California Assembly Candidate Wants to Move Clippers to Orange County

The Clippers currently share space in Staples Center with the LosAngeles Lakers. But a candidate for the California Assembly thinks nowwould be a good time for the team to move south into Orange County.

KarinaOnofre is running to represent the 74th Assembly district, whichincludes parts of Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Irvine, and CostaMesa. This week she had a brainstorm which she shared via a press release on her website. “Without any delay, I want to bring together a creative,think-outside-the-box Orange County active community team, to turntoday’s problems into possibilities for tomorrow’s success,” she is quoted as saying.

Onofre thinks the team needs a fresh start in a fresh location. “I want to assemble a team of innovative business owners, religious andcommunity leaders, public officials, fans and the Clippers organizationto prepare a boni-fide proposal to straight-out invite the Clippers tocome to Orange County!”

There are not a lot of details in Onofre’s proposal. She suggests, “this will be monumental — especially if the OC Clippers decide to callIrvine, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Laguna Woods, or theEast side of Huntington Beach — all within our 74th Assembly District,their new home!!!”

As that last sentence suggests, whateverthe proposal lacks in specifics it makes up for in sheer enthusiasm.Onofre writes, “Imagine the immense benefit to bring the Clippers to anew Southland home, in Orange County?!!!” Why spell out those benefitswhen we can just imagine them!!! In all, I count a total of 16exclamation points if you include the ones in the headline.

In afollowup posted today, Onofre announced that she will attend tonight’s2nd round playoff game against the OKC Thunder. She writes, “I hope to meet fans, players and key members of their organization todiscuss this idea, to bring the Clippers to a brand new home in OrangeCounty.”

Onofre entered the race as a Republican last year and ranas one for months. As recently as January she was attending a Tea Partyforum. Last month, Onofre switched her affiliation to Democrat saying, “There are extremists on both sides, but I fit in better with the Democrats – the Democratic Party has the heart.”

OrangeCounty Democrats were not thrilled with the last minute change, fearingit would hurt the already- endorsed Democrat in the race. Party leaderNick Anas told the Orange County Register, “It shows she doesn’t have astrong political compass. I don’t know ifshe’s naive or if this is more calculated, but either way, it’sdisturbing.”