Ortiz Luna and Sanders Plan Independent Candidacies for Council

At large Council Member Luz Ortiz Luna (R-AL) and longtime Republican activist James Sanders, Jr. are building independent campaigns for Council, as Republican Mayor Erin Stewart’s coalition shows more signs of fraying.

“I will be petitioning to get on the ballot as an Independent,” Ald. Ortiz Luna said. She said she it looked like she was on track to be a nominee of the Republican Party for the Council in Ward 4, together with Ald. Robert Smedley. “I interviewed in front of the nominating committee and was nominated.”

But, “Approximately one week later,” Ortiz Luna said, “the mayor discovered that I donated towards Angel Segarra’s campaign.” Her endorsement recommendation was revoked, she said, and Ald. Mike Thompson (R-4) was endorsed by the Republican Town Committee instead of her.

Each party may nominate two candidates for Council in each of city’s five Wards, with the top three candidates elected to represent each ward.

Meanwhile, Sanders has said that he is has officially switched to Independent and plans to petition his way onto the ballot. Sanders has been in a very public dispute with Republican Mayor Erin Stewart in recent months. While there have been rumors that he would consider running for mayor, recent discussion posits him running for Council. Sanders is a resident of Ward 1.

“In the past, there have been Republicans who have donated to Democrats and it was never an issue,” Ortiz Luna noted, “Angel Segarra is a close friend, a friend of the family, and a veteran. I made a good faith donation to him. However, I donated to Mayor Erin Stewart and it was a higher amount.”

Ald. Angel Segarra (D-2) is a Democratic Council member. He has said that he plans to challenge endorsed Democratic mayoral candidate Chris Anderson for the Democratic nomination for mayor in a September primary.

But, Ortiz Luna added, “This clearly isn’t about a donation. It’s about who the Mayor would rather have run with her.”

Ortiz Luna cited her advocacy for the public as a reason for not being supported, saying, “the two times that the community came out to speak on two specific issues, I stood by the people and I’m sure the administration did not like that.”

“I am also the only Hispanic Republican woman on the Council,” Ortiz Luna said, “and they chose not to endorse me this time around.”

Ortiz Luna noted how active she is the Republican Party. “Not only am I an active Republican Town Committee member, I also sit on the E-Board as the Correspondence Secretary.” She said, “I have the opportunity to primary in Ward 4. However, I decided to run on the independent line because I was treated poorly.”

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