Members of the Democratic Club of Culver City are at least as excited over November Presidential prospects as fellow party members across the country, and they transferred their soaring feelings back home at last night’s Endorsement Party for City Council candidates.
Enthusiastically, 77 members— twice the average attendance and energy at regular monthly meetings — lighted up the Rotunda Room at the Vets Auditorium.
Convening to potentially endorse three candidates for the open seats in the April 8 election, they only found two contenders worthy, Christopher Armenta and Andy Weissman.
Swooning for Armenta
When they sat down to vote, they left no doubt where their heart mainly lies:
Overwhelmingly, they beat for the City Clerk Mr. Armenta.
Making his second try for the Council, the tall, dark, handsome and always smiling candidate scored a knockout.
He was named on 66 of 77 ballots.
Seemingly from nowhere, a critical mass of momentum materialized for Mr. Armenta. during the buildup to the vote.
Candidates Go Away
After the candidates made sometimes- flowery pitches for themselves and all of them answered a few stock questions from the audience, they were asked to leave the room.
This would allow the crowd to lobby for personal choices without embarrassing candidates who might be ignored.
As soon as the doors swung shut, an outpouring of passionately presented personal testimonies from the crowd quickly began to mount.
Almost unanimously, the speakers backed Mr. Armenta.
It was a fairly amazing, and definitely monolithic, display. Of the 12 Dems who lobbied, 10 ardently advocated for Mr. Armenta, including the candidate’s wife, Colleen.
How whooped up were they?
The last speaker strode to the microphone sporting a large red, white and blue “Weissman for Council” sticker.
Can you guess the punchline?
He pitched vigorously for Mr. Weissman without ever mentioning the candidate his clothes suggested he was really touting.
No. 1 in Other Hearts
By also endorsing the muscular campaign of Mr. Weissman, the Democratic Club acknowledged the man who is expected to be the top votegetter on Election Day.
The voting patterns that emerged last night probably would baffle the pushy people across the country who take exit polls and try to figure out how voters arrive at their sometimes enigmatic decisions.
In a dominant way, this was Mr. Armenta’s night at center stage, not that such a monopoly was evident earlier while the contenders were promoting themselves and answering questions.
The Runaway Choice
With the engulfing force of a hurricane that was mindful of the popularity of someone named Obama, Mr. Armenta vanquished his opposition in the first round of balloting.
With 47 votes needed for endorsement (in the first round), Mr. Weissman fell just short with 44. Jeff Cooper drew 30 votes and Loni Anderson had 27.
Club President Greg Valtierra, who ran a snappily paced program, called for a second round of balloting to fill the two remaining endorsement slots.
With just three candidates in the running this time, and 64 members voting, Mr. Weissman still attracted the same 44 votes. But the difference was that this time he accumulated 6 more than needed.
Second Vote
With the field 25 percent smaller in the second round, it might have been expected that the vote numbers and proportions would change. They did not. Mr. Cooper had 26 and Ms. Anderson had 18.
In an unexpected turn, 12 club members voted not to endorse anybody.
Obviously they were un-moved by any of the four candidates’ increasingly familiar, but unchallenged, positions.
Two other developments merited notation.
Russell Missing
Club member Gary Russell, one of the five scheduled Democratic presenters, was a no-show.
No message was forwarded to explain his absence.
This was a disappointment to a number of participants who had come explicitly to hear arguably the most colorful City Council contender.
Mr. Russell first came to community-wide attention a month ago at the January meeting of the Democratic Club. Moving around the perimeter of the room during a speech by Mayor Alan Corlin, Mr. Russell kept jawing at the speaker. He peppered the mayor with questions and comments during the length of the speech, Some accused Mr. Russell of harassing Mr. Corlin, although the candidate denied it.
Inconsistent
In the intervening period, Mr. Russell has compiled an uneven record where both attendance and performance are concerned. ,
Last night’s unscheduled absence was his second no-show in eight days.
On Feb. 5, without explanation, Mr. Russell did not join his fellow candidates when they went before the board of the Chamber of Commerce in quest of the business group’s endorsement.
Following three consecutive appearances that brought unfavorable attention, Mr. Russell did participate in last week’s opening Community Forum. He surprised with a low-key, organized presentation.
The other attention-arresting incident was essayed by Council candidate Mehaul O’Leary.
Registered as an Independent, Mr. O’Leary was not allowed to participate in the Community Forum. He was told it was only open to Democrats in the nine-way race.
O’Leary’s Response
Standing in the rear of the room and speaking softly over the din generated by the large crowd, Mr. O’Leary sounded restrained.
“I am a little disappointed,” he said, “seeing as how I was allowed to speak the last time I ran for the Council two years ago.
“Last week, I was allowed (as an Independent) to vote in the Democratic primary.”
What upset Mr. O’Leary more was the Democratic Club’s refusal to permit him to present his campaign literature, to place documents on each chair.
“They talked about free speech tonight,” he said. “They said everybody believes in it. Yet they wouldn’t let me distribute my literature.”
