Category · All of Orange County
21 politics stories across Orange County. Straight from the Juice feed, newest first.
Santa Ana · Politics
Mayor Valerie Amezcua's election-night lead has shrunk to 140 votes over challenger Dan Shimell, and Orange County is still counting ballots.
Huntington Beach · Politics
In a clip posted two days after the election, the Long Beach Democrat who is set to represent Surf City in Congress says HB and the county "voted for change." Unofficial numbers show him narrowly carrying the Orange County part of his redrawn district.
Anaheim · Politics
First unofficial returns on election night had the incumbent mayor near 61% against challengers Alfredo Rodriguez and Imran Sharief. Ballots are still being counted.
Santa Ana · Politics
Mayor Valerie Amezcua opened with just over 50% in the first ballot drop, but later tallies showed challenger Dan Shimell closing the gap and moving ahead. The count is not final.
Santa Ana · Politics
A council debate over police became a shouting match about 911 calls, family and police union money, as a viral arrest keeps the Santa Ana Police Department under scrutiny.
Orange County · Politics Paid political
In a paid post, the committee Tax the Ultra-Rich Now, Yes on 3 & 40, No on 41 & 42 lays out what it says the billionaire tax would fund, and what it says is at stake if it fails.
Paid for by Tax the Ultra-Rich Now, Yes on 3 & 40, No on 41 & 42
Orange County · Politics Paid political
A paid carousel from the committee backing Prop 40 singles out Sergey Brin, Yuri Milner, Peter Thiel and Mark Zuckerberg over California's proposed one-time billionaire tax.
Paid for by Tax the Ultra-Rich Now, Yes on 3 & 40, No on 41 & 42
Santa Ana · Politics
Jackie Cordova, a 54-year-old U.S. citizen, says she was monitoring immigration activity before dawn Thursday when agents chased her down, sprayed her and arrested her. DHS has not explained what happened.
Anaheim · Politics
Berenice Ballinas, the mayor's chief of staff since 2022, alleges harassment, discrimination and retaliation. Aitken denies using the slur, and the city says a review is underway.
Santa Ana · Politics
In a sit-down with Juice Unlocked, the mayor said critics who felt she moved too slowly on ICE are right. She also pushed back on officials who claim they got ICE out of Santa Ana.
Santa Ana · Politics
On the Juice Unlocked podcast, Santa Ana's mayor said she has nothing bad to say about Bass, but she did not let a comment about her city slide.
Santa Ana · Politics
On the Juice Unlocked podcast, Santa Ana's mayor pushed back on critics who say her public safety approach comes down to arrests, saying residents simply want to feel safe at home, at school and at the store.
Santa Ana · Politics
On the Juice Unlocked podcast, Amezcua said she takes more heat than the mayors before her, including over her hair and makeup. Two months later, she is trailing in a tight reelection race.
Santa Ana · Politics
Santa Ana's mayor sat down in the Juice Unlocked studio for a wide-ranging interview on her childhood, the city's future, immigration enforcement and her bid for another term. The full conversation runs about 74 minutes on YouTube.
Santa Ana · Politics
In an interview clip, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass pushed back on Santa Ana's offer-help-or-arrest approach to homelessness, saying L.A.'s jails have no room and are already full of people with mental illness.
Santa Ana · Politics
Santa Ana Councilman Johnathan Hernandez criticized mayoral candidate Dwayne Shipp's "The only ICE I support" graphic, saying people's lives are not a joke and asking what Shipp would actually do about ICE.
Santa Ana · Politics
Dwayne Shipp, a city commissioner running for Santa Ana mayor, says he was turned away from the backstage area at the city's Chicano Heritage Festival because he was wearing campaign gear.
Santa Ana · Politics
Asked on a Juice Unlocked livestream whether he would run, the Santa Ana councilman said he was "absolutely running for mayor," then said police are running the city and criticized Mayor Valerie Amezcua.
Orange County · Politics
A post on President Donald Trump's @realDonaldTrump account, shared by Juice Unlocked on April 7, 2026, warned of mass loss of life "tonight" while claiming "Complete and Total Regime Change" and closing with a blessing for the people of Iran.
Orange County · Politics
Lawsuits tied to the Orange County District Attorney's Office, including claims of harassment, retaliation and misconduct from within, had cost the public nearly $18 million as of March 2026.
Santa Ana · Politics
An immigration judge dismissed the deportation case against a Santa Ana landscaper whose arrest outside an IHOP went viral, but the Department of Homeland Security says it is appealing.
Crime & court stories: all details are alleged until proven in court. Paid partner posts are labeled.
Seen something in the OC? Send the news desk your photos and video, plus where and when it happened.
Send a tip
