Changing Horses in The Middle of The Stream – Pasadena Now

Remember when I said you were going to need a scorecard to understand the coming elections.

Tear those up.

Yes, the races are still being prompted largely by Anthony Portantino and Chris Holden terming out.

But now, new candidates are in the races, people have switched dance partners and we’ve seen the money.

Let’s be clear, rumors of Vice Mayor Felicia Williams switching races have been around at least since late June. At least that’s when I first heard them.

Matter of fact, I wrote three graphs of the story we posted on Friday in early July.

That’s an old Kevin Uhrich trick – know the issue so well, you can anticipate the news based on the way the wind appears to be blowing.  

Bigger outlets write parts of obituaries way in advance. 

It paid off, because Friday was my day off until this all started. 

I was on the deck at Castle Dre with a cold one, but no harm no foul, we knew this was coming on Thursday morning. 

Our stories were all but completed.

It was just a matter of dropping the quotes in and adding a few particulars.

The beverage was still cold when I got back to the deck. 

I got a couple others sitting and waiting also. You want a clue, if Justin Chapman wins the Powerball, you’ll read it here first. If I win it, well it’s been nice knowing you.  

Since we laid out the races last time, Rick Cole has entered the District 2 race and knocked on at least 1,000 doors.

That means that although she’s no longer in the ring with Phlunté Riddle, Williams still has a fight on her hands.

Yes, she is the incumbent. That said, Cole is not exactly a tomato can – to use an old boxing term.  

The big question I have is how the District 2 residents that gave money and endorsements to Williams, the Assembly candidate AND Cole the Council candidate feel about the switch. 

I got a feeling somebody will answer the door for one of these candidates with the answer.

As far as Harabedian’s jump from the state senate race to the state assembly race, that rumor began panning out right after Yvonne Yiu reported a campaign pot of a whopping $855,000. Yeah some of it is self funded, but hell 855k is 855k – as long as it’s all legal.

It’s a lot of coin, but she still has to turn the money into votes. 

Yes money makes a campaign viable, but truth be told I never heard of Yiu until Friday.

No knock on her, she’s not local. 

Either way, now Harabedian has to take on Riddle in Pasadena and Jed Leano in the eastern part of the district. 

Uphill battles.

By the way, today is my birthday.

Nobody switch races, quit or resign from anything till Tuesday.