When a friend asked if Tom Steyer could stop by my wife Delilah’s downtown Santa Ana restaurant, I had to explain to him who he was.
In my beloved’s case it is not political indifference. She is tired of running her small business, Alta Baja Market, in these times of inflation. She is among the 16% of undecided voters in a recent California Democratic Party survey — a group that could determine which two candidates face each other for governor in the general election.
Delilah agreed that Steyer could come on Saturday, after I told her that many of our friends support the billionaire’s progressive platform.
“Politics is your job, not mine,” he joked as we drove to Alta Baja and I called out the names of the other major candidates. She had only heard of Antonio Villaraigosa (“I liked him as mayor, but he had to shit his pants when I mentioned his extramarital affairs”) and Katie Porter (“Some of my workers liked him, but I don’t know what he did”). She may be the last person left in the Golden State who has not seen any of Steyer’s television and YouTube commercials.
His campaign appears to have stalled in the polls, while he has spent more than $150 million of his own money, raising doubts among some voters about whether they want a billionaire leading the state.
So a trip to Santa Ana, the center of Latino Orange County, was a good move. In Alta Baja, he could talk to my Mexican American wife and other blue-collar Latinos.
On the other hand, when opponent Xavier Becerra came to OC a few weeks ago, he appeared at a private fundraising event attended mostly by professional Latinos.
“I just want someone who tells us where our taxes are going and treats this country like a business, and we’re not wasting money,” Delilah said. He is a socially liberal and fiscally conservative Democrat who is particularly angered by President Trump’s deportation flood, which left the streets of downtown Santa Ana empty for months last summer. “Because right now, our government is a huge mess.”
I asked what questions he had for Steyer.
Delilah replied, “So the insurance has to cover all disasters caused by fire.” “So why does everyone else have to pay for it? And so are you.” In fact Are you going to help the state?”
She stopped. “Tom is a Democrat, isn’t he?”
Delilah prepared for Steyer’s afternoon stop as if it were any other day. He has fed luminaries such as Alex Padilla, the US senator from the Orange County district. Atty. Todd Spitzer and former Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon. Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton is a fan of Alta Baja’s blue cornbread; When Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee ran for president two years ago, she held a meet and greet there.
“You know who to ask that question?” Delilah said after setting the till for the day. “Angela.”
That will be 19-year-old Alta Baja worker Angela Nino, who will be voting in her first election.
“She’ll always be saying to me, ‘Did you see the debate? Did you see the debate?’ And I always say, ‘No, I’m too tired to watch.'”
Nino arrived soon after.
“Guess who’s coming, Angela?” Delilah said before looking at me. “Is his name Tim or Tom?”
When I asked about Steyer, the Orange Coast College student and Santa Ana resident said, “I guess I agree with some of the things he says, but he’s a billionaire.” “His responses to the debates so far have been quite comprehensive.”
Delilah smiled.
“You’re the future, girl, so ask her anything.”
While we waited for Steyer almost everyone who came in was a campaign worker or volunteer. Former state Comptroller Betty Yee, who ended her campaign for governor last month and endorsed Steyer, sat at a table with her husband. Orange County Supervisor Vicente Sarmiento, who initiated Steyer’s visit to Santa Ana, thanked Delilah for the opportunity. He has known her since the beginning of her political career on the Santa Ana City Council nearly 20 years ago,
“This is a city where our residents were criminalized because of ICE, our city suffered because of construction, and all of this happened because of a pandemic,” he told me. “These are the people who need to listen to Tom.”
Sarmiento’s employee got his attention. Steyer was here.
The candidates went in with a videographer and photographer. He wore his usual casual billionaire attire – white and cardinal Nikes, jeans, a checkered shirt with roll-up sleeves and a colorful southwestern-style cloth belt.
Steyer went straight to the counter.
“Are You Running for governor? He broke down while shaking Delilah’s hand.
“I don’t want to,” she replied.
“I knew you were a smart woman!”
When Delilah complained about the years-old light-rail project facing Alta Baja, he listened with wide eyes and a stern face, “which is worse than COVID for businesses here.” Insurance rates have increased 30% in the last year alone, he said.
“Well, look, that’s my whole point,” Steyer responded in his low, gravelly voice. “I’m ready to take on the big corporations that are robbing California. And they’re all spending a lot of money against me.”
This was the same Steyer I’ve heard in so many commercials: cantankerous, kind but a big talker. Delilah smiled softly.
“I appreciate it,” she said. “And we need more of it.”
Then he waved to Nino. Usually shy, the architecture major now channeled her inner Leslie Stahl.
“Why do you have to be governor to do something when you have billions of dollars?” He said.
When Steyer explained how he has funded ballot proposals and nonprofit initiatives to fight for a more equitable California, he didn’t panic.
“So I’m able to do something, but what I see in California — and what Delilah and I were talking about — is it’s really the big corporations that run the state,” he said.
“It’s true,” Nino admitted.
“You have to take on the big corporations that are screwing everybody over. And you can really only do that as governor,” Steyer added.
“You want to tax billionaires, is that right?” Nino asked next, Steyer nodded. “How come some of the (campaign disclosure) forms show that billions of your dollars are in different (countries) besides the US?”
The candidate shook his head vigorously.
“I may have investments outside the United States, but I’m not doing anything not to pay – I pay full California and US taxes on everything, promise. There are ways I could avoid taxes, but I don’t. And so, nothing I’m doing overseas is to avoid taxes. … I give you my word.”
Another one from Nino!
“And how can people trust billionaires when they are currently so disappointing to us?”
Steyer replied, “I understand why people are skeptical.” “They couldn’t be more skeptical than me.”
He argued that other moguls are “supporting every other candidate. Those people.” Hatred I — like, they think I’m standing up for something really bad, making them pay their fair share,” referring to a proposed November ballot initiative that would impose a one-time 5% tax on billionaires like Steyer (he supports the measure).
“And they’re right,” Steyer concluded. “And it’s like, they hate me, and that’s OK.”
Nino remained silent. Delilah thanked Stair, who went on to visit other local businesses owned by our friends. He bought a bottle of rosé, posed for photos with Delilah and Sarmiento and left — but not before an employee adjusted the back of his collar.
Delilah and Nino went back to preparing lunch orders. What did they think of Steyer?
“To be honest, I doubt it very much,” Nino said. “I don’t think he has as much experience as some of the other candidates, and I think he should have explained his policies in more detail.”
What about you, darling?
“Compassionate, too kind and not pompous, that’s what I expect from most politicians,” Delilah said. “I like that they listened to Angela – it’s important (that) politicians listen to the next generation, and I think everyone should do that. But I wasn’t satisfied with my insurance question.”
“And we don’t know if it’s a performance,” Nino said, eliciting a playful gasp from Delilah. “We’ve seen, like, for many years, a lot of political people go into regular[businesses]seemingly saying, ‘Oh, we relate to people. We know your struggles.'”
“Are they real?” Delilah intervened.
Nino furrowed his eyebrows.
He said, maybe they are just putting on a show for the cameras.
