Once upon a time, you looked out across the Coachella Valley and all that you saw was sand, desert, windmills, golf courses, persons of a certain age, and lots and lots of Repugnants. But, as you should know by now, the times, they are achangin’! Palm Springs, Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City, Indio, and Coachella each gave a majority of their votes to the Kerry/Edwards ticket in 2004. In the CA 80th Assembly District, the Democratic voter registration outnumbers that of the Repugnants by about 13,000!!! The city council of Palm Springs has a majority Democrats including the outgoing mayor, Ron Oden, and City Councilpersons Ginny Foat and Steve Pougnet. The Cathedral City City Council enjoys the benefit of having two Democratic members including Greg Pettis and Paul Marchand. The City Councils of Palm Springs and of Cathedral City each has three openly-gay council members (if in Cat City, you count the member who is only openly gay in the predominantly gay Cove district and is a member of the Log Cabin Repugnants but is closeted in the hetero parts of Cat City).
To celebrate the Bluing of the Coachella Valley, the Desert Stonewall Democrats threw a Get-Out-The-Vote fundraising party in order to support its slate of candidates in the upcoming November 2007 local elecctions! Steve Pougnet, Candidate for Mayor of Palm Springs, John Williams, Candidate for Palm Springs City Council, Rick Hutcheson, Candidate for Palm Springs City Council, Craig Ewing, Candidate for the Water Board, Jono Hildner from NO ON C, Adam Sanchez Candidate for Mayor of Desert Hot Springs, Karl Baker, Candidate for Desert Hot Springs City Council, Ginny ‘Ma’ Foat, Palm Springs City Council, Greg Pettis, Cathedral City Mayor Pro-Tem and Candidate for the CA 80th AD, Paul Marchand, Cathedral City City Council, and George Zander, President of the Desert Stonewall Democratic Club, amongst others, hosted the soire.
More details and names are named below the flip…
Steve Pougnet, Candidate for Mayor of Palm Springs, was quite knowledgeable about the electorate and is a Gary Bosworth-in-waiting. Meaning, he has quite the grasp of the Palm Springs voter stats. Pougnet clued this writer into the 13,000 registration advantage that the Democrats have over the Repugnants in the CA 80th AD. Also, he reported that he has quite the ad campaign hitting the stands in the upcoming ‘Bottom Line’ and elsewhere. Check it out for some great pics of the Candidate for Mayor and his amazing family.
John Williams, Candidate for Palm Springs City Council, was quite the socializer. He attended the Desert Women for Equality Board Meeting prior to also attending the Desert Business Association Mixer, and then the DSD fundraiser. Rick Hutcheson also ran the Monday night gauntlet, attending both the DSD fundraiser and the DBA meeting. Craig Ewing was quite knowledgeable re the water needs of the District and will give waterboarding a good name (pun intended…please cite me as a reference in the retelling).
George Zander, President of DSD, and Bob Silverman, Treasurer of DSD mingled and schmoozed with the revellers. Tracy Turner, of Vets for Peace had a great anti-war sticker that he promised to get me. Jono Hildner of No on C circluated easily and was quite well received. Mike Balassa and Carol Balassa, leaders of PFLAG-Coachella Valley, regaled me with stories of the Equality California Fundraiser. Apparently, Carol was quite the socialite and Mike the bon vivante!
The event took place on Monday, October 22, 2007 from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Look Restaurant in Downtown Palm Springs.
If you were unable to attend and still wish to send money, Zander says to send it to:
Desert Stonewall Democrats
31855 Date Palm DR #3 PMB #275
Cathedral City CA 92234