The LA Times is reporting today that Anaheim Councilman Harry Sidhu is considering a run against first-term mayor Curt Pringle. While I am happy to have been quoted in the article, I think the reporter had very little to go on and it should have been more about an internal policy disagreement rather and a potential political battle.
The fact is you can’t find anyone besides Harry Sidhu himself who thinks he should run or has even heard he is interested in running. The quote of mine they didn’t print was, "No one past, present or future could beat Pringle in November."
I really believe Sidhu (to who’s campaign I am a donor) made a big error in mixing policy with politics here. His disagreement with his colleagues (Anaheim has a five member council including a directly elected mayor) over stadium deals and land sales and whatever else on the council agenda is fair game. Those battles are won and lost in a game we call: can you count to three?
Clearly Harry cannot.
Don’t get me wrong, using the threat of political retribution in a policy battle is a great MO if you can back it up. Any reasonable political mind knows he cannot.
Pringle is popular, having served all or part of Anaheim since the early 90’s. He is a visionary, having brought hundreds of millions of dollars in investment capital to the city by creating a new mixed-use and residential zone near Anaheim Stadium. He is powerful, not just because he wields a big stick at city hall, but because he sits on the Orange County Transportation Authority board a major player in regional issues.
I am a fan of Pringle no doubt. And I had thought Harry Sidhu was a good up and coming GOP leader. He may very will still be, but I have to say I am disappointed that he would talk out of school and try to create a swirl around his potential challenge of the mayor. It demonstrates that he just doesn’t have the political acumen, yet, needed to win at the next level.
If Councilman Sidhu decides to run against Mayor Pringle I am afraid no one will care.