Anaheim Election Means Victory Over Crony Capitalism: New at Reason

Election night in Anaheim, Calif., brought defeat for a number of Disney-backed candidates.

Steven Greenhut writes:

While political observers wait to see whether President-elect Donald Trump will fulfill his promise to “drain the swamp” in Washington, Anaheim’s new council majority is ready to do something similar in Orange County’s largest city—flush the outsized influence of the Walt Disney Co. and other business boosters from City Hall.

Most people here love the Happiest Place on Earth and respect Disney’s deep roots in Orange County. There’s no questioning the benefits the company brings the county’s largest city. But what’s good for Disney isn’t always good for Anaheim. Its 350,000 residents have priorities that aren’t centered in the Resort District, and until now, it’s been hard to get them heard.­­­

In the run-up to the Nov. 8 election, “the parent company of Disneyland [funneled] more than $900,000 into a complicated network of groups supporting Disney-friendly candidates in four council races and attacking their opponents,” according to a VoiceofOC analysis, which noted Disney broke its spending record. A Disney spokesperson told the publication that the political action committees that receive funding are involved in many Orange County races and not just those in Anaheim.

But an unusual coalition loyal to Republican Mayor Tom Tait won the day. Conservative Republican Denise Barnes won District 1 over Disney-backed candidate Steve Chavez Lodge. Progressive Democrat Jose Moreno won District 3 over Disney-backed incumbent Jordan Brandman. Disney candidates, incumbent Lucille Kring and newcomer Stephen Faessell, won District 4 and District 5 over Tait-backed candidates, but Tait now has a majority. (Incumbent James Vanderbilt also is an ally.)

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