Although there are thousands of votes yet to be counted, early returns for the Imperial Irrigation District Board of Directors have divisions 2 and 4 challengers Bruce Kuhn and Steve Benson soundly defeating the incumbents.
Looming large over the races for divisions 2 and 4 was Imperial Valley First, a SuperPAC created by the Coalition of Labor, Agriculture and Business with the claim to educate the Valley about local government issues and the stated purpose of opposing the re-election of incumbent directors Stella Mendoza and John Pierre Menvielle.
Imperial Valley First sent out thousands of mailed pieces to voters’ homes denouncing Mendoza and Menvielle’s records. The group, which had raised more than $234,000 as of Sept. 30 and whose donor list boasts a few dozen agriculture businesses, effectively shifted Menvielle’s focus from his opponent, Kuhn, to Imperial Valley First itself.
With the dust from the elections still hanging in the air, it may be too early to ask if a candidate can afford to run a campaign that ignores or condemns the Valley’s agricultural community and still hope to win.
Yet Holtville farmer and Imperial Valley First member Jack Vessey is intimating just that.
He said Mendoza’s campaign four years ago ignored the agriculture community and demonized Mike Morgan, a Valley farmer and IID critic. What made this campaign different, Vessey said, was that people who use the least amount of water were trying to dictate to farmers — those who need the most amount of water — what should and should not be done.
“The people getting involved with water and the IID should be farmers,” Vessey said.
Although members of Imperial Valley First expressed their happiness with the election returns thus far, they said that, ultimately, they’re taking a long view.
“I think we all feel like it’s time to get to work on big issues that need to get resolved,” said Ayron Moiola, executive director of COLAB. “I hope that the new directors bring a spirit of unity to the entire Valley. I hope the Valley gets unified under a common cause — the preservation of natural resources. There’s no time to brag.”
Vessey echoed Moiola’s sentiments.
“I’m not jumping up and down (with happiness),” Vessey said. “Let’s see what happens. Some people need to be held accountable. I hope and cross my fingers progress is made.”
Kuhn, who is leading Division 2, also spoke about the need for unity.
“I want to try to heal the divisions between agriculture and the regular community,” he said.
He said Imperial Valley First’s last-minute endorsement of his campaign took him by surprise. He was afraid that being linked with a group that Menvielle was attacking might hurt his chances.
“It scared the living hell out of me,” he said. “John Pierre had been trying to tie me to them the entire campaign, and they were endorsing me. I didn’t see it coming.”
In Benson’s estimation, Imperial Valley First shone a spotlight on Mendoza and Menvielle’s record.
“The PAC brought up issues with the incumbents and let voters sort it out,” he said.
Menvielle’s take was characteristically blunt.
“I would characterize it as wealthy landowners trying to take control of the IID through a SuperPAC, through buying seats on the IID board,” he said.
Ultimately, the lesson to be taken from this election cycle may be that deep pockets are now key, even for small local elections.
“A fresh face that’s not related to ag and is educated on what the issues are can win, but it takes money,” Menvielle said.
Staff Writer Antoine Abou-Diwan can be reached at 760-337-3454 or aabou-diwan@ivpressonline.com
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