Santa Ana Elections 2026
Santa Ana Elections:
In recent elections in Santa Ana, police unions and real estate–backed groups have poured significant money into local races, drawing attention to the growing influence of outside spending in municipal politics.
Police unions typically support candidates who favor stronger law enforcement policies, increased public safety budgets, and expanded police resources. Their financial backing often goes toward campaign ads, mailers, and digital outreach aimed at shaping public opinion on crime and community safety.
Meanwhile, real estate developers and property interests invest heavily in candidates who align with their views on housing development, zoning regulations, rent control policies, and urban growth. As housing affordability remains a central issue in Santa Ana, these groups seek to influence decisions that could directly affect construction projects and property values.
Much of the spending occurs through independent expenditure committees, which can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money as long as they are not directly coordinating with candidates. Critics argue that such spending can overshadow grassroots voices and tilt the political landscape in favor of well-funded interests.
Supporters, however, maintain that these groups are participating legally in the democratic process and that voters ultimately decide the outcome at the ballot box.
The situation highlights an ongoing debate about money, transparency, and influence in local government elections—particularly in cities where public safety and housing policy are key issues.
Public safety unions and real estate interests are spending tens of thousands of dollars on their preferred candidates in Santa Ana’s city council races this year – It also comes as a rent control measure on the something real estate interests are heavily spending against and pushing back on.
It comes about a year after a majority of Santa Ana officials voted to pay out the former City Manager Kristine Ridge $600,000 to settle a claim alleging a pressure campaign by elected officials on b
Ridge’s departure came weeks after former Police Chief David Valetin announcent citing “corrupt and compromised politicians” and “compromised staff.”
Ridge also alleged in her claim Mayor Valerie Amezcua created a workplace harassment environment for her.
On Tuesday, City Attorney Sonia Carvalho announced publicly that private investigators hired by the city found that a preponderance of evidence did not sustain allegations thaharassed or retaliated against Ridge.
Carvalho added allegations that Aiolated the by interfering with administrative matters were also not sustained by the investigators.
Public Safety Campaign
So far, the police union has spent over $130,000 between Mayor reelection campaign, City Commissioner Ward 5 campaign and lawyer Ward 3 campaign – with a greater portion of the money going to Alvarado.
The police union has spent over $96,000 in support of Alvarado through mailers, door hangers and digital ads. The police union has also spent over $9,000 on mailers against a ballot measure, dubbed DD, that would allowin local elections.Meanwhile, the has spent $67,000 on TV advertisements in support of Amezcua as of Oct.15.
Real Estate Campaign
Real estate interests are also spending significantly on local races in Santa Ana – the only city in Orange County to adopt a citywide
break-word;">The California Real Estate Independent Expenditure Committee, funded primarily by the National Association of Realtors, has spent over $93,000 on text messages, digital ads, polling, phone calls and mailers against Councilwoman a proponent of rent control.
Meanwhile, the California Apartment Association has spent over $21,000 in support of Phan’s opponent – who owns beauty boutiques and
Voters in Santa Ana will also decide on a ballot measure dubbed CC in November that if approved would enshrine rent control in their city’s charter.
Another funded by real estate interests, is also spending big against three local measures on the November ballot including rent control, noncitizen voting and a measure, dubbed FF, that if approved would increase city council member pay.
As of Sept. 21, the committee has spent over $179,000 on things like mailers, polling and consulting against the measures.
A California Association of Realtors political action committee has donated an additional $385,000 to the committee since then and the National Association of Realtors donated $500,000 to the committee on Sept. 25, according to campaign finance d
Other Contribution
One committee dubbed “A Better Orange County,” spent $61,000 supporting Amezcua’s campaign, and was entirely funded by the California Alliance of Family Owned Businesses, an advocacy group aimed at helping family owned businesses.
The alliance is made up of various business interests, including business consulting firms and companies that run a string of McDonald’s franchises.
They received no donations from Santa Ana based businesses in the past year, according to their campaign finance disclosures.
Other advocacy groups like OC Action and Democratic campaign donor Quinn Delaney are also throwing cash toward candidates in Santa Ana through political action committees.
The Orange County Political Action Committee, which was primarily funded by OC Action and Chispa, spent over $18,000 on Councilman s reelection campaign on things like mailers and $4,000 in support of Councilman mayoral campaign on canvassing as of Oct. 15.
The California Working Families Party, who reported Delaney as the source of over half its funding, spent $5,000 on digital advertisements in support of Hernandez and another $5,000 in support of Councilwoman
A committee named Santa Ana Citizens for Voting, funded primarily by the Policy Issues Institute, has spent over $31,000 on things like campaign literature against the noncitizen voting measure.
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