was cast and it effectively shut out Bernie Sanders who many believe would have been elected President rather than Trump. – Instead, our Democracy was hijacked when the process was rigged to favor a single candidate before others entered the race.
Thus far, the decision of many Democratic groups to endorse too early seems to have backfired spectacularly. Democrats now fear that Santa Barbara may end up with a Mayor who is the antithesis of all they hold dear. With 3 candidates splintering the Democratic vote, many Democrats are panicking and easily bullied by the same organizations who created the problem with their attempt to anoint a candidate who has alienated so many.
The best course is to stay the course, and vote for the best candidate. I won’t vote for a divisive and ineffective Mayor out of fear of a Republican victory. A Mayor in Santa Barbara has little formal power. So, a Mayor must build coalitions and consensus to be effective. Murillo has shown zero ability or interest in coalition or consensus building, and no tolerance for opinions other than her own. She also drives away people who should be natural allies and dose not seem to be prepared at meetings and often gets the facts wrong. While I won’t vote for Hotchkiss, ironically even the lone Republican in the race would be a more effective leader of City Council meetings than the intolerant and dogmatic Murillo.
There is no good polling in this town. People should vote for the best and most qualified person, and have faith that the electorate is wise and not so easily bullied. Vote for a Mayoral candidate with an unsurpassed knowledge from decades of service, unquestionable ethics, unparalleled skill at building consensus, willingness to change his mind when the evidence warrants it, and vote for someone who is independent from the political machinery which ran amok in the endorsement process this year. Vote from someone who is a policy wonk. It is what Santa Barbara needs right now. But more importantly, vote for a Mayor who will go to bed with Cachuma hydrolgy reports on his nightstand, not Machiavelli.
Agreed,which is why I voted for Hal Conklin.
Hal Yes!!!! Great article and thank you for bringing this all to light!
It’s pathetic how many Murillo supporters pull the race and sex card. Anyone who opposes her is labeled a racist or sexist. Why can’t people grow up and stop throwing names at people who have differing opinions?
That is how some people win.
I am totally disgusted by the way the democratic party has finagled endorsement of the Murillo woman, who is the absolutely least qualified candidate for mayor. Her slavish devotion to PODER—a thug organization at best—is nauseating. We do NOT need this character as mayor.
Great post what is wrong with the country is hidden deep in the political machine on all sides it is time for all of us to do better and not be so one sided seeing these post,s revive my belif in the masses when we all try to be better people some really good stuff can and will happen there are good and bad on all sides its time to remove the emotions and put on the bs detectors and thinking caps bso we can have a golden community oh well i can hope right
Excellent post, although I am not at all sure that Sanders would have won. Clinton did get close to 3 million more votes than Trump (and still lost.) Locally, though, the Democrats here are like the local Sierra Club, a very few people speaking for many. (Fwiw, I am a Democrat and a Sierra Club member and have never been polled by either of these organizations.) The real fault, though, is in the voters who rely upon these endorsements without doing their own research. There have been a lot of forums and maybe a lot watched and paid attention.
Not sure that what is on the night stand is what’s important and preferring someone whose night stand sports Cachuma hydrology reports vs. someone who writes a steamy NY novel in his (that’s our) time and has research for that on his night stand or??? I don’t know what is on Bendy White’s night stand, ignorance is bliss, but I voted for him, anyway.
Bendy would have the Cachuma hydrolgy reports or a book like the Geology of Anza Borrego on his nightstand… Take it from someone who has studied the City Council for years when I say that Murillo would loose out if Santa Barbara residents, who are engaged and watch the City, had to decide between: Hitler, Satan and Murillo.
A fraction of voters will decide who the next Mayor is. This means, anyone who is concerned about: housing affordable to the Middle Class, economic development, parking, development, especially high density housing, and the environment should be voting for Bendy. Talk to your friends and vote. If you don’t vote, you can’t complain!
I’m voting for Bendy! I hope you will too!
Terrific article. Vote for Bendy White!
Bravo!!!! This letter is absolutely IMPRESSIVE!!!
It should be egregious to the residents of SB that KEYT did not have the decency to disclose the fact that the question posed to the Mayoral Candidates last Sunday was from David Pritchett, a NON-Resident of SB as well as Cathy Murrillo’s Ex. Again, this is another example of how the deck is stacked against the truly Competent and Talented Candidates.
I am holding steady and voting for Bendy!
Murillo worked to reduce gang crime. That’s held against her by people who don’t actually want a decrease, they want a target to attack.
People who whine about “the race and sex card” are invariably racist and sexist.
Hal. The debate at the SBCC Garvin Theatre was clear that Conklin has vision, lots of experience, and is very good at listening to what the community has to say. His responses were intelligent and thoughtful. The KEYT debate was informative, but, not nearly as hard-hitting as the one at SBCC. It was broadcast live on KCRW and one can hear the entire recording on KCRW’s website. Martinez has a completely unrealistic view of the average Santa Barbaran. Several of his answers showed he was clearly out of touch. Conklin has the depth of experience and the insight that the others lack.
Yep. Agreed. Our whole house voted Angel Martinez.
We should always vote for the person who will make decisions that are best for our City not be driven by any political party. The most qualified to be our next mayor is Angel Martinez who will do just that. His leadership skills, experience, ability to collaborate, and vision by far make him the best candidate.
I, of course, can’t vote in SB but I know Bendy is dedicated to doing right for Santa Barbara. His family has been here for generations and he really cares about his hometown.
The author of this article sounds like the bully to me. Just like Jon Snow “You know nothing.”
The usual pack of lies by nihilists pretending to be progressives. They brought us Trump.
Facts about the endorsements are public. You can’t dispute them and the author is correct. Both Democratic Organizatins didn’t didn’t pick the best candidate, that is obvious now. One picked the only candidate in the race and the other had two to choose from and I would like to know if they looked at both candidates. It looks like the author is giving us the facts and I am disappointed that no one else pointed this out earlier. It’s interesting that no one has questioned why the current Mayor didn’t support Cathy Murillo. There is a story there I am sure, because she supports Bendy White. She must know both candidates pretty well and despite the backing of the two Democratic Organizatins she chose to support Bendy White not Cathy Murillo. And like the author, I won’t vote for Cathy. In fact, I know few who are voting for her. Bendy White is my choice and I hope people still considering who to vote for chose him.
It sure sounds like the OP is the bully. Her entire piece is based on some pretty heavy accusations in the opening two paragraphs. But they seem to be only that … accusations. I wish she would have backed them up with some facts to convince us. You would have figured Nick Welsh or Jerry Roberts would have scooped the story if it were true. Gott’s been a vocal opponent of vacation rentals. If she prefers Hotchkiss over Murrillo, she must really loath her because Frank has often been on the other side of the rental issue. Perhaps Murrillo never acquiesced to Gott’s Allied Neighborhoods Association. In-fighting only gets you people like Trump and Hotchkiss.