The Orange County Republican Party Central Committee convened on August 15, 2022, to deliberate endorsements for the November election, following recommendations from its Endorsements Committee. The meeting, overseen by OCGOP Chairman Fred Whitaker, also featured guest speakers and candidate forums for local races.
Chairman Whitaker initiated the meeting by discussing recent events and urging Central Committee members to recruit volunteers for precinct walking and phone banking. He announced a special endorsement meeting via Zoom on August 29 to conserve funds on hotel meeting room rentals.
The committee addressed issues regarding its endorsement process for two local races. For the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District, Trustee Area 4, Chairman Whitaker noted prior miscommunication concerning candidates Todd Frazier and Steve Slawson running for the same seat. Similarly, for the Yorba Linda Water District, the Endorsements Committee initially recommended Brett Barbre, incumbent Tom Lindsey, and incumbent Phil Hawkins under the mistaken belief that incumbent Brooke Jones was retiring. Jones contacted the OCGOP before the Central Committee meeting, prompting a decision to review all four candidates together at the August session.
Guest speakers included Chris Gonzales, a candidate for the 46th Congressional District, who discussed his military and legal background. Gonzales stated he chose to run in the 46th District due to concerns about crime, homelessness, and poverty. Eddy Marmolejo, California Chairman of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly, also spoke, highlighting his group's mission to provide volunteers and emphasize conservative values among Hispanic communities, particularly concerning affordability, financial security, and communication in Spanish.
Mission Viejo Mayor Wendy Bucknun led the Pledge of Allegiance, and Yorba Linda Councilman Gene Hernandez swore in several alternates during the meeting. Kerry Zhang, a high school intern for the Scott Baugh for Congress campaign, was recognized as Volunteer of the Month for his dedication.
Candidate forums commenced with the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School District, Trustee Area 4 candidates. Todd Frazier stated his priorities included removing Critical Race Theory, opposing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives, and blocking medical clinics on campus. Steve Slawson, a CPA, mentioned his 18-month campaign, $50,000 budget, and desire to replace the district's lawyers and superintendent. Both candidates discussed voter turnout and campaign finance.
The Yorba Linda Water District candidate forum followed, featuring Brett Barbre, who has served on the district board since 1998, emphasizing groundwater importance and fire hardening. Phil Hawkins, on the board since 2010, also highlighted fire hardening as a priority. Brooke Jones, a lifelong Republican and incumbent, noted that he was running and had finished candidate filing.
The candidate forums concluded with votes to be taken later for the PYLUSD Trustee Area 4 race.
