SOME WEST COUNTY cities are shifting blue, but that will that mean on Election Day?

Orange County used to be known as a conservative stronghold, but portions of it are starting to turn blue instead of red. That trend was especially evident in the 2012 election in which a half-dozen OC cities supported Democratic President Barack Obama in that campaign, including Anaheim, Garden Grove, Irvine, Santa Ana, Stanton and Westminster.

The shift is starting to show up in the local city council races as well. OCDaily.com, a political and policy website, notes that not only does Garden Grove have a plurality of Democrats in terms of registration by the margin of 38.1 percent to 33.5 percent (with 24.3 percent “no preference), but five of the six new districts in the expanded council have a Democratic plurality.

Only the First District, on the west side, has a Republican edge. Does that mean that the Democrats will capture a majority of the seats? Not necessarily. Councilman Steve Jones, who is running unopposed for mayor – which is also a seat on a council – is a Republican, as well as incumbent Phat Bui. If we assume that a GOP-backed candidate wins that First District seat, the Republicans need to win only one more contest – possibly the Second District, where the Democratic edge is only 12 voters – to hold on to a majority.

Considering that traditionally Republican voters actually turn up on Election Day in greater percentages than Democrats, the GOP still seems have a pretty good chance of keeping the council on the “right” track, although local issues don’t always split on the same ideological divides as do state and national races.

TERI BACKS RICKK FOR COUNCIL SEAT

Teri Rocco, a member of the Garden Grove Unified School District Board of Education, has announced her endorsement of Rickk Montoya for the Sixth District on the Garden Grove City Council.

Rocco was appointed to the GGUSD board in 2015 and is a candidate for the board this Nov. 8. Earlier this week, Montoya won the endorsement of Local 3090 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

Both the school district and the city will be pioneering election-by-district rather than at-large voting to choose its governing boards.

CORREA GETS BACKING FROM DEMOCRATS

Lou Correa, candidate for the 46th Congressional District seat in the Nov. 8 election, is trumpeting his support from Democratic and other leaders in the Orange County area.

From the Garden Grove-Huntington Beach-Westminster area, Correa has been backed by:

• Garden Grove Firefighters Association
• Garden Grove Police Officers Association
• Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (D-Garden Grove)
• Huntington Beach Union High School District Trustee Bonnie Caffrey
• Garden Grove City Council Member Kris Beard
• Former Huntington Beach Mayor Linda Moulton-Patterson.

He is running against Garden Grove Mayor Bao Nguyen, also a Democrat.

FORUM PLANNED FOR SEPT. 17

A forum for candidates for mayor and city council in Garden Grove is set for Saturday, Sept. 17 at the Courtyard Center, 12731 Main St. from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The event is sponsored by the Garden Grove Neighborhood Association.

Candidates: Do you have news of endorsements or events for elections in and about Garden Grove, Huntington Beach or Westminster? Send the information to us at orangecountytribune@gmail.com .