Any Ventura County progressives out there?

[robertpaulsen]

I'm a Los Angeles County resident. I just spent the weekend with my Dad in Port Hueneme. Driving around, I saw about 5 bumper stickers for Bush/Cheney. Didn't see a single Kerry/Edwards bumper sticker until I hit the 101/405 interchange going home.

So what's it like living there? I didn't get any open hostility for driving a car with a Kerry/Edwards sticker, just a glare from someone on the sidewalk once. Unfortunately, my Dad is surrounded by Bush supporters in his church, so it was difficult to get a sense of any liberal backlash around there.

[pelagius]

1. Ventura County

...registration is roughly equal between Dems and Repugs. There's a sizeable decline to state contingent. The county is divided into West and East. West County (Ventura, Oxnard, etc.) skews Democratic; East County (Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, etc.) goes Republican. There are exceptions to this generalization: Camarillo (where you were in West County) is known to be quite conservative. The Conejo Valley (East County) is the wealthiest part of the county, but there are also a number of highly-educated people there associated with the biotech industry and many of them skew DLC-type Democratic.

Lot of evangelical churches in the area. Some are overtly wingnut activists, most are anti-gay and anti-choice in attitude. Republican sheep for the most part. Liberals tend to congregrate in mainline Protestant and certain Roman Catholic churches. The Jewish community is small, but active in progressive politics for the most part.

But gerrymandering pretty much neutralizes the Democratic strength. The Ventura County Congressman -- Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley) -- is a poster-boy for the hard right. The state senator, Tom McClintock, was too conservative to gain the support of CA Republicans in the gubernatorial recall race.

But the area is changing. There's a bright young candidate for Gallegy's seat named Brett Wagner who has impeccable security credentials as a professor at the Naval War College -- important in this area where the military is the largest employer -- and, despite zero support from the national or state party is running a very credible campaign against Gallegly.

Plug: if you were thinking of sending money to Barack Obama, consider sending it to Brett Wagner. Barack is a shoo-in and set with all the money he needs. Brett could use every dollar. He's close enough to beat Gallegly and has a great volunteer organization, but needs cash. You can give at:

http://www.brettwagner2004.com/

Check him out -- he's the real deal.

[pelagius]

2. Oops!

I don't know why I got the idea you were driving around Camarillo. I see you said no such thing. I'm a Democrat -- I can admit when I've made a mistake and move swiftly to correct it. :-)

[robertpaulsen]

3. No problem.

Thanks for the info. I had lunch at a place called the Crab House on Friday, not sure if it was Oxnard or Camarillo. The waitress told me that a Bush supporter went in there and told her if they put Heinz ketchup on his table, he would refuse to patronize their establishment. She never said who she supported, but she was pretty pissed at the anti-Heinz wingnut.

Port Hueneme, where my Dad lives, has a naval base with a huge sign asking for fresh recruits, no prior experience necessary. Sounds like they're having problems with that.

[catzies]

7. The area is filled w/retirees from Pt. Mugu & Pt. Hueneme.

BTW, you were in Camarillo. It's nice here even though it is predominatly conservative.

[Emillereid]

4. Actually the Repukes have more registered voters but we're doing

our best to change that. By the end of this campaign we might even best them. Lots of people changing their affiliation from repuke to democrat too. You are right that Camarillo, Newbury Park and TO are bastions of hard core right wingers -- frightening sometimes. My daughter got her car egged because it sported a Kerry sticker. Most of the Bushits I meet here admit that they're voting for Bush because they are only concerned about themselves and think they'll save on taxes with Bush.

I work for the Democratic Club of the Conejo Valley (Ways and Means chair) and am currently running phone banking out of our office (1414 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd.) Come on down!!!!

I live in Oak Park which is one of the few areas in Ventura County that went for Gore in 2000 btw.

[lwin]

5. Hey, I know you!

Hi there Elizabeth..fancy meeting you here on the DU! This is so funny...we must run into each other 3 or 4 times a week at the DCCCV office. I didn't know you posted here. I've been lurking for a long time, but just recently joined. This is Laura...the Ventura County 4 Kerry-Edwards Tabling Coordinator.

Hey guys, everything she and others have said about VC is true. We are turing the Registration numbers. Come help Liz out at the DCCV office with phone banking & other volunteering if you can...they're doing great work there!

[catzies]

6. Wow! We know lots of people in common. I'm in Camarillo's Dem Club

howdy! :hi:

On edit: were you the one I gave voter registrations to in front of the Camarillo Tader Joe's last Saturday around noon?

[Capn Sunshine]

8. Late to the party

as usual; but If you get by the old school folks and look at the demographic trends, we'll be blue before you know it. We already outnumber the repubs if you factor in independents.

Liz is great, isn't she? I try to hang with her as much as possible. :loveya:

[lwin]

9. For anyone that is interested...

The Ventura County for Kerry-Edwards grassroots group has reorganized as Ventura County Progressives. We're having an event on December 4th to kick things off. All are welcome. For details, check our website at http://www.venturacountyprogressives.com

[catzies]

11. Ventura County Democratic Central Committee Unity Brunch tomorrow

I wish I could come to both events tomorrow but I can't. Rats!

edited to correct event after reading site at link

[JunkYardDogg]

12. Ventura County Progressives

I live in Oxnard and have been looking to organize other progressives
I've meet some other people recently with the same motives.
We went to the Nov 3 Oxnard Dems meeting just out of mordid curiousity to confirm what I suspected. They did not have clue
We really need to expand and put fresh blood into the Dems
There is now a Member on the County Board of Education who wants to force the theory of Creationism into the School Program.
I will contact you

[pelagius]

13. Who's proposing the teaching of creationism?

There is now a Member on the County Board of Education who wants to force the theory of Creationism into the School Program.

Can you name names? I see this as a real issue that could shake up some of the country club Republicans working for Amgen, Baxter Biosciences, and the like. It's just so damn south Alabama.

[pelagius]

14. Answer to my own question: Ron Matthews, president of the board

Article describing the situation is online at:

http://www.venturacountystar.com/vcs/county_news/article/0,1375,VCS_226_3359907,00.html

Registration is required. Here's an excerpt:

Four years ago, school board member Ron Matthews tried to catapult a biblical explanation for the world's origins over legal barriers and into science classes.

Creationism vs. evolution flared into a countywide debate, drawing both enraged critics and conservatives who piled onto a faith-fueled bandwagon. The battle faded when Matthews' colleagues on the Ventura County Board of Education wouldn't place his proposal on their agenda.

Now the issue may be born again.

New bombs are detonating in age-old wars as conservatives and faith activists try to ride the momentum of a national election they contend hinged on morality. They work to derail a same-sex marriage proposal set to be introduced to by a state assemblyman next week. A newly elected member of the Conejo Valley Unified School District board complains about state mandates on how schools address sexual orientation. He said students who are gay should keep it to themselves.

Now president of the county school board, Matthews counts heads and puts together a game plan. Two board members, including a person elected Nov. 2, say they will seriously consider a proposal to teach creationism and evolution in science classes. If they vote yes, as Matthews expects, he will have a majority.

...more...

[jenn1977]

10. Ventura beach area res here!

I live in a neighborhood that had a very high # of Kerry/Edwards signs in their yards and on their cars. Only 2 houses had Bush/Cheney signs. Before the election, I saw some Kerry supporters holding up Kerry/Edwards signs and "honk for Kerry" signs out on the corners of some busy intersections and it sure got loud. Seemed like every car was honking. I also saw 2 Bush/Cheney supporters out celebrating on a corner on Nov. 3 and NO ONE honked or showed support of any kind.